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Build French noun phrases: adjectives before and after
Un petit café noir, une belle maison ancienne: tap the tiles to place adjectives correctly. Most go after the noun, but BAGS adjectives go before.
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In short
Most French adjectives follow the noun (une voiture rouge, un film français). A small group goes before: Beauty, Age, Goodness and Size (BAGS): beau, joli, jeune, vieux, nouveau, bon, mauvais, petit, grand, gros. One phrase can have both: un petit café noir.
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| Group | Before the noun |
|---|---|
| Beauty | beau, joli |
| Age | jeune, vieux, nouveau |
| Goodness | bon, mauvais |
| Size | petit, grand, gros |
Tap the words in the right order. Tap a placed word to send it back.
I'd like a small black coffee.
They live in a beautiful old house.
He's a young French actor.
She bought a new electric car.
We saw a good Italian film.
He's wearing a big blue jacket.
She's an old school friend.
Which French adjectives go before the noun?
Position can change meaning: un grand homme is a great man, un homme grand a tall one; mon ancien appartement is my former flat, un appartement ancien an old building. Before a vowel, beau, nouveau, vieux become bel, nouvel, vieil: un bel été, un nouvel ami.
When two adjectives share the BAGS slot, keep the most 'essential' one closest to the noun: une jolie petite maison. When one goes before and one after, each takes its usual place: un bon vin rouge, une grande table ronde.
On a loué un joli petit appartement près du port.
We rented a pretty little flat near the harbour.
C'est un nouvel ami de mon frère.
He's a new friend of my brother's.
- une rouge voitureune voiture rouge
Colours go after the noun.
- un vieux amiun vieil ami
Before a vowel: vieil.