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French Adjectives before the noun

I remember there being a song for the main French adjectives that come before the noun.. i.e. grand, petit.. etc. Does anyone know it? Or at least, does anyone have a list of the adjectives that come before the noun?

Reply 1

quintsy

Vieux jeune nouveau
vilain joli beau
court long
mauvais bon
grand petit gros

The adjectives which come before describe beauty, age, number, size or how good/bad something is.

Reply 2

HearTheThunder

suuuuuuseh

Vieux jeune nouveau
vilain joli beau
court long
mauvais bon
grand petit gros

The adjectives which come before describe beauty, age, number, size or how good/bad something is.

Aha! Merci :biggrin:

Reply 3

quintsy

HearTheThunder

Aha! Merci :biggrin:

De rien.

Reply 4

generalebriety

Any adjective can go before the noun. It's just not usual. Usually adjectives describe the noun in some way, but in the very rare case that the noun is significantly more important than the adjective, the adjective can go before. Compare "les principales choses" and "les choses principales". The first has a lot more emphasis on "choses" (you see why it's not common? :p:

) and the second on "principales".

Besides, some adjectives mean different things depending on where they go, e.g. ancien (old or former) and propre (own or tidy)

Reply 5

quintsy

generalebriety

) and the second on "principales".

Besides, some adjectives mean different things depending on where they go, e.g. ancien (old or former) and propre (own or tidy)

I was going to mention "ancien" actually- you don't want to go around saying: "mon professeur ancien". :p:

Reply 6

kellywood_5

suuuuuuseh

I was going to mention "ancien" actually- you don't want to go around saying: "mon professeur ancien". :p:

But what if they are 'ancien'? :biggrin:

Reply 7

quintsy

kellywood_5

But what if they are 'ancien'? :biggrin:

Good point :biggrin:

- I can think of a few teachers for whom that might apply to.. :p:

Reply 8

kellywood_5

suuuuuuseh

Good point :biggrin:

- I can think of a few teachers for whom that might apply to.. :p:

It's a great way to get away with calling them old to their face as well- as long as they don't teach you anymore, you can just say you got confused and you meant former :wink:

Reply 9

brimstone

suuuuuuseh

I was going to mention "ancien" actually- you don't want to go around saying: "mon professeur ancien". :p:

An image of ancient, creaky French teachers suddenly popped into my mind there :wink:

Reply 10

korektphool

suuuuuuseh

Vieux jeune nouveau
vilain joli beau
court long
mauvais bon
grand petit gros

The adjectives which come before describe beauty, age, number, size or how good/bad something is.

N'oubliez pas <<autre>> et <<propre>>

Reply 11

quintsy

korektphool

N'oubliez pas <<autre>> et <<propre>>

Bien vu.

Propre avant le nom= own; propre après= clean.

Reply 12

HearTheThunder

Ma propre tete propre. *nods*

Reply 13

generalebriety

I have seen autre coming after the noun, actually. :p:

Can't remember the context. It wasn't particularly 'old' French either... just, really posh and pretentious. :p:

Reply 14

quintsy

generalebriety

I have seen autre coming after the noun, actually. :p:

Can't remember the context. It wasn't particularly 'old' French either... just, really posh and pretentious. :p:

Ooh, and it's sometimes a preposition too, so yeah I suppose it depends on the context.

Reply 15

joccy47

Mauvais, mechant, vilain, beau,Petit, haut, vieux, joli, gros.Nouveaux, gentil, jeune et bon,Grande et meilleur, vaste et longe!Courtesy of the fabulous Mrs Dunk. Never forgotten it : )