adjectif

An adjectif is a word class that modifies a noun or pronoun, expressing properties such as color, size, or origin. In French grammar, adjectives are typically inflected to agree with the noun they modify in gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural).

Morphology and agreement are central to the French adjectif. The masculine singular form is usually the base; feminine is often formed by adding -e, and plural by adding -s (masculine) or -es (feminine). Irregular forms exist (for example beau/belle, bon/bonne, vieux/vieille), and some adjectives are irregular in certain degrees. A few adjectives are invariable for gender or number depending on usage or dialect.

Placement of adjectives in French follows certain rules. Most adjectives follow the noun: une voiture rouge, un livre ancien. A smaller group precedes the noun, particularly in the BANGS category (Beauty, Age, Goodness, Size), and some adjectives shift meaning with position: un grand homme (a great man) versus un homme grand (a tall man); ancien before the noun can mean former, after the noun it means ancient.

Adjectifs can be categorized by function and meaning. Qualitative adjectives describe a property (un film intéressant); relational or origin adjectives describe relation or material (une porte en bois); numeral adjectives indicate quantity (trois livres). They may appear as epithets directly modifying the noun or as predicates in expressions with linking verbs. Degrees of comparison are formed with plus/moins/aussi and, for some adjectives, irregular comparative forms.

Historically, the term adjectif derives from Latin adiectivus, meaning “added” or “attached.” In French and many other languages, adjectives constitute a flexible and essential part of noun phrases.