Indefinite and Negative Adjectives in French
This section explains indefinite and negative adjectives in French and includes tips for students studying foundation and higher tiers.
Indefinite Adjectives
Indefinite adjectives are used to refer to non-specific people, things, or quantities. They are similar to English adjectives such as "some," "each," "certain," "several," and "other."
Common Indefinite Adjectives in French
| French | English | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chaque | Each / Every | Chaque élève doit étudier. | Each student must study. |
| Quelques | Some / A few | J’ai acheté quelques pommes. | I bought some apples. |
| Certain(e)(s) | Certain / Some | Certaines personnes sont timides. | Some people are shy. |
| Tout(e) / Tous / Toutes | All / Every | Toute la ville était en fête. | The whole town was celebrating. |
| Autre(s) | Other | As-tu un autre stylo ? | Do you have another pen? |
| Plusieurs | Several | Il y a plusieurs solutions. | There are several solutions. |
📌 Key Rules:
- Chaque is always singular (chaque élève, chaque jour).
- Tout changes form depending on the noun it modifies:
- Tout le livre (The whole book)
- Toute la journée (The whole day)
- Tous les élèves (All the students)
- Toutes les filles (All the girls)
Foundation Tier Examples
| French Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Chaque matin, je bois du café. | Every morning, I drink coffee. |
| Quelques élèves sont absents. | Some students are absent. |
| Toute la classe écoute. | The whole class is listening. |
| Il a plusieurs frères et sœurs. | He has several brothers and sisters. |
| J’aimerais un autre gâteau. | I would like another cake. |
Negative Adjectives
Negative adjectives are used to express absence, negation, or exclusion. They often correspond to English words like "no," "not any," or "none."
Common Negative Adjectives in French
| French | English | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aucun(e) | No / Not any | Je n’ai aucune idée. | I have no idea. |
| Nul(le) | No / Not any | Il n’y a nulle chance de succès. | There is no chance of success. |
| Pas un(e) seul(e) | Not a single | Je n’ai pas une seule minute. | I don’t have a single minute. |
📌 Key Rules:
- Aucun(e) must agree with the noun it modifies (aucun problème, aucune solution).
- Nul(le) is formal and rarely used in spoken French.
- Pas un(e) seul(e) is used for emphasis to insist on total absence.
Higher Tier Examples
| French Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Aucun élève n’a réussi l’examen. | No student passed the exam. |
| Je n’ai nul espoir. | I have no hope. |
| Il n’a pas une seule excuse. | He doesn’t have a single excuse. |
| Aucun livre ne m’intéresse. | No book interests me. |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Chaque personnes est ici. → ✅ Chaque personne est ici. ("Chaque" is always singular!)
❌Aucune idées ne me viennent. → ✅ Aucune idée ne me vient. ("Aucune" must agree in gender and number!)
❌Tout les étudiants sont en classe. → ✅ Tous les étudiants sont en classe. (Use "tous" for plural!)
Key Takeaways
✅ Indefinite adjectives refer to non-specific quantities or people (chaque, quelques, certains, tout, plusieurs).
✅Negative adjectives express total absence (aucun, nul, pas un seul).
✅Indefinite and negative adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun.
✅Be careful with "tout/tous/toute/toutes" and "aucun/aucune".
Category
