-
Course Content
French Greetings3 Topics -
Subject Pronouns3 Topics
-
The Verb "to be"4 Topics
-
The Verb "to have"3 Topics
-
Negative Sentences3 Topics
-
The Definite Article3 Topics
-
The Indefinite Article3 Topics
-
Zero Article3 Topics
-
Partitive Articles3 Topics
-
Adjectives4 Topics
-
The Order of Adjectives3 Topics
-
-ER Verbs (present)3 Topics
-
Possessive Adjectives3 Topics
-
Interrogatives4 Topics
-
-IR Verbs (present tense)3 Topics
-
-RE Verbs (present tense)3 Topics
-
Possession3 Topics
-
The Verb "to make" "to do"3 Topics
-
Weather Expressions4 Topics
-
Numbers 1-1004 Topics
-
The Date3 Topics
-
Telling Time3 Topics
-
The Expression "there is" "there are"3 Topics
-
The Verb "to go"2 Topics
-
The Near Future3 Topics
-
The Expression "it is necessary"3 Topics
-
Demonstrative Adjectives3 Topics
-
Possessive Pronouns3 Topics
-
The Verb "to put"3 Topics
Participants 257
What is the word order with French adjectives? In French, the main rule regarding the position of adjectives is that they usually come AFTER the noun, but as always in French, there are exceptions! For example, there is a small group of common adjectives whose meaning changes depending on whether they come before the noun or go after it.
As we learned in Module 10, most French adjectives are placed after the word being described in the sentence. However, there are several exceptions to this rule. These adjectives, understood by the acronym BANGS, are placed before the word being described (as one would do in English).
| BANGS | Adjective ExamplesMasc. / Fem. | Example Sentence | Translation |
| Beauty | beau/bellejoli/jolie | La jolie fille s’appelle Ana. | The pretty girl is named Ana. |
| Age | nouveau/nouvellevieux/vieillejeune | La vieille voiture est rouge. | The old car is red. |
| Number | un, deux, trois….premier/premièreplusieurs | Il y a plusieurs problèmes au bureau. | There are several problems in the office. |
| Goodness | bon/bonnemauvais/mauvaise | Il donne de l’argent aux pauvres – il est un bon homme. | He gives money to the poor – he is a good man. |
| Size | grand/grandepetit/petitelong/longue | Le grand homme joue au basket. | The tall man plays basketball. |
BANGS adjectives before a vowel
There are some adjectives that change to either the masculine or feminine forms when it is placed before a word that begins with a vowel. In these instances, these adjectives have a unique spelling. Examples of these adjectives are beau, nouveau, and vieux.
Un bel appartement A beautiful apartment
Un novel hôpital A new hospital
Un vieil homme An old man