How Do Adjectives Match Nouns in French?

In French, adjectives have to match the nouns they describe. They agree in two main ways: gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural). This means that adjectives will look different depending on the noun they go with.

Gender Agreement

Masculine Adjectives:
When the noun is masculine, the adjective usually stays the same. For example:

• Un livre intéressant (An interesting book)

Feminine Adjectives:
When the noun is feminine, you often add an -e to the masculine form. If the adjective already ends with an -e, it stays the same. For example:

• Une table intéressante (An interesting table)

Number Agreement

Singular vs. Plural:
Adjectives also change when nouns are in plural form. Most of the time, you just add an -s to the adjective to show that it’s plural.

• Singular: Un chien gentil (A kind dog)
• Plural: Des chiens gentils (Kind dogs)

Examples Summary

Here are some examples to help clarify:

• Masculine Singular: Un élève sage (A wise student)
• Feminine Singular: Une élève sage (A wise student)
• Masculine Plural: Des élèves sages (Wise students)
• Feminine Plural: Des élèves sages (Wise students)

Useful Vocabulary

Here are some helpful words:

• Adjectives: grand (big), petit (small), rouge (red), bleu (blue)
• Nouns: homme (man), femme (woman), chien (dog), chat (cat)

Key Rules to Remember

1. Find out the noun's gender: Is it masculine or feminine?
2. Decide on the number: Is it singular or plural?
3. Change the adjective as needed: Use the right ending based on gender and number.

By following these simple rules, you can use adjectives correctly in your French conversations!