French Grammar in Context

Adjectives 103

Note also the masculine adjective, tranquille(line 79), which makes no change in the feminine,

and contrast it with adjectives ending in –il, which double the -lin the feminine before adding

-e,

e.g. un fils gentil; une fille gentille

g Adjectives and past participles used as adjectives which end in -éadd a further–ein the
feminine. This change is not audible in the spoken language.
e.g. la lumière dorée(lines 48–9); érosion avancée (line 82);disciplinée (line 96)

h Present participles which function as adjectives must agree like adjectives with the noun which
they qualify. See Chapter 22, The present participle and gerund in the text, p. 141, Usage a.
e.g. irréalité grandissante( line 64); sensation grisante et effrayante(lines 119–20)

i Remember always to make an adjective agree with the noun which it qualifies, even when it
appears at some distance from the noun.
e.g. la chaleur s’abat sur nous, écrasante (lines 8–9)

j When a noun is accompanied by an adjectival phrase (de+ noun), followed by an adjective,
the adjective agrees with the noun which it qualifies.
e.g. en état d’érosion avancée(line 82) (feminine agreement with érosion)

k Orange (line 107) is sometimes described as a noun functioning as an adjective. It is invariable
and does not change even when accompanying a plural noun.
e.g. des habits orange
Other nouns of colour used as adjectives are similarly invariable, as too are compound
expressions.
e.g. des yeux marron; une chemise bleu ciel

2 POSITION OF ADJECTIVES

a Most French adjectives follow the noun.

e.g. une circulation chaotique(lines 14–15); les vaches sacrées(line 16)

However, there is a small group of very common adjectives (autre, beau, bon, bref, haut, jeune,

petit, premier, vieux, etc.) which normally precede the noun.

e.g. mes premiers pas (line 1);la vieille ville(line 10); des centaines de petites bougies(lines

33–4); tant d’autres touristes(lines 40–41); une jeune femme(line 73); ce haut lieu(lines 94–5);

un bref instant(line 116)

b There is a group of adjectives which may appear either before or after the noun, but whose
meaning differs according to position.
e.g. les différents ghâts(lines 44–5) (the various ghats)
Placed after the noun, this adjective has a more literal meaning, different (in kind),