Language/French/Grammar/Masculine-and-feminine-forms-of-adjectives-—-A-change-in-written,-but-not-spoken
General Rule
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:
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).
| French | English | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine | Feminine | ||
| -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.
| 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
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.
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
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 |