Propre = own/clean (French Adjectives that change meaning according to position)

In French, certain adjectives change their meanings depending if they appear before or after the noun.

The French adjective propre changes meaning according to its position

Look at these uses of propre:

Mon propre véloMy own bike

Mon vélo propreMy clean bike

Before the noun, propre means 'own', but after the noun it means 'clean'.

 

NB: generally adjectives appear after the noun, but some very common adjectives go before.

 

See also: 

Ancien = former/old (French Adjectives that change meaning according to position) 

Cher= dear/expensive (French Adjectives that change meaning according to position) 

Certain = specific / sure in French (adjectives that change meaning according to position) 

Dernier = final/previous (French Adjectives that change meaning according to position)

Vrai = real/true (French Adjectives that change meaning according to position)

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Learn more about these related French grammar topics

Examples and resources

Mon vélo propreMy clean bike
Mon propre véloMy own bike
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