French Adjectives: Agreement and the Placement Exception
French adjective rules in one guide: how to agree in gender and number, irregular forms like beau/belle, and which small group goes before the noun.
French adjectives agree with the noun: add -e for feminine (grand → grande) and -s for plural. Most adjectives follow the noun (une voiture rouge), but a small group covering beauty, age, goodness and size - beau, joli, vieux, bon, grand, petit - goes before it.
Quick answer
French adjectives agree with the noun: add -e for feminine (grand → grande) and -s for plural. Most adjectives follow the noun (une voiture rouge), but a small group covering beauty, age, goodness and size - beau, joli, vieux, bon, grand, petit - goes before it.
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Agreement: the default pattern
| Form | Example |
|---|---|
| masc. singular | grand |
| fem. singular | grande |
| masc. plural | grands |
| fem. plural | grandes |
Irregular agreement patterns
| Masculine | Feminine |
|---|---|
| beau | belle |
| vieux | vieille |
| blanc | blanche |
| doux | douce |
| gentil | gentille |
For beau’s full story, including the bel variant, see beau, belle and bel.
Placement: after the noun (the default)
Une voiture rouge - most adjectives follow this pattern.
Placement: before the noun (the exception group)
Beauty, age, goodness and size: beau, joli, vieux, jeune, nouveau, bon, mauvais, grand, petit, gros. For the color-specific agreement rules that intersect with this system, see color adjective agreement.
When placement changes meaning
Un grand homme (a great man) vs un homme grand (a tall man) - the exact same word shifts meaning depending on which side of the noun it lands.
Adjectives that agree correctly
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Questions about this note
How do French adjectives agree?
Add -e for feminine (grand → grande), -s for plural, with some irregular stem changes (beau→belle).
Do all adjectives go after the noun?
No - a small group (beauty, age, goodness, size) precedes it: une belle maison.
Does adjective placement change meaning?
Yes for some words - un grand homme (great man) vs un homme grand (tall man).
How do you make beau feminine?
belle (irregular).
What are common adjectives that go before the noun?
beau, joli, vieux, jeune, nouveau, bon, mauvais, grand, petit, gros.