Français I – Leçon 3A Sturctures

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. They
change spelling depending on the gender
and number of the noun they modify.
beau
belle
beaux
beautiful; handsome
belles
Other irregular adjectives:
Masculine
Singular
Feminine
Singular
Masculine
Plural
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
intellectuel intellectuelle
Masculine
Plural
Feminine
plural
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
Singular
Masculine
Plural
Feminine
plural
nouveau
nouvelle
nouveaux
nouvelles
new
curieux
curieuse
curieux
curieuses
curious
malheureux
malheureuse malheureux
malheureuses
unhappy
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, jong,
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
singular
mon
ton
son
notre
votre
leur
Feminine
singular
ma
ta
sa
notre
votre
leur
plural
mes
tes
ses
nos
vos
leurs
my
your (fam./sing.)
his, her, its
our
your (form./pl.)
their
In French, possessive adjectives
agree in gender and number with
the nouns they modify.
mon père
ma mère
(my father)
mes parents
(my parents)
(my mother)
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’Sophie.
(That’s Sophie’s boyfriend.)
C’es le petit ami de ma sœur.
(That’s the boyfriend of my sister.)