Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn the French adjective agreement rules, including how adjectives change according to gender and number. This lesson covers essential concepts with examples like 'petit/petite' and explains differences between French and English adjective use.
  1. Adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun.
 Singulier  (Singular)Pluriel
Masculin  (Masculine )Petit (Small)Petits (Small)
Féminin  (Feminine )Petite (Small)Petites (Small (feminine plural))

Exceptions!

  1. If the adjective ends with an "e" in the masculine form, then it does not change in the feminine.
  2. The adjective always agrees, even when it is far from the noun it relates to.

Exercise 1: L'accord des adjectifs

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

chaude, suisses, italien, jeunes, italienne, jeune, espagnole, mauvaise

1. Italien:
Mon cousin est ....
(My cousin is Italian.)
2. Chaud:
L'été est une période très ....
(Summer is a very hot period.)
3. Italien:
Je vois ma famille ... en janvier.
(I see my Italian family in January.)
4. Espagnol:
J'ai une carte d'identité ....
(I have a Spanish identity card.)
5. Suisse:
Cet été, nous organisons un week-end avec mes cousins .....
(This summer, we are organising a weekend with my Swiss cousins.)
6. Mauvais:
En hiver, la météo est ....
(In winter, the weather is bad.)
7. Jeune:
Les enfants qui naissent en décembre sont les plus ... de l'année.
(Children who are born in December are the youngest of the year.)
8. Jeune:
Ma plus ... sœur s'appelle Marie.
(My youngest sister is called Marie.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. L'été est une saison ________ en France.

(Summer is a ________ season in France.)

2. En hiver, les journées sont souvent ________.

(In winter, the days are often ________.)

3. Les mois de janvier et février sont en ________.

(The months of January and February are in ________.)

4. Je préfère le printemps parce que les fleurs sont ________.

(I prefer spring because the flowers are ________.)

5. En automne, les feuilles des arbres deviennent ________ et rouges.

(In autumn, the leaves of the trees turn ________ and red.)

6. Les vacances d'été commencent en juillet et en ________.

(The summer holidays start in July and in ________.)

Understanding Adjective Agreement in French

In this lesson, you will learn about "L'accord des adjectifs", which means "the agreement of adjectives." Adjectives in French must agree in both gender and number with the nouns they modify. This means the form of the adjective changes depending on whether the noun is masculine or feminine, singular or plural.

Key Rules and Examples

  • Gender agreement: Masculine adjectives often end differently than feminine ones. For example, petit (small) becomes petite in the feminine form.
  • Number agreement: Adjectives change to agree in number. For example, singular petit changes to plural petits.
  • If an adjective ends with an "e" in the masculine singular form, it usually stays the same in the feminine singular form.
  • Adjectives always agree with the noun, even if they are placed far from the noun in a sentence.

For example, petit (masculine singular), petite (feminine singular), petits (masculine plural), and petites (feminine plural).

Common Adjectives and Practice

You will practice with everyday adjectives such as chaude (hot), mauvaises (bad - feminine plural), belles (beautiful), and colors like jaunes (yellow).

Comparing French and English Adjective Agreement

Unlike English, where adjectives typically do not change form, French adjectives are dynamic and change to match the noun's gender and number. For example, "a small house" is une petite maison (feminine singular) and "small houses" is des petites maisons (feminine plural).

Such distinctions are essential for clear and correct French expression, especially when writing or speaking formally.

Useful phrases to remember:

  • Un livre intéressant – An interesting book (masculine singular)
  • Des idées intéressantes – Interesting ideas (feminine plural)
  • Une voiture rouge – A red car (feminine singular)
  • Des voitures rouges – Red cars (feminine plural)

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This content has been designed and reviewed by the coLanguage pedagogical team: About coLanguage

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Alessia Calcagni

Languages for communication in international enterprises and organizations

Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 29/05/2025 16:09