Language/French/Grammar/Combinations-of-adjectives
Multiple adjectives before the noun[edit | edit source]
Cardinal numbers are usually the first in any combination of adjectives preceding a noun, but after that the order of adjectives is the same as it is in English:
- les deux premières semaines
the first two weeks
- les quatre dernières jolies phrases
the last four pretty sentences
- au bon vieux temps
in the good old days
- une autre nouvelle maison
another new house
- un vrai beau grand château
a really beautiful large castle
- ce pauvre cher homme
that poor dear man
The exception to cardinal numbers occurring first is when a complex number is involved:
- Il m'a versé les derniers sept cents francs qu'il me devait
He paid me the last seven hundred francs he owed me
To avoid having a long string of adjectives before the noun, one or more may be combined with et, and/or moved after the noun. To illustrate, 'a young pretty little cat' could be:
- un jeune et joli petit chat or un petit chat jeune et joli
Multiple adjectives after the noun[edit | edit source]
The order of adjectives after the noun is the mirror image of English. For example, 'the Spanish Civil War' becomes 'the War Civil Spanish':
- la guerre civile espagnole
Similarly:
- des lignes parallèles invisibles
invisible parallel lines
- des milieux politiques américains
American political circles
- des feuilles mortes humides
damp dead leaves
- un agent commercial français
a French business agent
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Quantifiers — tout and chaque
- Infinitives
- Hyphens in Cardinal Numbers
- Number differences between French and English nouns
- Verbs with prepositions
- Comparing neutral ce, cela, ça with personal il ils and elle elles
- How to use half, third and quarter in French
- Difference between Nombre, Chiffre and Numéro
- Common Mistakes
- Stressed pronouns standing alone
- Questions
- Use of y
- Vous and Tu Complete Guide
- Use of stressed pronouns for emphasis
- Weather verbs