Forming the feminine of adjectives ending in -c in French

Masculine adjectives ending in -c do change in the feminine form.

The feminine form of adjectives ending in -c in French

Look at these examples:

Mon stylo blanc va avec ma jupe blanche.My white pen goes with my white skirt.

Un sourire franc est le signe d'une personne franche.A frank smile is the sign of a frank person.

Dans un jardin public, je vois une ovation publique.In a public garden, I see a public ovation.

Je connais un homme turc et une femme turque.I know a Turkish man and a Turkish woman.

Note that :

- If the -c is mute in the masculine form, then the feminine ends in -che. 

- If we hear the -c in the masculine form - i.e. a [k] sound - then the feminine becomes -que, to preserve the pronunciation.

ATTENTION: Each rule has its exceptions! 

- grec (Greek) keeps the c and adds que : grecque.

Je mange un yaourt grec dans une maison grecque.I eat a Greek yogurt in a Greek house.

- sec (dry): you do hear the -c in the masculine form, and yet its feminine is sèche.

Mon manteau est sec mais ma serviette n'est pas sèche.My coat is dry but my towel is not dry.

 

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Examples and resources

Mon manteau est sec mais ma serviette n'est pas sèche.My coat is dry but my towel is not dry.
Mon stylo blanc va avec ma jupe blanche.My white pen goes with my white skirt.
Un sourire franc est le signe d'une personne franche.A frank smile is the sign of a frank person.

exception


Je mange un yaourt grec dans une maison grecque.I eat a Greek yogurt in a Greek house.
Dans un jardin public, je vois une ovation publique.In a public garden, I see a public ovation.
Je connais un homme turc et une femme turque.I know a Turkish man and a Turkish woman.
Forming the feminine of adjectives ending in -c in French
1 of 2
"Je suis grecque" The speaker is

Q&A Forum 6 questions, 9 answers

Harlan S.B1Kwiziq community member

Autre chose et quelques chose d'autre

I thought that "turc" referred to a Turkish man and that "turque" referred to a Turkish woman. The correct answer indicates that "turque" refers to a Turkish man. Please explain why my answer was marked as incorrect.

Harlan

Asked 3 years ago
CélineKwiziq Native French TeacherCorrect answer

Bonjour Harlan,

You are right that 'turc' -> masculine and that 'turque' -> feminine. I have checked the questions from this kwiz and each time the answer is correct. If the issue persists, please report it via your 'report it' button in your correction board.

I hope this is helpful.

Bonne journée !

Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

It is better to report this through the quiz report issue button, as your answer and the question can both be checked, with any correction made to the quiz if needed. Turc is the masculine noun, turque is the feminine noun, as you note.

Harlan S. asked:

Autre chose et quelques chose d'autre

I thought that "turc" referred to a Turkish man and that "turque" referred to a Turkish woman. The correct answer indicates that "turque" refers to a Turkish man. Please explain why my answer was marked as incorrect.

Harlan

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Hillary H.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

"chaque" pronounciation

The "chaque" in "Chaque guerre est plus horrible que la précédente." sounds  "charg", and the "chaque" in "Chaque jour, cela devient plus facile." sounds "cha jur".  Could you explain when the k sound in chaque is pronounced and when it is pronounced?


Asked 4 years ago
CécileKwiziq Native French TeacherCorrect answer

Hi Hillary,

I cannot find these examples in the lesson you pinned with your query but if you find the correct location I should be able to change the unsatisfactory audio.

We are always trying to improve the audios so your question is important to us.

Hillary H. asked:

"chaque" pronounciation

The "chaque" in "Chaque guerre est plus horrible que la précédente." sounds  "charg", and the "chaque" in "Chaque jour, cela devient plus facile." sounds "cha jur".  Could you explain when the k sound in chaque is pronounced and when it is pronounced?


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Peter L.C1Kwiziq community member

"c" ou pas le "c"

turc --> turque  (pas le "c")

grec --> grecque (avec le "c")

pourquoi ??

Asked 5 years ago
Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

Because that's the way it is. Sorry for the curt reply, but there just is no reason. It's a language and not math :)

Jean W.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Not a definitive answer, just a hypothesis here. If one uses the name of the country as the root of the feminine adjective, la Turquie vs la Grèce, perhaps that could explain it ?

Interesting observation ! I hadn't noticed it before. 

Peter L. asked:

"c" ou pas le "c"

turc --> turque  (pas le "c")

grec --> grecque (avec le "c")

pourquoi ??

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N. M.B2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

English translation of "une ovation publique".

I wonder about the colloquial English translation of "une ovation publique". " A public ovation" is not a phrase which I have ever seen used, and for which I can't find an example on the internet. "Ovation" in English is almost universally used as a "standing ovation" for which the French appears to be "une ovation debout".
Asked 7 years ago
Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
The term "standing ovation" is certainly more often heard but "public ovation" is not unheard of.
N. M.B2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Claus, many thanks!! Do you have some examples? I've not heard it before in English.
N. M. asked:

English translation of "une ovation publique".

I wonder about the colloquial English translation of "une ovation publique". " A public ovation" is not a phrase which I have ever seen used, and for which I can't find an example on the internet. "Ovation" in English is almost universally used as a "standing ovation" for which the French appears to be "une ovation debout".

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d. g.A1Kwiziq community member

No liaison between "et" and "une"

Why is the "t" in "et" silent when it precedes the vowel sound in "une" in ,"Je connais un homme turc et une femme turque."
Asked 7 years ago
Ron T.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer
Bonjour Duo,
There are certain words in French where the liaison is omitted in the oral and this is one of those:
Forbidden liaison
Finally, certain liaisons are impossible:

1) after et ("and") - which allows it to be distinguished from est ("is") in speech.
2) after the silent final consonant of a singular common noun: coup X intéressant ("interesting deed"), rat X énorme ("enormous rat") - which allows a distinction between a noun and an adjective: un précieux‿insolent is a precious insolent person, while un précieux X insolent is an insolent member of the fr:préciosité literary movement.
3) after verbs with the second-person singular ending -es : tu manges X en paix ("you eat in peace"); the ending is elided instead.
4) before a word beginning with an "aspirated h": les X haricots (green beans), ils X halètent ("they are gasping"). (Note that even the so-called "aspirated h" is not actually pronounced in modern French.) In the regulated language, hiatus is required here. In everyday registers, this phenomenon is frequently omitted, especially with little-known words.
5) before certain words that start with vowels, such as onze ("eleven"), un when used to mean "one," and oui ("yes").
There are other rules of liaisons, i.e. obligatory liaison, optional liaison, etc.

J'espère que ma réponse vous aiderait.
Bonne chance et bonne continuation dans vos études en français, la langue de Molière et qui a été utilisé par le monde français depuis l’époque d’Hugues Capet
d. g. asked:

No liaison between "et" and "une"

Why is the "t" in "et" silent when it precedes the vowel sound in "une" in ,"Je connais un homme turc et une femme turque."

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d. g.A1Kwiziq community member

Why is the "s" in "vois" silent in,"Dans un jardin public, je vois une ovation publique.".

Asked 7 years ago
Ron T.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer
Bonjour Duo,
Generally, when speaking French, the final consonant is always silent, one exception are words ending in the letter «x» which is generally pronounced, i.e. six, dix, etc. If you are not involved in a conversation French class, I suggest that you try to locate one to enroll in so you can have the practice speaking and listening to French as it is meant to be spoken. That being said, the Alliance Française has chapters in many large cities throughout the US, Canada and Europe; also a lot of colleges and universities offer non-credit courses for adults and some of those have French conversation classes. There is also the option of private French lessons with a native French speaker; however, this is by far the most costly on a per hour basis.
Bonne chance
d. g. asked:

Why is the "s" in "vois" silent in,"Dans un jardin public, je vois une ovation publique.".

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