Editing Language/French/Grammar/Invariable-adjectives

Jump to navigation Jump to search

Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.

The edit can be undone. Please check the comparison below to verify that this is what you want to do, and then publish the changes below to finish undoing the edit.

Latest revision Your text
Line 1: Line 1:
[[File:French-Language-PolyglotClub.png|thumb]]
[[File:French-Language-PolyglotClub.png|thumb]]
<div class="pg_page_title"> Adjective agreement with nouns — Invariable adjectives</div>
<div style="font-size:300%"> Adjective agreement with nouns — Invariable adjectives</div>
In French grammar, adjective agreement is an important concept to grasp. Adjectives typically change their form to match the gender and number of the nouns they modify. However, some adjectives in French do not change in relation to either gender or number. These are called invariable adjectives.
A number of adjectives do not change either in relation to gender or to number. It is sometimes argued that these are nouns being used adjectivally.
 
__TOC__
 
* <span link>Other lessons: Once you've mastered this lesson, take a look at these related pages:</span> [[Language/French/Grammar/Possessive-determiners|Possessive determiners]], [[Language/French/Grammar/Omission-of-the-article|Omission of the article]], [[Language/French/Grammar/Directly-transitive-verbs|Directly transitive verbs]] & [[Language/French/Grammar/Subject–Verb-Agreement|Subject–Verb Agreement]].
 
== What are Invariable Adjectives in French? ==
Invariable adjectives in French are adjectives that remain constant in their form, regardless of the gender or number of the noun they modify. While most French adjectives change their endings to agree with the nouns they describe, invariable adjectives do not change at all. As a result, they maintain the same form when modifying both singular and plural nouns, as well as masculine and feminine nouns.
 
Are Invariable Adjectives in French Actually Nouns Being Used Adjectivally?
 
There is some debate among linguists and language learners about whether invariable adjectives in French are truly adjectives or if they are nouns that are being used adjectivally. This debate arises because invariable adjectives often display characteristics of both nouns and adjectives, which can make it difficult to classify them definitively.
 
For example, invariable adjectives in French may function as adjectives because they describe or provide information about a noun. However, they may also resemble nouns because they do not change form according to the gender or number of the noun they modify, which is a key feature of adjectives in the French language.
 
Ultimately, whether or not invariable adjectives in French are considered true adjectives or nouns being used adjectivally depends on the specific criteria used to define adjectives and nouns. Some linguistic scholars may classify them as adjectives due to their descriptive function, while others may consider them nouns due to their invariable nature.
 
== Examples of Invariable Adjectives in French ==
Let's take a look at a few examples of invariable adjectives in French:
 
=== Color adjectives: ===
Certain color adjectives like "marron" (brown) and "orange" (orange) remain invariable, regardless of the gender and number of the noun they modify. For example:
 
* Un sac marron (A brown bag)
* Une voiture marron (A brown car)
* Des sacs marron (Brown bags)
 
=== Some adjectives of nationality or origin: ===
Adjectives like "breton" (Breton) and "alsacien" (Alsatian) are invariable when they refer to a language or a dish. For example:
 
* Un gâteau breton (A Breton cake)
* Des gâteaux breton (Breton cakes)
 
=== Compound adjectives: ===
Adjectives that are formed by combining two or more words often remain invariable. For example:
 
* Un homme aux cheveux mi-longs (A man with medium-length hair)
* Une femme aux cheveux mi-longs (A woman with medium-length hair)
 
=== Adjectives borrowed from other languages: ===
Some adjectives that have been borrowed from other languages, particularly English, often remain invariable in French. For example:
 
* Un sweat-shirt rouge (A red sweatshirt)
* Une robe rouge (A red dress)
* Des sweat-shirts rouge (Red sweatshirts)
 
=== Invariable ordinal numbers: ===
Ordinal numbers like "premier" (first) and "deuxième" (second) are invariable when used to indicate the day of the month. For example:
 
* Le premier janvier (January 1st)
* Le deuxième février (February 2nd)
 
=== Adjectives related to certain proper nouns: ===
Some adjectives derived from proper nouns, such as names of cities or countries, can be invariable. For example:
 
* Un vin de Bordeaux (A Bordeaux wine)
* Des vins de Bordeaux (Bordeaux wines)
 
It is important to recognize and understand the role of invariable adjectives in French grammar. While these adjectives do not conform to the usual rules of agreement, they are still an integral part of the language. By familiarizing yourself with invariable adjectives and their usage, you can enhance your proficiency in French and improve your overall communication skills.
 
==Examples==
 
*un pull marron  
*un pull marron  
a brown pullover  
a brown pullover  
Line 76: Line 15:


*une voiture orange  
*une voiture orange  
an orange car
an orange car  


*des rideaux orange
*des rideaux orange
orange curtains
orange curtains


*un chemisier crème
*un chemisier crème
a cream blouse
a cream blouse


*une jupe crème
*une jupe crème
a cream skirt
a cream skirt


*des sous-vêtements crème
*des sous-vêtements crème
cream underwear
cream underwear


*un lecteur de cassettes bon marché
*un lecteur de cassettes bon marché
Line 106: Line 49:


*des uniformes cerise
*des uniformes cerise
cherry-coloured uniforms


{| class="wikitable"
!French
!English
|-
|angora
|angora
|-
|baba
|flabbergasted
|-
|bath
|great
|-
|cucu
|twee
|-
|gaga
|nuts
|-
|gnagnan
|childish,  immature
|-
|kaki
|khaki
|-
|pop
|pop
|-
|porno
|pornographic
|-
|riquiqui
|inadequate  (too small, too poor etc. depending on context)
|-
|rococo
|rococo
|-
|snob
|snobbish
|-
|sympa
|friendly
|}


==The adjective "Chic"==
Other invariable adjectives:
Note that the adjective "chic" is invariable in terms of gender but agrees with the noun in number. The adjective "chic" maintains the same form regardless of the gender of the noun it modifies. However, it does change its form to agree with the number of the noun, whether singular or plural. This means that "chic" remains the same when describing both masculine and feminine nouns but adapts to the quantity of the items being described. Understanding this unique characteristic of "chic" can help you use it correctly in various contexts while speaking or writing in French.


* un tailleur chic (a stylish suit)
tab
* une robe chic / des vêtements chics (an elegant dress / fashionable clothes)


==Other Lessons==
NB: chic is invariable for gender but agrees for number:
* [[Language/French/Grammar/il-or-ça-alternating-with-noun-phrase-subjects|il or ça alternating with noun phrase subjects]]
*un tailleur chic
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Weather-verbs|Weather verbs]]
a smart suit
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Use-of-the-definite-article-with-seasons|Use of the definite article with seasons]]
*une robe chic / des vêtements chics
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Verbs-with-personal-subject-used-impersonally|Verbs with personal subject used impersonally]]
a smart dress / smart clothes
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Transitive-and-Intransitive-Verbs|Transitive and Intransitive Verbs]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Masculine-and-feminine-forms-of-adjectives-—-A-change-in-the-final-consonant-or-syllable|Masculine and feminine forms of adjectives — A change in the final consonant or syllable]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/"de"-when-an-adjective-precedes-the-noun|"de" when an adjective precedes the noun]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Plural-of-words-in-"Al"|Plural of words in "Al"]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/How-to-use-falloir|How to use falloir]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Direct-object-quantifiers-and-«-en-»|Direct object quantifiers and « en »]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Active-Voice-and-Passive-Voice|Active Voice and Passive Voice]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Order-of-unstressed-object-pronouns-when-more-than-one-is-present|Order of unstressed object pronouns when more than one is present]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Omission-of-the-article-with-nouns-in-apposition|Omission of the article with nouns in apposition]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Comparatives-and-Superlatives|Comparatives and Superlatives]]
* [[Language/French/Grammar/Use-of-il-ils-and-elle-elles|Use of il ils and elle elles]]
<span links></span>

Please note that all contributions to Polyglot Club WIKI may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here.
You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see PolyglotClub-WIKI:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission!

Cancel Editing help (opens in new window)
Retrieved from "https://polyglotclub.com/wiki/Language/French/Grammar/Invariable-adjectives"