Lesson 4 – Adjectives (Agreement + Advanced Description)
What will you learn?
In this lesson, you will learn how to:
- Use adjectives correctly in French
- Understand gender and number agreement
- Place adjectives correctly in a sentence
- Build detailed and natural descriptions
- Avoid common agreement mistakes
1. What is an adjective?
An adjective describes a noun (a person, place, or thing).
Examples:
- un garçon intelligent
- une fille intelligente
In French, adjectives must agree with the noun.
2. Gender agreement (masculine / feminine)
A. Basic rule
Add -e to make feminine
| Masculine | Feminine |
|---|---|
| grand | grande |
| petit | petite |
| intelligent | intelligente |
B. Examples
- un garçon intelligent
- une fille intelligente
C. Important notes
- If the adjective already ends in -e, it does not change
- calme → calme
3. Plural agreement
A. Rule
Add -s for plural
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| grand | grands |
| grande | grandes |
B. Examples
- des garçons intelligents
- des filles intelligentes
4. Summary of agreement
| Form | Example |
|---|---|
| Masculine singular | intelligent |
| Feminine singular | intelligente |
| Masculine plural | intelligents |
| Feminine plural | intelligentes |
5. Position of adjectives
A. Most adjectives come AFTER the noun
Structure:
noun + adjective
Examples:
- un livre intéressant
- une maison grande
B. Some adjectives come BEFORE the noun
Common ones:
- petit
- grand
- beau
- bon
Structure:
adjective + noun
Examples:
- un petit garçon
- une grande maison
Important tip:
These are called BAGS adjectives:
- Beauty
- Age
- Goodness
- Size
6. Advanced description
A. Describe a person
Combine multiple adjectives:
- Il est grand et intelligent
- Elle est petite mais très sportive
B. Use intensifiers
Common words:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| très | very |
| assez | quite |
| un peu | a little |
Examples:
- Il est très intelligent
- Elle est assez timide
C. Combine with ÊTRE
Structure:
Subject + être + adjective
Examples:
- Je suis fatigué
- Nous sommes heureux
7. Agreement with ÊTRE (very important)
Adjectives MUST agree with the subject.
Examples:
- Il est content
- Elle est contente
- Ils sont contents
- Elles sont contentes
8. Common irregular adjectives
Some adjectives change more:
| Masculine | Feminine |
|---|---|
| beau | belle |
| nouveau | nouvelle |
| vieux | vieille |
Examples:
- un beau garçon
- une belle fille
9. Common mistakes
1. No agreement
Incorrect: Elle est intelligent
Correct: Elle est intelligente
2. Missing plural
Incorrect: Ils sont intelligent
Correct: Ils sont intelligents
3. Wrong position
Incorrect: une intelligente fille
Correct: une fille intelligente
10. Exercises
Exercise 1 – Make feminine
- intelligent → ______
- petit → ______
- grand → ______
Exercise 2 – Make plural
- intelligent → ______
- grande → ______
- petit → ______
Exercise 3 – Correct the sentence
- Elle est intelligent → ______
- Ils sont content → ______
- une intelligent fille → ______
Exercise 4 – Describe
Write 3 sentences:
- Describe a friend
- Use at least 2 adjectives
- Add très / mais / et
11. Speaking task
Speak for 40–60 seconds:
Describe:
- Yourself
- A friend
Use:
- 3 adjectives
- 1 connector
- 1 intensifier
12. Writing task
Write 100–120 words:
“Décris une personne importante”
Include:
- Physical description
- Personality
- Opinions
- At least 3 adjectives
- Correct agreement
Lesson summary
You can now:
- Use adjectives correctly
- Apply gender and plural agreement
- Place adjectives correctly
- Describe people in detail
To sound more advanced:
Instead of:
Je suis intelligent
Say:
Je suis très intelligent et motivé