1. Français I – Leçon 3A Structures
Descriptive adjectives
&
Possessive adjectives

2. 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.

3. Adjectives of physical description
bleu(e) vert(e) blond(e) brun(e) (dark hair) châtain (brown hair)

4. noir(e) marron blanc(he)

5. frisée court(e) raide

6. grand(e) petit(e) de taille moyenne ( someone or something of medium size.) joli(e) = pretty jeune = young

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. Position of adjectives
In French, adjectives are usually placed after the noun they modify.
Example:
Il est un garçon intelligent.
(noun) (adj.)

12. 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)

13. Possessive adjectives
In English and in French, possessive adjectives express ownership or possession.

14. 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

15. 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)

16. 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.)

17. *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)

18. *Remember - The choice of possessive adjective depends on the gender and number of the noun possessed, not the gender and number of the owner.

19. 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.)