Adjectives are essential parts of speech that describe or modify nouns. In French, they agree in gender "masculine or feminine" and number "singular or plural" with the nouns they modify. Common French adjectives include words like “grand: tall", “petit : small", “beau: handsome/ beautiful", “nouveau: new", and “vieux: old". These adjectives are frequently used in everyday conversations. This lesson will explore the most common French adjectives, their types, and the rules for their proper usage, providing a foundation for more accurate expression in French.
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grand
big
petit
small
rapide
fast
lent
slow
bon
good
mauvais
bad
cher
expensive
bon marché
cheap
épais
thick
mince
thin
étroit
narrow
large
wide
bruyant
loud
silencieux
quiet
intelligent
intelligent
stupide
stupid
mouillé
wet
sèche
dry
lourd
heavy
léger
light
dur
hard
mou
soft
peu profond
shallow
profond
deep
facile
easy
difficile
difficult
faible
weak
fort
strong
riche
rich
pauvre
poor
jeune
young
vieux
old
long
long
court
short
haut
high
bas
low
généreux
generous
méchant
mean
vrai
true
faux
false
beau
beautiful
laid
ugly
heureux
happy
triste
sad
public
public
droit
right
loin
far
peu amical
unfriendly
malheureux
unhappy
ennuyé
bored
fatigué
tired
épuisé
exhausted
misérable
miserable
content
pleased
détendu
relaxed
surpris
surprised
somnolent
sleepy
The Most Common French Adjectives
- grand big
- petit small
- rapide fast
- lent slow
- bon good
- mauvais bad
- cher expensive
- bon marché cheap
- épais thick
- mince thin
- étroit narrow
- large wide
- bruyant loud
- silencieux quiet
- intelligent intelligent
- stupide stupid
- mouillé wet
- sèche dry
- lourd heavy
- léger light
- dur hard
- mou soft
- peu profond shallow
- profond deep
- facile easy
- difficile difficult
- faible weak
- fort strong
- riche rich
- pauvre poor
- jeune young
- vieux old
- long long
- court short
- haut high
- bas low
- généreux generous
- méchant mean
- vrai true
- faux false
- beau beautiful
- laid ugly
- heureux happy
- triste sad
- public public
- droit right
- loin far
- peu amical unfriendly
- malheureux unhappy
- ennuyé bored
- fatigué tired
- épuisé exhausted
- misérable miserable
- content pleased
- détendu relaxed
- surpris surprised
- somnolent sleepy
Adjectives in french:
Adjectives in French grammar describe the qualities and characteristics of a noun. They accompany the noun they describe, and their endings agree with the noun in terms of gender "masculine or feminine" and number "singular or plural". For example:
- Masculine singular: le ciel bleu: "the blue sky".
- Feminine singular: une fille courageuse: "a courageous girl".
- Masculine plural: des jardins bien entretenus: "well-maintained gardens".
- Feminine plural: les villes françaises: "French cities".
Types of adjectives in French:
In French, adjectif épithète and adjectif attribut are two types of adjectives that describe nouns, but they differ in how they are used in sentences. Adjectif épithète: This type of adjective is placed directly next to the noun it modifies without the need for a linking verb. It can precede or follow the noun, depending on the specific adjective and the emphasis desired. For example:
- Un livre intéressant: An interesting book.
- Une histoire passionnante: A fascinating story.
- Une belle maison: Beautiful house.
- Un petit chat: Small cat.
- Un vieux livre: Old book.
- Un grand arbre: Large tree.
Adjectif attribut: This adjective is linked to the noun by a stative verb, such as être "to be", paraître "to seem", sembler "to appear". The adjective provides information about the subject of the sentence and follows the verb. For example:
- Il semble heureux: "He seems happy".
- Elle paraît fatiguée: "She appears tired".
- Le gâteau est délicieux: "The cake is delicious".
- Cet endroit est magnifique: "This place is beautiful".
- Le film était captivant: "The movie was captivating".
Adjectives for describing physical appearance in French:
When describing someone’s physical appearance in French, adjectives play a crucial role. Whether you’re talking about hair, eyes, face, or overall appearance, these descriptive words add color and detail. Here are some common adjectives:
1. Adjectives to describe Hair in French:
- Auburn: auburn
- Blanc: white
- Blond(e): blond
- Brun(e): brown-haired
- Châtain: chestnut brown
- Court(e): short
- Doré(e): golden
- Épais(se): thick
- Frisé(e): curly
- Gris(e): gray-haired
- Long(e): long
- Marron: brown
- Mi-longs: mid-length
- Noir(e): black-haired
- Roux/rousse: red-haired
2. Adjectives to describe Eyes in French:
- Bleus: blue
- Beau/belle: beautiful
- Marron: brown
- Verts: green
- Gris: gray
- Noisette: hazel
- Foncé: dark
- Clair: light
- Grand: big
- Petit: Small
- expressifs/expressives: expressive
- étincelants/étincelantes: sparkling
- Mystérieux/mystérieuses: mysterious
- Rêveurs/rêveuses: dreamy
- Profonds/profondes: soulful
- Enchanteresses: enchanting
- Hypnotisants/hypnotisantes: mesmerizing
- Rayonnants/rayonnantes: radiant
- doux/douces: soft
- Ardents/ardentes: fiery
- Espiègles: playful
- Mélancoliques: melancholic
- Séducteurs/séductrices: seductive
- Innocents/innocentes: innocent
- Sincères: sincere
- Séduisants/séduisantes: alluring
3. Adjectives to describe Face in French:
- Allongé(e): elongated
- Anguleux/anguleuse: angular
- Barbu(e): bearded
- Beau/belle: handsome/beautiful
- Bienveillants/bienveillantes: kind
- Doux/douce: soft
- Émacié(e): emaciated
- Expressif/expressive: expressive
- Imberbe: clean-shaven
- Joli(e): pretty
- Mignon(ne): cute
- Pâle: pale
- Rajeuni(e): youthful
- Ridé(e): wrinkled
- Souriant(e): smiling
- Vieilli(e): aged
- Épanoui(e): radiant
- Souriant(e): smiling
4. Adjectives to describe overall appearance in French:
- Beau/belle: beautiful/handsome
- Costaud(e): burly, sturdy
- Élancé(e): slender, lanky
- Fort(e): strong
- Joli(e): pretty
- Mince: slim
- Musclé(e): muscular
- Grand(e): tall
- Gros(se): big
- Petit(e): small, short
- Maigre: thin
- Fort(e): strong
- Long(ue): long
- Cour(t)(e): short
- Rond(e): round-faced
- Ovale: oval-faced
- Chauve: bald
- Brun(e): brunette
- Blond(e): blond
- Roux/Rousse: red-headed
- Grisonnant(e): gray-haired
- Barbu(e): bearded
- Moustachu(e): mustached
- Élégant(e): elegant
- Canon:slang for stunning
Adjectives to describe places in French:
- Accueillant "welcoming": For example "L’hôtel est accueillant / The hotel is welcoming".
- Ancien "old": For example "Le château est ancien / The castle is old".
- Animé "lively": For example "Le marché est animé / The market is lively".
- Bas/ basse "low": For example "La vallée est basse/ The valley is low".
- Brillant "bright": For example "Le soleil est brillant/ The sun is bright".
- Calme "calm": For example "La bibliothèque est calme / The library is calm".
- Chaud "hot" : For example "Le désert est chaud/ The desert is hot".
- Cher "expensive" : For example "Le quartier est cher/ The neighborhood is expensive".
- Charmant "charming": For example "Le petit café est charmant / The small café is charming".
- Clair "light, in color" : For example "Le ciel est clair/ The sky is clear".
- Confortable "comfortable" : For example "Le canapé est confortable/ The sofa is comfortable".
- Cool "cool, awesome" : For example "Le café est cool/ The café is cool".
- Difficile "difficult" : For example "L’escalade est difficile/ Climbing is difficult".
- Désagréable "unpleasant" : For example "L’odeur est désagréable/ The smell is unpleasant" .
- Ensoleillé "sunny": For example "La plage est ensoleillée / The beach is sunny".
- Facile "easy" : For example "La promenade est facile/ The walk is easy".
- Grand "big": For example "Le parc est grand et spacieux"/ The park is large and spacious".
- Gris "gray": For example "Le ciel est gris aujourd’hui/ The sky is gray today".
- Inhabituel "unusual": For example "Cet endroit a un charme inhabituel/ This place has an unusual charm".
- Joli "pretty": For example "Le jardin est joli avec ses fleurs colorées/ The garden is pretty with its colorful flowers".
- Merveilleux "wonderful": For example "La vue depuis cette colline est merveilleuse/ The view from this hill is wonderful".
- Nouveau "new": For example "Le quartier a de nouveaux bâtiments/ The neighborhood has new buildings".
- Pittoresque "picturesque": For example "Le village est pittoresque avec ses maisons en pierre/ The village is picturesque with its stone houses".
- Sombre "dark": For example "La forêt devient sombre à la tombée de la nuit/ The forest becomes dark at nightfall".
