French adjective
See also: Adjective Types
Adjectives are a particular type of modifier that describe nouns. Colours, shapes, and sizes, for example, are all adjectives.
- une chemise verte - a green shirt
- une table ronde - a round table
- un grand arbre - a big tree
French adjectives are different from English adjectives in two respects:
1. French adjectives have to agree with the nouns they describe: they change spelling and pronunciation to match the gender and number of their nouns.
- un gant vert - a green glove
- une chemise verte - a green shirt
- des gants verts - green gloves
- des chemises vertes - green shirts
2. English adjectives go in front of nouns, but most French adjectives go after them. The most common exceptions can be memorized with the acronym BAGS:
- Beauty - joli, beau
- Age - jeune, vieux
- Good/bad - bon, mauvais
- Size - grand, petit