Adjective Agreement: Making Adjectives Match the Noun
French adjectives change form based on gender and number
Category: Gendered Nouns
The Rule
Adjectives must agree in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) with the noun they modify.
Why This Matters
In English, adjectives never change form: 'a tall man,' 'a tall woman,' 'tall people.' In French, the adjective changes for each combination. The base form is masculine singular; add -e for feminine, -s for masculine plural, -es for feminine plural. This is one of the biggest adjustments for English speakers.
Examples
• Le petit garçon / La petite fille — "The little boy / The little girl" [petit → petite (add -e for feminine)] • Les grands arbres — "The tall trees" [grand → grands (add -s for masculine plural)] • Les petites maisons — "The little houses" [petit → petites (add -es for feminine plural)] • Un homme intelligent / Une femme intelligente — "An intelligent man / An intelligent woman" [Add -e for feminine] • Des livres français / Des chansons françaises — "French books / French songs" [français → françaises (feminine plural)]
Common Mistakes
❌ La fille est grand. ✅ La fille est grande. → Fille is feminine, so the adjective must end in -e: grande. ❌ Les maisons sont blanc. ✅ Les maisons sont blanches. → Maisons is feminine plural. Blanc → blanche (f.sg.) → blanches (f.pl.). ❌ Une robe vert. ✅ Une robe verte. → Robe is feminine — add -e to vert: verte.
Quick Tip
If the masculine form already ends in -e (e.g., rouge, jaune), it stays the same in the feminine. Only add -s for plural.
If the masculine form already ends in -e (e.g., rouge, jaune), it stays the same in the feminine. Only add -s for plural.
Examples
Common Mistakes
Incorrect: La fille est grand. → Correct: La fille est grande.. Fille is feminine, so the adjective must end in -e: grande.
Incorrect: Les maisons sont blanc. → Correct: Les maisons sont blanches.. Maisons is feminine plural. Blanc → blanche (f.sg.) → blanches (f.pl.).
Incorrect: Une robe vert. → Correct: Une robe verte.. Robe is feminine — add -e to vert: verte.
Quiz
Choose the correct form: Les fleurs sont ___ (beautiful).