Placement of French Adjectives – BAGS Adjectives

Most of the time, French adjectives go after the nouns the describe:

une voiture rougea red car
un repas délicieuxa delicious meal
un livre intéressantan interesting book

Other times, certain adjectives come before the nouns they describe.  Though it isn’t foolproof, you can use the acronym BAGS to refer to these adjectives to help you remember the categories.  





This lesson will be helpful when learning when to use DE before plural adjectives

Bbeauty
Aage
Ggoodness
Ssize

👇 Scroll below the examples for exceptions to the rule 👇


BEAUTY

beau
masculine – singular

beaux
masculine – plural

belle(s)
feminine – singular
(add S for plural)

bel
masculine – singular
before a vowel or aspirate H

un beau tableau
a beautiful painting

de beaux meubles
beautiful furniture

une belle maison
a beautiful house

un bel hôtel
a beautiful hotel

un bel appartement
a beautiful apartment
joli(s)
masculine – singular
(add S for plural)

jolie(s)
feminine – singular
(add S for plural)
pretty
un joli sourire
a pretty smile


une jolie voix
a pretty voice
vilain(s)
masculine – singular
(add S for plural)

vilaine(s)
feminine – singular
(add S for plural)
naughty – ugly – nasty
un vilain rhume
a nasty cold


une vilaine sorcière
an ugly witch

AGE

jeune(s)
masculine or feminine – singular
(add S for plural)
young
un(e) jeune étudiant(e)
a young student
vieux
masculine
singular or plural

vieille(s)
feminine – singular
(add S for plural)

vieil
masculine
before a vowel
or aspirate H
old
un (de) vieux chien(s)
an (some) old dog(s)


une vieille âme
an old soul


un vieil ami
an old friend

un vieil homme
an old man
nouveau
masculine – singular

nouveaux
masculine – plural

nouvel
masculine – singular
before a vowel
or aspirate H


nouvelle(s)
feminine – singular
(add S for plural)
new
un nouveau monde
a new world

de nouveaux horizons
new horizons

un nouvel ordinateur
a new computer

un nouvel homme
a new man

une nouvelle loi
a new law

GOODNESS – BADNESS

bon(s)
masculine – singular
(add S for plural)

bonne(s)
feminine – singular
(add S for plural)
good
un bon croissant
a good croissant

une bonne blague
a good joke
meilleur(s)
masculine – singular
(add S for plural)

meilleure(s)
feminine – singular
(add S for plural)
better
un meilleur monde
a better world


une meilleure solution
a better solution
gentil(s)
masculine – singular
(add S for plural)

gentille(s)
feminine – singular
(add S for plural)
nice
un gentil message
a nice message

une gentille pensée
a nice thought
mauvais
masculine
singular and plural

mauvaise(s)
feminine – singular
(add S for plural)
bad
un mauvais film
a bad film

une mauvaise herbe
a weed

SIZE

grand(s)
masculine – singular
(add S for plural)

grande(s)
feminine – singular
(add S for plural)
tall – large – big – great
un grand magasin
a department store


une grande opportunité
a great opportunity
petit(s)
masculine – singular
(add S for plural)

petite(s)
feminine – singular
(add S for plural)
small – little
un petit peu
a little bit

une petite araignée
a small spider
gros
masculine
singular and plural

grosse(s)
feminine – singular
(add S for plural)
large – big – fat
un gros câlin
a big hug


une grosse baleine
a big whale
haut(s)
masculine – singular
(add S for plural)

haute(s)
feminine – singular
(add S for plural)
high – tall – great
un haut niveau
a high level

une haute montagne
a high mountain
court(s)
masculine – singular
(add S for plural)

courte(s)
feminine – singular
(add S for plural)
short – brief
un court livre
a short book


une courte aventure
a brief adventure
long(s)
masculine – singular
(add S for plural)

longue(s)
feminine – singular
(add S for plural)
long
un long voyage
a long trip


une longue vie
a long life
immense(s)
masculine & feminine singular
(add S for plural)
immense – huge – vast
un immense merci
a huge thanks

une immense forêt
a vast forest

EXCEPTIONS

CATEGORYADJECTIVEEXAMPLE




BEAUTY
laid(s)
masculine – singular
(add S for plural)

laide(s)
feminine – singular
(add S for plural)
ugly
un tapis laid
an ugly rug


une robe laide
an ugly dress



GOODNESS
BADNESS
méchant(s)
masculine – singular
(add S for plural)

méchante(s)
feminine – singular
(add S for plural)
mean – wicked
un chien méchant
a mean dog

une personne méchante
a wicked person

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