In this section:

• adjectives to describe personality
• irregular adjective patterns
• BANGS – adjective placement
• c’est vs. il/elle/iel est
• la comparaison

adjectives to describe personality

irregular adjective patterns

	1.	gender
	2.	number

Regular adjectives are formed by adding an e to the masculine form in the singular (content / contente), or by adding an s to the masculine and feminine forms in the plural (Tex et Edouard sont contents / Tammy et Bette sont contentes). This group of adjectives is by far the most common. There are, however, a number of adjectives which are called irregular, because they do not have the normal -e, -s, or -es endings. The endings of these irregular adjectives vary widely and often change the pronunciation.

gender
Some adjectives are completely irregular:

Other adjectives can be grouped in categories:

Some adjectives have identical masculine and feminine forms. This is generally the case with adjectives ending in e in their masculine form and with foreign adjectives like ‘snob’, ‘cool’, etc. For example: Tex est un tatou imaginaire; Tammy aussi est imaginaire. Ils sont imaginaires. (Tex is an imaginary armadillo; Tammy too is imaginary. They are imaginary.) Here are a few of these adjectives:

number
The majority of adjectives are regular in the plural; that is, an –s is added to the singular masculine or feminine forms. There are two major exceptions to this rule:

The feminine plural form of these adjectives is regular; it is formed by simply adding an s to the feminine singular form: Tex aime lire la presse internationale. Tex aime aussi les revues internationales. (Tex likes to read international papers. Tex also likes international magazines).

Listen to this dialogue:

	Tex: Mais, qu’est-ce qui ne va pas? Tex: But, what’s wrong? Tammy: C’est encore Bette! Elle n’est jamais sincère! Sois franc Tex. Tu ne la trouves pas capricieuse et cruelle? Tammy: It’s Bette again! She is never sincere! Be frank Tex. Don’t you find her capricious and cruel? Tex: Non! Elle est gentille! C’est une bonne amie! Qu’est-ce qu’elle a fait? Tex: No! She is nice! She is a good friend! What did she do? Tammy: Comme tu es naïf! Elle me raconte que tu me trouves ennuyeuse, que tu es amoureux d’une de tes étudiantes. C’est vrai? Tammy: You are so naive! She tells me that you think I’m boring, that you are in love with one of your students. Is that true? Tex: Tu es folle! C’est une fausse accusation! Tex: You’re crazy! It’s a false accusation! Tammy: Hmm … Tu veux que je t’explique? C’est très clair. Elle est jalouse! C’est le complot classique. Elle essaie de nous séparer, nous des amis si loyaux! Tammy: Hmm … Do you want me to explain? It’s very clear. She is jealous! It’s the classic plot. She is trying to separate us, such loyal friends!

plus d’adjectifs – BANGS 

The placement of most adjectives in French is after the noun: un escargot parlant, une fourmi travailleuse, des tatous intelligents, etc. There is a small group of adjectives, however, that normally precede the noun. These adjectives may be categorized as adjectives of Beauty, Age, Numbers Goodness, and Size (BANGS).

	Tammy est une belle Américaine. C’est aussi une bonne amie. C’est une petite tatou. Tammy is a beautiful American woman. She is also a good friend. Tammy is a little armadillo. Trey est le jeune frère de Tex. C’est le troisième enfant de la famille. Trey is Tex’s young brother. He is the third child in the family.

beau, nouveau, vieux
Beau, nouveau, and vieux have irregular forms. Note the special forms in the masculine singular when they precede a word that begins with a vowel or a silent h.

The adjectives which precede the noun must agree in number and gender with the noun they modify (see the regular rule for adjective formation). Be aware that changing the position of some adjectives may change their meaning. Listen to this dialogue:

c’est vs. il/elle est

1.c’est/ce sont 

2.il/elle est / ils/elles sont
To describe and introduce things or people in French, two common phrases are used: c’est and il/elle/iel est. The plural forms are ce sont and ils/elles/iels sont.

The choice between c’est and il / elle/iel est is not always easy, but there are basic principles which can guide you in the choice. A rule of thumb is that c’est or ce sont are followed by a determined noun (‘le tatou’, ‘une Américaine’, ‘mes livres’). Remember that nouns in French are preceded by a determiner. Il/elle/iel est and ils/elles/iels sont are followed by an adjective (‘content’, ‘sympathique’).

c’est/ce sont
C’est and ce sont are followed by the following:

il/elle/iel est/ils/elles/iels sont
Use il/elle/iel est or ils/elles/iels sont to introduce the following:

+ adjective alone Tex? Il est arrogant! Il n’est pas français. Il est américain. Tammy? Elle est gentille. Tex? He is arrogant! He isn’t French. He is American. Tammy? She is nice. + nationality, occupation, religion (used as adjectives in French) Tex? Il est poète. Trey? Il est musicien. Tammy? Elle est étudiante. Tex? He is a poet. Trey? He is a musician. Tammy? She is a student.

Remember that il(s), elle(s), and iel(s) refer to a specific person or thing. Ce does not refer to a specific person or thing; it is usually translated as that.

des comparaisons

comparative adjectives indicating more or less

Adjectives are frequently used to compare things, people, events, ideas etc. Plus … que conveys the idea of ‘more … than’, moins … que the idea of ‘less than.’

comparative adjectives indicating similarity or equality

Aussi … que conveys the idea of ‘as … as’.

irregular adjectives

The adjectives bon and mauvais have irregular forms of comparison, meilleur and pire. However, the regular form plus mauvais que has become commonly accepted. Note that this irregularity is found in English too with ‘better’ (not *gooder) and ‘worse’ (not *badder).

Listen to this dialogue: