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<div | <div class="pg_page_title"> Masculine and feminine forms of adjectives — A change in written, but not spoken, French </div> | ||
==General Rule== | ==General Rule== | ||
The general rule is that an -e is added to the masculine form of adjectives to produce the feminine form. | The general rule is that an -e is added to the masculine form of adjectives to produce the feminine form. | ||
== Specific Rules == | |||
In cases where the masculine form ends in one of the following vowels or consonants, there is a change in the written form but not in the spoken form: | In cases where the masculine form ends in one of the following vowels or consonants, there is a change in the written form but not in the spoken form: | ||
===Adjectives ending in -u === | |||
In the case of aigu, ambigu, contigu, a diaresis (ë) is added to the feminine -e in written French to indicate that the -u sound is maintained in spoken French (aigue would be pronounced rather like English 'egg' otherwise; compare long/longue). | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
! | |||
! colspan="2" |French | |||
!English | |||
|- | |||
! | |||
!Masculine | |||
!Feminine | |||
! | |||
|- | |||
! rowspan="4" | -u | |||
|absolu | |||
|absolue | |||
|absolute | |||
|- | |||
|aigu | |||
|aiguë | |||
|high (sound) | |||
|- | |||
|ambigu | |||
|ambiguë | |||
|ambiguous | |||
|- | |||
|contigu | |||
|contiguë | |||
|contiguous | |||
|} | |||
===Adjectives ending in -é and -er === | |||
In these cases, where the final r is pronounced in the masculine, a grave accent is added to the first written e. | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
! | |||
! colspan="2" |French | |||
!English | |||
|- | |||
! | |||
!Masculine | |||
!Feminine | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
| -é | |||
|fermé | |||
|fermée | |||
|closed | |||
|- | |||
| rowspan="3" | -er | |||
|fier | |||
|fière | |||
|proud | |||
|- | |||
|cher | |||
|chère | |||
|expensive | |||
|- | |||
|amer | |||
|amère | |||
|bitter | |||
|} | |||
===Adjectives ending in -i, -c, -ct, -r, -al, -el and -ul === | |||
In these cases, it is -le which is added and not just -e. | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
! | |||
! colspan="2" |French | |||
!English | |||
|- | |||
! | |||
!Masculine | |||
!Feminine | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
| -i | |||
|hardi | |||
|hardie | |||
|bold | |||
|- | |||
|NB: Exception: | |||
|favori | |||
|favorite | |||
|favourite | |||
|- | |||
| rowspan="2" | -c | |||
|public | |||
|publique | |||
|public | |||
|- | |||
|turc | |||
|turque | |||
|Turkish | |||
|- | |||
|NB: c is maintained in: | |||
|grec | |||
|grecque | |||
|Greek | |||
|- | |||
| -ct | |||
|direct | |||
|directe | |||
|direct | |||
|- | |||
| rowspan="2" | -r | |||
|sûr | |||
|sûre | |||
|certain | |||
|- | |||
|pur | |||
|pure | |||
|pure | |||
|- | |||
| -al | |||
|national | |||
|nationale | |||
|national | |||
|- | |||
| rowspan="6" | -el | |||
|général | |||
|générale | |||
|general | |||
|- | |||
|hivernal | |||
|hivernale | |||
|winter | |||
|- | |||
|final | |||
|finale | |||
|final | |||
|- | |||
|personnel | |||
|personnelle | |||
|personal | |||
|- | |||
|professionnel | |||
|professionnelle | |||
|professional | |||
|- | |||
|passionnel | |||
|passionnelle | |||
|emotive | |||
|- | |||
| rowspan="2" | -ul | |||
|cruel | |||
|cruelle | |||
|cruel | |||
|- | |||
|nul | |||
|nulle | |||
|no- | |||
|} | |||
=== -l is pronounced in the masculine. === | |||
In these cases the -l is pronounced in the masculine. | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
! colspan="2" |French | |||
!English | |||
|- | |||
!Masculine | |||
!Feminine | |||
! | |||
|- | |||
|espagnol | |||
|espagnole | |||
|Spanish | |||
|- | |||
|puéril | |||
|puérile | |||
|childish | |||
|- | |||
|civil | |||
|civile | |||
|civil | |||
|} | |||
=== The final -il is pronounced as indicated === | |||
By contrast in the following adjectives the final -il is pronounced as indicated: | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
! colspan="2" |French | |||
!English | |||
|- | |||
!Masculine | |||
!Feminine | |||
! | |||
|- | |||
|gentil [-i] | |||
|gentille [-ij] | |||
|kind | |||
|- | |||
|pareil [-ej] | |||
|pareille [-ej] | |||
|similar | |||
|- | |||
|vermeil [-ej] | |||
|vermeille [-ej] | |||
|bright red | |||
|} | |||
==Videos== | |||
===Ask a French Teacher - How Can I Tell if a Noun is Masculine or ...=== | |||
<youtube>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8lzZmJm2Qk</youtube> | |||
===How to identify feminine and masculine in French - YouTube=== | |||
<youtube>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbT_DbXGoHg</youtube> | |||
==Other Lessons== | |||
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Plural-forms-of-adjectives-—-The-normal-case|Plural forms of adjectives — The normal case]] | |||
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Conjugation-group-1-—-verbs-whose-infinitive-ends-in-—er|Conjugation group 1 — verbs whose infinitive ends in —er]] | |||
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Conventions-for-writing-cardinal-numbers-in-figures|Conventions for writing cardinal numbers in figures]] | |||
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Marked-use-of-tu|Marked use of tu]] | |||
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Choosing-between-il-est-and-c'est|Choosing between il est and c'est]] | |||
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Well-Better-Worse|Well Better Worse]] | |||
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Use-of-the-definite-article-with-parts-of-the-body|Use of the definite article with parts of the body]] | |||
* [[Language/French/Grammar/«-d'autres-»-VS-«-des-autres-»|« d'autres » VS « des autres »]] | |||
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Intransitive-verbs-and-auxiliary-“être”|Intransitive verbs and auxiliary “être”]] | |||
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Agreement-of-the-past-participle-with-the-subject-of-“être”|Agreement of the past participle with the subject of “être”]] | |||
* [[Language/French/Grammar/How-to-Use-Be|How to Use Be]] | |||
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Auxiliaries|Auxiliaries]] | |||
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Plural-of-Nouns|Plural of Nouns]] | |||
* [[Language/French/Grammar/"C'est"-or-"Ce-sont"|"C'est" or "Ce sont"]] | |||
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Use-of-the-definite-article-with-quantities|Use of the definite article with quantities]] | |||
<span links></span> |
Latest revision as of 13:56, 27 March 2023
General Rule[edit | edit source]
The general rule is that an -e is added to the masculine form of adjectives to produce the feminine form.
Specific Rules[edit | edit source]
In cases where the masculine form ends in one of the following vowels or consonants, there is a change in the written form but not in the spoken form:
Adjectives ending in -u[edit | edit source]
In the case of aigu, ambigu, contigu, a diaresis (ë) is added to the feminine -e in written French to indicate that the -u sound is maintained in spoken French (aigue would be pronounced rather like English 'egg' otherwise; compare long/longue).
French | English | ||
---|---|---|---|
Masculine | Feminine | ||
-u | absolu | absolue | absolute |
aigu | aiguë | high (sound) | |
ambigu | ambiguë | ambiguous | |
contigu | contiguë | contiguous |
Adjectives ending in -é and -er [edit | edit source]
In these cases, where the final r is pronounced in the masculine, a grave accent is added to the first written e.
French | English | ||
---|---|---|---|
Masculine | Feminine | ||
-é | fermé | fermée | closed |
-er | fier | fière | proud |
cher | chère | expensive | |
amer | amère | bitter |
Adjectives ending in -i, -c, -ct, -r, -al, -el and -ul[edit | edit source]
In these cases, it is -le which is added and not just -e.
French | English | ||
---|---|---|---|
Masculine | Feminine | ||
-i | hardi | hardie | bold |
NB: Exception: | favori | favorite | favourite |
-c | public | publique | public |
turc | turque | Turkish | |
NB: c is maintained in: | grec | grecque | Greek |
-ct | direct | directe | direct |
-r | sûr | sûre | certain |
pur | pure | pure | |
-al | national | nationale | national |
-el | général | générale | general |
hivernal | hivernale | winter | |
final | finale | final | |
personnel | personnelle | personal | |
professionnel | professionnelle | professional | |
passionnel | passionnelle | emotive | |
-ul | cruel | cruelle | cruel |
nul | nulle | no- |
-l is pronounced in the masculine.[edit | edit source]
In these cases the -l is pronounced in the masculine.
French | English | |
---|---|---|
Masculine | Feminine | |
espagnol | espagnole | Spanish |
puéril | puérile | childish |
civil | civile | civil |
The final -il is pronounced as indicated[edit | edit source]
By contrast in the following adjectives the final -il is pronounced as indicated:
French | English | |
---|---|---|
Masculine | Feminine | |
gentil [-i] | gentille [-ij] | kind |
pareil [-ej] | pareille [-ej] | similar |
vermeil [-ej] | vermeille [-ej] | bright red |
Videos[edit | edit source]
Ask a French Teacher - How Can I Tell if a Noun is Masculine or ...[edit | edit source]
How to identify feminine and masculine in French - YouTube[edit | edit source]
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Plural forms of adjectives — The normal case
- Conjugation group 1 — verbs whose infinitive ends in —er
- Conventions for writing cardinal numbers in figures
- Marked use of tu
- Choosing between il est and c'est
- Well Better Worse
- Use of the definite article with parts of the body
- « d'autres » VS « des autres »
- Intransitive verbs and auxiliary “être”
- Agreement of the past participle with the subject of “être”
- How to Use Be
- Auxiliaries
- Plural of Nouns
- "C'est" or "Ce sont"
- Use of the definite article with quantities