The basic rule
Unlike in English, the French adjective usually comes after the noun. Only a small but very common group comes before it.
After the noun
After the noun come colours, nationalities (not capitalised in French), shapes and most other adjectives.
J’ai une voiture rouge.
I have a red car.
C’est un ami allemand.
He is a German friend.
Nous avons une table ronde.
We have a round table.
C’est un exercice difficile.
It is a difficult exercise.
Before the noun
Short, very common adjectives come before the noun. They fall into five groups, remembered with the word BANGS: Beauty, Age, Number, Goodness, Size. Learn them as a fixed group.
| Group | Adjectives (m. / f.) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| B (Beauty) | beau / belle, joli / jolie | beautiful, pretty |
| A (Age) | jeune, vieux / vieille, nouveau / nouvelle | young, old, new |
| N (Number / order) | premier / première, dernier / dernière | first, last |
| G (Goodness) | bon / bonne, mauvais / mauvaise | good, bad |
| S (Size) | grand / grande, petit / petite, gros / grosse, long / longue | big, small, fat, long |
| Others | autre, même | other, same |
C’est un beau paysage.
It is a beautiful landscape.
Nous habitons dans une grande maison.
We live in a big house.
Nous cherchons un bon restaurant.
We are looking for a good restaurant.
C’est mon premier jour.
It is my first day.
