The Position of Adjectives in French
This section explains the position of adjectives in French and includes tips for students studying foundation and higher tiers.
What is an Adjective?
An adjective is a describing word that modifies a noun. In English, adjectives always come before the noun (e.g., a red car), but in French, most adjectives come after the noun—although some exceptions exist.
Foundation Tier: Basic Rules
Most Adjectives Come After the Noun (La majorité des adjectifs après le nom)
In French, most adjectives are placed after the noun they describe.
| French | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Une voiture rouge | A red car |
| Un film intéressant | An interesting film |
| Une fille gentille | A kind girl |
| Un garçon amusant | A funny boy |
Some Adjectives Come Before the Noun
A small group of adjectives are placed before the noun. These follow the BANGS rule:
BANGS Rule – Adjectives That Come Before the Noun
BANGS stands for:
- B – Beauty (beau, joli)
- A – Age (jeune, vieux, nouveau)
- N – Number (premier, deuxième, plusieurs)
- G – Goodness (bon, mauvais, gentil, méchant)
- S – Size (grand, petit, gros, long)
| French | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Un beau jardin | A beautiful garden |
| Une jeune femme | A young woman |
| Le premier jour | The first day |
| Un bon professeur | A good teacher |
| Une petite maison | A small house |
Some Adjectives Change Meaning Depending on Position
Certain adjectives change meaning depending on whether they come before or after the noun.
| Before the Noun (Figurative Meaning) | After the Noun (Literal Meaning) |
|---|---|
| Un grand homme (A great man) | Un homme grand (A tall man) |
| Mon ancien professeur (My former teacher) | Un livre ancien (An old book) |
| Un pauvre garçon (A poor, unfortunate boy) | Un garçon pauvre (A poor boy, without money) |
Higher Tier: More Complex Uses
Adjectives That Can Go Before or After the Noun
Some adjectives can be placed either before or after the noun, but their meaning changes.
| Adjective | Before the Noun (More Subjective or Figurative Meaning) | After the Noun (More Objective or Literal Meaning) |
|---|---|---|
| Dernier | La dernière semaine (The last week of something, the final one) | La semaine dernière (Last week, in time) |
| Propre | Mon propre bureau (My own office) | Un bureau propre (A clean office) |
| Seul | Le seul problème (The only problem) | Un homme seul (A lonely man) |
Adjective Agreement and Position in Compound Structures
When there is more than one adjective in a sentence, follow these rules:
- If one adjective normally goes before the noun and the other goes after, keep their usual positions.
- Une belle maison moderne (A beautiful modern house)
- Un petit chien mignon (A small cute dog)
- If both adjectives normally go after the noun, they follow this order:
Opinion → Colour → Material → Type → Purpose- Une robe bleue en soie élégante (An elegant blue silk dress)
- Un sac noir en cuir italien (A black Italian leather bag)
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Une rouge voiture → ✅Une voiture rouge (Adjectives describing colour go after the noun.)
❌Une fille grande → ✅ Une grande fille (Size adjectives go before the noun.)
❌Un homme seul (A lonely man) ≠ ✅ Un seul homme (Only one man) (Be careful with meaning changes!)
Key Takeaways
✅ Most adjectives go after the noun (e.g., une voiture rouge).
✅BANGS adjectives go before the noun (e.g., un beau jardin).
✅Some adjectives change meaning depending on their position (e.g., un ancien professeur vs un livre ancien).
✅When using multiple adjectives, follow the correct order (e.g., une belle robe rouge).
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