Français I – Leçon 3AStructures

Descriptive adjectives&

Possessive adjectives

Descriptive adjectives

Adjectives describe people, places and things. In French, most adjectives agree in gender and number with the nouns or pronouns they modify.

Examples:Le père est américain.

La mère est américaine.Les parents sont

américains.

Adjectives of physical description

bleu(e)vert(e)

blond(e)

brun(e)(dark hair)

châtain (brown hair)

noir(e)

marron

blanc(he)

frisée

court(e) raide

grand(e)

petit(e)

de taille moyenne ( someone or something of

medium size.)

joli(e) = pretty jeune = young

Some adjectives are irregular. They change spelling depending on the

gender and number of the noun they modify.

beau belle beaux belles

beautiful; handsome

Other irregular adjectives:

Masculine

Singular

Feminine

Singular

Masculine

Plural

Feminine

Plural

bon bonne bons bonnes good; kind

fier fière fiers fières proud

gros grosse gros grosses fat

heureux heureuse heureux

heureuses happy

Masculine

Singular

Feminine singular

Masculine

Plural

Feminineplural

intellectuel intellectuelle intellectuels intellectuelles intellectual

long longue longs longues long

naïf naïve naïfs naïves naïve

roux rousse roux rousses red-haired

vieux vielle vieux vielles old

MasculineSingular

FeminineSingular

MasculinePlural

Feminineplural

nouveau nouvelle nouveaux nouvelles new

curieux curieuse curieux curieuses curious

malheureux malheureuse malheureux malheureuses unhappy

nerveux nerveuse nerveux nerveuses nervous

sérieux séreuse séreux séreuses serious

Position of adjectives

• In French, adjectives are usually placed after the noun they modify.

–Example:Il est un garçon intelligent.

(noun) (adj.)

• The following adjectives are placed before the noun they modify: beau, bon, grand, gros, jeune, joli, long, nouveau, petit, and vieux.

– Example:

J’aime bien les grandes familles. (adj.) (noun)

Possessive adjectives

In English and in French, possessive adjectives

express ownership or possession.

Possessive adjectives

Masculine Feminine singular singular pluralmon ma mes myton ta tes your (fam./sing.)

son sa ses his, her, itsnotre notre nos ourvotre votre vos your (form./pl.)

leur leur leurs their

In French, possessive adjectives agree in gender and number with

the nouns they modify.

mon père ma mère

(my father) (my mother)

mes parents(my parents)

Possessive adjectives are always placed before the

nouns they modify.

C’est ton père?(Is that your father?)

Non, c’est mon oncle. (No, that’s my uncle.)

*Note – use mon, ton, or son before feminine singular nouns that start with a vowel sound.

• mon amie(my friend)

• ton étudiante(your student)

• son yaourt(his yogurt)

*Remember - The choice of possessive adjective depends on

the gender and number of the noun possessed, not the gender

and number of the owner.

Possession with de• In English, you use ‘s to express

relationships or ownership. In French, use de (d’) + [the noun or proper name] instead.

C’est le petit ami d’Annie.(That’s Annie’s boyfriend.)

C’est le petit ami de ma sœur.(That’s the boyfriend of my sister.)