Home page / page d'accueil
[ENGLISH]Have you found an error or do you want to add more information to these pages?
You can contact me at the bottom of the home page.
[FRANÇAIS]Avez-vous trouvé une erreur?
Vous pouvez m'envoyer un message au bas de ma page d'accueil

Unusual French Adjectives

I would call an adjective that goes at the end of a word that changes in gender or in the plural, a normal adjective.
I have tried to list all the unusual ones here, as best I can that either don't change (like marron), preceede a noun (like bon), change the meaning depending on the position (like propre) or have strange changes (like nouveau).
"No change" means that the adjective doesn't change in gender or in the plural e.g. marron and any compound colours e.g. une boîte vert clair = a light green box but adjectives are joined with 'et' and they use the feminine (if that version exists) e.g. une jupe bleue et jaune.
Word1 + NOUN + Word2 means that the definition changes depending on it's position e.g. pauvre but when there is one word like petit: small + NOUN - that means it is in front of the word and means small.
Putting an adjective in front isn't wrong though. When it is behind, it is just a description, like colour. Putting it in front gives it an emotional nuance.
Note that some adjectives have odd feminine forms just to make the last consonant audible e.g. bas - masculine, basse - feminine.
Adjective Meaning and notes
ancien(s) / ancienne(s) former + NOUN + ancient
beau / bel / belle fine + NOUN
The masculine versions have two types. Choose the one that flows better in to the next word instead of deciding whether the next word starts with a vowel etc.
beau(x) + masculine noun starting with a consonant, beau-frère = brother-in-law
bel + masculine noun starting with a vowel (does this have a plural version?)
belle(s) + feminine noun - la belle vie
blanc(s) / blanche(s) unusual feminine ending
bon(s) / bonne(s) good + NOUN
certain(e)(s) one / certain (unsure) + NOUN + definite
un certain jour de juillet = a certain day in July
cher(s) / chère(s): dear (with people, increases emotion) + NOUN + dear / expensive
chic(s) No feminine form but it has a plural form - chics
court(e)(s): short + NOUN
dernier(s) / dernières last in a sequence + NOUN + last (previous)
divers (masc. sing. & plural)
diverse(s) (feminine)
various + NOUN + varying (e.g. réponses diverses = varying answers)
fatal(s) unusual plural form
faux / fausse(s) unusual feminine form
final(s) unusual plural form
frais / fraîche(s) frais - masculine / fraîche(s) - feminine
fou(s) / fol / folle(s) + NOUN The masculine versions have two types. Choose the one that flows better in to the next word instead of deciding whether the next word starts with a vowel etc.
fou(s) + masculine noun starting with a consonant
fol + masculine noun starting with a vowel (does this have a plural version?)
folle(s) + feminine noun
gentil(s) / gentille(s) nice + NOUN
grand(e)(s) big + NOUN
gros / grosse(s) big / fat + NOUN
impromptu No change
jeune(s) young + NOUN
joli(e)(s) pretty + NOUN
k(h)aki No change
long(s) / longue(e) long + NOUN
marron No change
mauvais(e)(s) bad + NOUN
maximum No feminine form but it has a plural form - maximums
méchant(e)(s) nasty + NOUN
meilleur(e)(s) better / best + NOUN
même(s) same + NOUN + very
la femme même = the very woman, but it can mean 'even' in front of a pronoun or articles such as this / that etc. - même toi = even you, même si = even if
minimum No feminine form but it has a plural form - minimums
moindre(s) less / least + NOUN
mou(s) / mol / molle(s) + NOUN The masculine versions have two types. Choose the one that flows better in to the next word instead of deciding whether the next word starts with a vowel etc.
mou(s) + masculine noun starting with a consonant
mol + masculine noun starting with a vowel (does this have a plural version?)
molle(s) + feminine noun
naval(s) unusual plural form
nouveau(x) / nouvel / nouvelle(s) new + NOUN
The masculine versions have two types. Choose the one that flows better in to the next word instead of deciding whether the next word starts with a vowel etc.
nouveau(x) + masculine noun starting with a consonant
nouvel + masculine noun starting with a vowel (does this have a plural version?)
nouvelle(s) + feminine noun

I have seen this though:
Relâchez les tensions avec cette gymnastique nouvelle
pauvre(s) poor (pity) + NOUN + poor (not rich)
petit(e)(s) little + NOUN
pire(s) worse / worst + NOUN
seul(e)(s) only (one) + NOUN + alone
snob No change
propre(s) own + NOUN + clean
vaste(s) vast + NOUN
vieux / vieil / vieille(s) The masculine versions have two types. Choose the one that flows better in to the next word instead of deciding whether the next word starts with a vowel etc.
vieux + masculine noun starting with a consonant (no plural version since it ends in x)
vieil + masculine noun starting with a vowel (does this have a plural version?)
vieille(s) + feminine noun
vilain(e)(s) ugly + NOUN
vrai(e)(s) genuine / real + NOUN + true (not falsified)


[ENGLISH]Have you found an error or do you want to add more information to these pages?
You can contact me at the bottom of the home page.

[FRANÇAIS]Avez-vous trouvé une erreur?
Vous pouvez m'envoyer un message au bas de ma page d'accueil

Home page / ma page d'accueil