Unit 32: Adjectives - placement

1 Placement

Unlike in English where adjectives come before the noun (as in a red hat), in French adjectives generally come after the noun (as in un chapeau rouge). Adjectives can also be linked to a noun by a verb like être, as in Le chapeau est rouge (The hat is red).

 

1.1 Placement before the noun

A number of commonly used adjectives are usually placed before the noun :

 

 

Elle nous a préparé un excellent repas  

She made us an excellent meal

Paul, c'est un très bon étudiant  

Paul is a very good student

Après le dîner il nous a raconté une longue histoire  

After dinner he told us a long story

  See three more examples

1.2 Different meanings

Some adjectives have a different meaning according to whether they are placed before or after the noun :

 

 

  See three more examples

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