Language/French/Grammar/Adjectives-used-as-nouns
In French it is almost always possible to convert an adjective into a noun simply by placing an article in front of it:
Don't miss the chance to check out these pages as you wrap up this lesson: Possessive determiners, Omission of the article, Types of noun & Use of en.
Convert an adjective into a noun[edit | edit source]
French | English |
---|---|
Je ne veux que les mûrs | I only want the ripe ones |
Nous prendrons les grands | We'll take the big ones |
Les petits sont déjà partis | The small ones have already gone |
Les gentils gagnent à la fin | The goodies win in the end |
Les méchants sont punis | The baddies are punished |
J'adore le rustique | I love rural styles |
Elle aurait préféré du moderne | She would have preferred something up-to-date |
Le plus énervant, c'est sa voix | It's her voice that is the most annoying thing |
Le rouge te va bien | Red suits you |
L'important c'est de partir tôt | The important thing is to leave early |
As can be seen, because English does not permit the creation of nouns with such freedom, translations either have to use vague terms like 'ones', 'thing(s)' or it is necessary to rephrase the sentence.
Compare the post-verbal use of adjectives as nouns with the post-verbal use of numbers and quantifiers as nouns[edit | edit source]
French | English |
---|---|
Nous prendrons les grands | We'll take the big ones |
Nous en prendrons deux | We'll take two |
Nous avons acheté des ovales | We bought some oval ones |
Nous en avons acheté plusieurs | We bought several |
With numbers and quantifiers en must be inserted in front of the verb.
Adjectives of nationality and nouns of nationality are usually identical in form when used as adjectives or nouns EXCEPT that the nouns are written with capital letters:
- Elle est américaine
She is American
- Tout Français qui se respecte aime le fromage
Every true French person loves cheese
- Elle est de nationalité française
She is of Trench nationality
- C'est une Américaine
She is an American
Videos[edit | edit source]
Ask a French Teacher - Adjectives as nouns - YouTube[edit | edit source]
Where to place the adjectives in French - YouTube[edit | edit source]
French TOUT Lesson: Adjective, Adverb, Pronoun - YouTube[edit | edit source]
How to properly write French adjectives in different genders in ...[edit | edit source]
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Gender
- Differences in the use of numbers in French and English mille milliers milliards
- on as an equivalent for nous
- Conjugation group 1 — verbs whose infinitive ends in —er
- Demonstrative pronouns with —ci and —là
- Measurements and comparisons in French — Numeral nouns and approximations
- Singular or plural when a number of individuals have one item each
- Sentence modifying adverbs
- Easy way of generating the imperative mood
- Pronouns
- Use of stressed pronouns for emphasis
- Pronominal verbs without a reflexive interpretation
- Plurals of nouns ending in –al
- Repetition of the definite article
- How to tell the time