Language/French/Grammar/Combinations-of-adjectives

Combinations of adjectives

Multiple adjectives before the noun

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

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

Related Lessons

• 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