Language/French/Grammar/Adjective-agreement-with-nouns

Adjective Agreement with Nouns in French Grammar

Adjectives in French must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. This means that if the noun is masculine singular, the adjective must be masculine singular, and if the noun is feminine plural, the adjective must be feminine plural. In this lesson, we will explore how to ensure that adjectives agree with the nouns they modify in French.

Gender Agreement

The gender of the adjective must match the gender of the noun it modifies. If the noun is masculine, the adjective must be masculine, and if the noun is feminine, the adjective must be feminine. For example:

• Un livre intéressant (masculine singular). (An interesting book.)
• Une histoire intéressante (feminine singular). (An interesting story.)

Number Agreement

The number of the adjective must match the number of the noun it modifies. If the noun is singular, the adjective must be singular, and if the noun is plural, the adjective must be plural. For example:

• Des livres intéressants (masculine plural). (Interesting books.)
• Des histoires intéressantes (feminine plural). (Interesting stories.)

Adjectives Ending in -e

Some adjectives already have an -e at the end, which makes them feminine. For example:

• Petit (masculine singular) -> Petite (feminine singular)

In this case, the masculine form is the basic form, and the feminine form is formed by adding an -e. The plural form is formed by adding -s to the masculine form and -es to the feminine form. For example:

• Petits (masculine plural)
• Petites (feminine plural)

Adjectives Ending in -s or -x

Some adjectives already end in -s or -x in the masculine singular form. In this case, the masculine and feminine forms are the same. For example:

• Roux (masculine singular) -> Roux (masculine and feminine singular)
• Gris (masculine singular) -> Gris (masculine and feminine singular)

The plural form is formed by adding -s to both the masculine and feminine forms. For example:

• Roux (masculine and feminine plural)
• Gris (masculine and feminine plural)

Conclusion

Ensuring that adjectives agree with the nouns they modify in gender and number is an essential part of mastering French grammar. By understanding the rules for adjective agreement, you can improve your French language skills and communicate more effectively with native speakers.