In French, there are different types of adjectives
The epithet adjective qualifies a noun (or pronoun) without a preposition or verb; it can be removed from the sentence without changing the meaning.
Example: The red car is parked in the dark parking lot (red and dark can be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence).
The subject attribute adjective agrees with the sentence subject and is used with a state verb. To make sure it's a state verb, you can replace it with "to be".
Examples:
- Je demeure (=suis) frustrée par son comportement. | I remain (=am) frustrated by his behavior.
- Elles semblent (=sont) heureuses d'être venue. | They seem (=are) happy to have come.
The attributive adjective of the COD provides information about the COD and agrees with it.
Examples:
- Il a trouvé de belles fleurs. | He found some beautiful flowers.
- Ses anciens voisins ont un vieux vélo. | His old neighbors have an old bicycle.
The adjective in apposition is an adjective that agrees with the subject and is separated by a comma.
Examples : Pourries, les pommes sont maintenant à la poubelle. | The rotten apples are now in the garbage can.
Les enfants, angoissés, se sont enfuis. | The children fled in anguish.
The verbal adjective provides information about the noun, and is used for gender and number agreement. Its form is based on the present participle of the verb from which it originates.
Examples : Voir des personnes souriantes (=sourire) nous rend heureux.| Seeing smiling people makes us happy.
Les étudiants convaincants (=convaincre) pourront partir en voyage. | Convincing (=convincing) students can go on a trip.
The ordinal numeral adjective indicates the position of a person or thing within a whole.
Examples : Henri est mon deuxième prénom. | Henri is my middle name.
Je suis arrivé au troisième étage. | I reached the third floor.
Adjective agreement rules
Plural adjectives are usually shown by the s at the end of the word.
Adjectives ending in -al, in the masculine plural, end in -aux; except bancal, fatal, final, natal, naval and banal, which take an s.
Examples : des soins dentaux. | dental care.
Des discours banals. | Banal speeches.
Adjectives ending in -eau, in the plural, end in -eaux.
Example : des travaux internationaux. | international projects.
Adjectives ending in -x and -s remain invariable in number.
Example : des faits divers. | miscellaneous facts.
Adjectives ending in -eu, in the plural, end in -eux. Bleu, when not followed by another adjective, takes an -s at the end.
Example : des enfants heureux.| happy children.
The feminine form of adjectives is characterized by the -e added at the end of the word, but this is not the case for all adjectives.
Adjectives ending in -gu have an umlaut on the u and an e at the end.
Example : un son aigu = une note aigüe. | a high-pitched sound = a high-pitched note.
Adjectives ending in -eau end in -elle.
Example: un nouveau cours = une nouvelle idée. | a new course = a new idea.
Adjectives ending in -er and -et, take a grave accent on the e and add one at the end.
Example : un premier concert = une première apparition. | a first concert = a first appearance.
Adjectives ending in -ul, -el, -eil, -iel double their l and take an e at the end.
Example: un document officiel = une déclaration officielle | an official document = an official statement
Adjectives ending in -ien, -en, -on double their n and take a final e.
Example : il est daltonien = elle est daltonienne. | he's color-blind = she's color-blind.
Adjectives ending in -eur change their ending to -euse. However, in some cases, they only take an e at the end.
Examples : cet homme est bagarreur = cette femme est bagarreuse. | this man is a brawler = this woman is a brawler.
Exterior decor = exterior light. | Exterior decor = exterior light.
Adjectives ending in -ot can have two forms: -ote or -otte.
Examples : il est pâlot = elle est pâlotte. | he is pale = she is pale.
Il est idiot = elle est idiote. | He's dumb = she's dumb.
The degrees of meaning of adjectives are the comparative and the superlative:
The comparative is used to compare two things or people with the adverbs: more, less, also.
Examples: Mon sapin est plus beau que le tien. | My tree is more beautiful than yours.
Ma maison est moins grande que celle des voisins.| My house is smaller than the neighbors'.
Je suis aussi vieux que toi. | I'm as old as you are.
The superlative is used to characterize a thing or person to a very high degree. The absolute superlative takes the form of an adverb expressing a very high degree: very, strong, well, extremely, etc., and an adjective.
Examples : Ma voiture est extrêmement sale. | My car is extremely dirty.
Ma maison est la plus belle du quartier. | My house is the most beautiful in the neighborhood.
Mon arbre est le moins grand du parc. | My tree is the smallest in the park.