Preceding and
Plural Adjectives
|
Masculine |
Feminine |
| Adjective |
Singular |
Plural |
Pronunciation |
Singular |
Plural |
Pronunciation |
| beautiful |
beau (bel) |
beaux |
boh (bell) |
belle |
belles |
bell |
| good |
bon |
bons |
bon |
bonne |
bonnes |
bon |
| dear |
cher |
chers |
share |
chère |
chères |
share |
| nice |
gentil |
gentils |
zhawn-tee |
gentille |
gentilles |
zhawn-tee |
| big |
grand |
grands |
grawn |
grande |
grandes |
grawnd |
| large |
gros |
gros |
groh |
grosse |
grosses |
grohss |
| young |
jeune |
jeunes |
zhun |
jeune |
jeunes |
zhun |
| pretty |
joli |
jolis |
zho-lee |
jolie |
jolies |
zho-lee |
| long |
long |
longs |
lohn |
longue |
longues |
lohng |
| bad |
mauvais |
mauvais |
mo-vay |
mauvaise |
mauvaises |
mo-vezz |
| better, best |
meilleur |
meilleurs |
may-ur |
meilleure |
meilleures |
may-ur |
| new |
nouveau (nouvel) |
nouveaux |
noo-voh (noo-vell) |
nouvelle |
nouvelles |
noo-vell |
| little |
petit |
petits |
puh-tee |
petite |
petites |
puh-teet |
| old |
vieux (vieil) |
vieux |
vyuh (vyay) |
vieille |
vieilles |
vyay |
Note: The
masculine singular and plural
are pronounced the same, as
are the feminine singular
and plural. These are
the most common adjectives
that go before the
noun. An acronym to
remember which ones go before
the noun is BRAGS: Beauty,
Resemblance (même and autre),
Age/Order (premier and dernier),
Goodness, and Size. All
other adjectives, except numbers,
go after the noun. The
three words in parentheses
(bel, nouvel, and vieil)
are used before masculine
singular words beginning with
a vowel or a silent h.
A few adjectives
can be used before or after
the noun, and the meaning
changes accordingly. When
used before the noun, they
take a figurative meaning;
and when used after, they
take a literal meaning.
Remember that
des means some,
right? Well, there is
an exception to that rule
too. Before plural
adjectives preceding plural
nouns, you use de instead
of des. Ex: Some
old monuments. De
vieux monuments.
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