Un chat noir.
English: A black cat.
- Language
- French
- Level
- A2
- Unit
- Adjectifs
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
In French, descriptive adjectives (adjectifs qualificatifs) are words that describe nouns. They change form to match the gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) of the noun, and their position is usually after the noun.
When to use it
Use descriptive adjectives to give more information about a noun, such as its color, size, or quality. In French, adjectives usually come after the noun they describe.
Key forms
- masculine singular: petit
- feminine singular: petite
- masculine plural: petits
- feminine plural: petites
Examples
Une maison blanche.
English: A white house.
Des fleurs rouges.
English: Red flowers.
Un homme intelligent.
English: An intelligent man.
Des filles heureuses.
English: Happy girls.
Tips
- Always make the adjective agree with the noun in gender and number.
- Most adjectives come after the noun, but some common ones (like beau, grand, petit, bon) come before.
- Watch out for irregular adjectives that change differently.
Exceptions and edge cases
- Some adjectives change completely for feminine or plural forms (e.g., beau → belle, nouveau → nouvelle).
- A few adjectives change meaning depending on their position (e.g., ancien, cher).