Number Agreement
Most adjectives (masculine and feminine) agree in number with the noun they modify:
un
costume ordinaire, des costumes ordinaires
(an ordinary suit, ordinary suits)
une robe élégante, des
robes élégantes
(an elegant dress, elegant dresses)
If one adjective modifies several nouns, the agreement is made according to the sense.
Compare:
un homme et une femme aigris
(a bitter man and a bitter woman)
un homme et une femme
aigrie
(a man and a bitter woman)
When the adjective modifies one or more feminine nouns and one masculine noun, the adjective will be in the masculine plural form:
des hommes, des femmes et
des enfants fatigués
(tired men, women, and children)
Formation of the plural: The plural of adjectives is formed by adding s to the singular:
une robe blanche (a white
dress)
des robes blanches (white dresses)
Adjectives ending in -s or -x do not change in their plural form:
un costume gris, des
costumes gris
(a gray suit, gray suits)
un bébé heureux, des bébés
heureux
(a happy baby, happy babies)
un diplomate anglais, des
diplomates anglais
(an English diplomat, English diplomats)
un champigon
mauvais, des champignons mauvais
(a bad mushroom, bad mushrooms)
Most adjectives ending in -al change to -aux in the plural:
un partenaire égal, des partenaires
égaux
(an equal partner, equal partners)
un malaise social, des
malaises sociaux
(a social ill, social ills)
un trait national, des traits
nationaux
(a national trait, national traits)
The adjective tout is irregular in the masculine plural:
tout notre problème, tous nos problèmes
(our entire problem, all our problems)
Both masculine forms of beau (bel), fou (fol), mou (mol), nouveau (nouvel) and vieux (vieil) have the same plural form:
un nouvel opéra/de nouveaux opéras
(a new opera/new operas)
un vieil ouvrage/de vieux
ouvrages
(an old work/old works)
Exceptions:
Although some adjectives deviate from the normal pattern of agreement, some adjectives are partially or totally outside the general agreement rules. They fall into the following categories:
Nouns used as adjectives of color:
Nous portons des chaussures
marron.
(We are wearing brown shoes.)
Certain adjectives used as adverbs to modify a verb:
A l'usine, les ouvriers travaillent dur
et parlent bas.
(At the factory, the workers work hard and speak softly (in a low
voice).)
However, adjectives used with the verbs être (to be), devenir (to become), sembler (to seem), paraître (to seem), rester (to remain/to stay) agree in gender and number with the noun they modify.
Nous restons immobiles durant le
concert.
(We remain motionless during the concert.)
Avec tout ce
bruit, nous devenons fous.
(With all this noise, we are going crazy.)
When placed before a noun, the words demi, nu, excepté, compris, supposé, and vu do not agree in gender or number.
Vu les circonstances, ne partons
pas.
(In view of the circumstances, let's not leave.)
Some adjectives are invariable: kaki, snob, sterling, rococo.
The adjective grand when used as part of a compound feminine noun (singular or plural) does not vary in gender or number. In such cases, its meaning is "great" (or sometimes "main"): ma grand-mère (my grandmother).
See Also: