Français I – Leçon 3A Structures 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 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 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 Plural Feminine plural 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

Masculine Singular Feminine Plural plural nouveau nouvelle nouveaux nouvelles new curieux curieuse curieux curieuses curious unhappy malheureux malheureuse malheureux malheureuses 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 plural mon ma mes my ton ta tes your (fam./sing.) son sa ses his, her, its notre notre nos our votre 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.)