A1 Adjectives & Adverbs 13 min read Easy

French Plurals: Just Add -s!

Always add a silent -s to adjectives when describing plural nouns to ensure perfect grammatical agreement.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

To make most French nouns and adjectives plural, simply add an 's' to the end of the singular form.

  • Add -s to most nouns: un chat → des chats.
  • Add -s to most adjectives: petit → petits.
  • Articles change too: le/la/un/une become les/des.
Singular + s = Plural (e.g., 🐱 + s = 🐱🐱)

Overview

French adjectives are dynamic elements of speech, meticulously adapting to the nouns they describe. This foundational principle, known as adjective agreement, ensures grammatical coherence by mirroring the noun's gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural). For learners at the A1 CEFR level, mastering number agreement, specifically the formation of plural adjectives, is an essential first step.

The most prevalent method for pluralization involves the addition of a silent -s to the singular form of the adjective.

This agreement is not an arbitrary rule but a core linguistic mechanism for clarity and precision. In languages like English, adjectives remain invariable (e.g., a big car, big cars). French, conversely, encodes these grammatical distinctions directly into the adjective.

This constant morphological adjustment reinforces the relationship between the noun and its descriptor, making the grammatical number explicit even when the noun itself might be phonetically ambiguous in its plural form. The silent nature of the final -s in many plural adjectives is a distinct feature of French phonology, often leading to challenges for learners accustomed to pronounced plural markers.

Understanding this agreement at an early stage builds a robust framework for comprehending more complex aspects of French grammar. It is a predictable pattern that, once internalized, contributes significantly to both written accuracy and aural comprehension. While exceptions and irregularities exist, the -s pluralization rule governs the vast majority of French adjectives, making it a high-frequency and high-impact concept for beginners.

How This Grammar Works

In French, an adjective functions as a grammatical mirror, reflecting the number of the noun it modifies. If you are describing a single item or person, the adjective remains in its singular form. When you describe two or more items or people, the adjective must shift to its plural form.
For the vast majority of adjectives, this transformation is achieved by appending an -s to the singular adjective. This rule applies uniformly whether the adjective is in its masculine or feminine singular form, provided gender agreement has already been established.
Consider the adjective grand (tall/large). To describe a single masculine object, you would use grand (e.g., un grand livre – a large book). For multiple masculine objects, you append an -s, resulting in grands (e.g., des grands livres – large books).
The same principle applies to feminine adjectives. If you are describing a single feminine object, you use grande (e.g., une grande table – a large table). For multiple feminine objects, you add an -s, yielding grandes (e.g., des grandes tables – large tables).
An important phonetic characteristic of French is the silence of this final plural -s. Unlike in English, where the plural -s or -es is typically pronounced, the French plural -s is almost universally silent at the end of a word. This means that, in most cases, the singular form of an adjective and its plural form will sound identical in isolation.
For instance, grand (singular masculine) and grands (plural masculine) are both pronounced /ɡʁɑ̃/. Similarly, belle (singular feminine) and belles (plural feminine) are both pronounced /bɛl/. This phonetic subtlety often requires learners to rely on context, particularly the accompanying determiner (e.g., le vs.
les, un vs. des), to identify grammatical number in spoken French.
There is one crucial exception to the silent plural -s: liaison. When a plural adjective immediately precedes a noun that begins with a vowel or a silent h, the final -s of the adjective is pronounced as a /z/ sound, creating a smooth phonetic link between the two words. For example, in des grands arbres (large trees), the -s of grands connects to arbres, sounding like /ɡʁɑ̃z‿aʁbʁ/.
This phenomenon, while an important aspect of natural French pronunciation, can be considered a nuanced detail for A1 learners, whose primary focus should be on mastering the written form and the general rule of silent final consonants. Acknowledging its existence, however, is key for eventual fluency.

Formation Pattern

1
Forming the plural of French adjectives follows a highly regular pattern for the vast majority of words. The process is sequential, building upon the adjective's gender agreement.
2
General Rule: Add -s
3
To make an adjective plural, you typically add an -s to its singular form. This applies after the adjective has already been adjusted for gender (if necessary). The table below illustrates this standard progression using the adjective petit (small).
4
| Form | Adjective | Example Phrase (Masculine) | Example Phrase (Feminine) |
5
| :-------------------- | :------------- | :------------------------- | :-------------------------- |
6
| Masculine Singular| petit | un petit garçon | N/A |
7
| Feminine Singular | petite | N/A | une petite fille |
8
| Masculine Plural | petits | des petits garçons | N/A |
9
| Feminine Plural | petites | N/A | des petites filles |
10
Notice how the plural -s is added to both the masculine singular form (petit -> petits) and the feminine singular form (petite -> petites). The phonetic realization remains primarily silent, except in cases of liaison.
11
Special Case 1: Adjectives ending in -s or -x in the singular
12
If a masculine singular adjective already ends in -s or -x, it does not change in the masculine plural form. The written form remains identical for both singular and plural. This is because these letters already provide a visual indication of a potential plural, even if unpronounced.
13
| Form | Adjective | Example Phrase (Masculine Singular) | Example Phrase (Masculine Plural) |
14
| :-------------------- | :-------- | :---------------------------------- | :-------------------------------- |
15
| Masculine Singular| gris | un pull gris | N/A |
16
| Masculine Plural | gris | N/A | des pulls gris |
17
| Masculine Singular| heureux | un homme heureux | N/A |
18
| Masculine Plural | heureux | N/A | des hommes heureux |
19
Note: While the masculine form is invariant, if these adjectives have a separate feminine singular form (e.g., grise, heureuse), their feminine plural will follow the general rule of adding -s (e.g., grises, heureuses). For A1, focusing on the invariant masculine form is key.
20
Beyond A1: Irregular Plurals
21
Certain categories of adjectives exhibit irregular plural forms that deviate from the simple -s addition. These typically involve changes to al endings (e.g., national -> nationaux) or eau endings (e.g., beau -> beaux). Additionally, some compound adjectives or color adjectives derived from nouns (e.g., orange, marron) are invariable. These irregularities are best addressed at higher CEFR levels (A2 and beyond) as they represent a smaller, though significant, subset of adjectives. For now, concentrate on the overwhelmingly common -s rule.

When To Use It

Plural adjective agreement is mandatory whenever you are describing more than one noun in French. This rule is absolute and applies regardless of whether the nouns are explicitly listed or implied by context. Identifying the necessity for pluralization primarily involves recognizing plural nouns and the determiners that accompany them.
Identifying Plural Nouns:
French plural nouns are most commonly identified by:
  • Plural Determiners: The presence of a plural article (les - the, des - some/any), possessive adjective (mes, tes, ses, nos, vos, leurs - my, your, his/her/its, our, your, their), demonstrative adjective (ces - these/those), or indefinite adjective (plusieurs - several, nombreux - numerous).
  • Example: Les grandes maisons (The large houses). Here, les signals plurality, requiring grandes.
  • Example: Mes nouveaux amis (My new friends). Mes indicates plurality, thus nouveaux (an irregular plural for nouveau).
  • Nouns ending in -s or -x: Many nouns form their plural by adding -s or -x (though often silent), mirroring the adjective rule.
  • Quantifiers: Numbers greater than one (e.g., deux, trois, cent) preceding a noun necessitate a plural adjective if one is used.
  • Example: Trois belles fleurs (Three beautiful flowers).
Application in Sentences:
Once you identify a plural noun, ensure any adjective modifying it also takes the plural form. This applies whether the adjective directly precedes or follows the noun, or if it is linked via a verb like être (to be).
  • Adjective directly modifying a plural noun:
  • J'ai acheté des chaussures noires. (I bought black shoes.) - chaussures is plural, so noir becomes noires (feminine plural).
  • Nous avons vu des films intéressants. (We saw interesting films.) - films is plural, so intéressant becomes intéressants (masculine plural).
  • Adjective used with the verb être (to be):
  • Les étudiantes sont intelligentes. (The female students are intelligent.) - étudiantes is feminine plural, so intelligent becomes intelligentes.
  • Les garçons sont fatigués après le match. (The boys are tired after the game.) - garçons is masculine plural, so fatigué becomes fatigués.
  • Mixed-gender groups: When describing a group composed of both masculine and feminine nouns or individuals, the masculine plural form of the adjective is used. This is a grammatical convention, not a reflection of individual gender distribution.
  • Le professeur et les étudiantes sont contents du résultat. (The professor and the female students are happy with the result.) - Even with multiple female students, the presence of le professeur (masculine) forces the masculine plural contents.
Using plural adjectives correctly is a hallmark of grammatical accuracy and demonstrates an understanding of fundamental French sentence structure. It's a consistent requirement across all forms of communication, from casual conversation to formal writing.

Common Mistakes

Beginners at the A1 level frequently encounter specific pitfalls when attempting to pluralize French adjectives. These errors often stem from interference from their native language (especially English), phonetic similarities between singular and plural forms, or an incomplete understanding of agreement hierarchy.
  1. 1Forgetting the Written -s: This is arguably the most common error. Because the plural -s is typically silent, learners often omit it in writing. This is particularly prevalent in adjectival phrases where the noun and adjective are separated by other words, or when être connects a subject to an adjective.
  • Incorrect: Les voitures sont rouge. (The cars are red.)
  • Correct: Les voitures sont rouges.
  • Why it's wrong: The plural marker s is silent, leading the learner to believe it's unnecessary to write, despite les voitures clearly being plural. French requires written agreement even when unpronounced.
  1. 1Over-pronouncing the Final -s: Conversely, some learners, aware of the written -s, may attempt to pronounce it, particularly if their native language pronounces plural markers. This leads to an unnatural, non-native accent.
  • Incorrect: Pronouncing grands as /ɡʁɑ̃s/ (with a hissed 's').
  • Correct: Pronouncing grands as /ɡʁɑ̃/.
  • Why it's wrong: French phonology dictates that final consonants like s, t, d, x, p, g are generally silent unless followed by a vowel in a liaison context. Mispronouncing them breaks the melodic flow of the language.
  1. 1Incorrect Agreement Hierarchy (Gender before Number): A crucial step often overlooked is ensuring gender agreement before applying number agreement. The singular feminine form often differs from the singular masculine form, and the plural -s is added to the already gender-agreed form.
  • Incorrect: Thinking petit (masc. sing.) -> petits (masc. plur.) and then applying e to get *petites for feminine plural (as if s then e).
  • Correct: petit (masc. sing.) -> petite (fem. sing.) -> petites (fem. plur.).
  • Why it's wrong: This demonstrates a misunderstanding of the order of morphological changes. Gender is often the primary change, then number modifies that gender-specific form.
  1. 1Applying -s to Invariable Adjectives: A small but significant category of adjectives, especially certain color adjectives derived from nouns, or compound adjectives, do not agree in number (or gender). Beginners sometimes incorrectly apply the -s rule to these.
  • Incorrect: des jupes oranges. (orange skirts - orange as a noun-derived color is invariable).
  • Correct: des jupes orange.
  • Why it's wrong: Learners overgeneralize the -s rule without recognizing specific categories of invariable words. This highlights the importance of learning common exceptions as they arise.
  1. 1Adding -s to Adjectives Already Ending in -s or -x: As covered in the formation pattern, masculine singular adjectives ending in -s or -x do not change in the plural. This rule is often forgotten.
  • Incorrect: des films françaises. (français ends in -s and is masc. sing. -> français masc. plur.; the example attempts to make it feminine plural unnecessarily).
  • Correct: des films français. (masc. plural)
  • Why it's wrong: Learners default to the -s addition without checking the singular ending, leading to redundant or incorrect forms.
Careful attention to the silent -s, the priority of gender agreement, and an awareness of common invariable forms will significantly reduce these mistakes.

Real Conversations

In authentic French communication, plural adjectives are ubiquitous, though their presence is often subtly conveyed. The silent nature of the plural -s means that in spoken French, much of the grammatical information regarding plurality is carried by the determiners (les, des, ces) or the context, rather than the adjective itself. However, in written communication, particularly online or in messages, the correct spelling of plural adjectives remains crucial for clarity and grammatical correctness.

In Spoken French:

- Reliance on Determiners: Listen for plural articles or demonstrative adjectives that precede the noun-adjective pair. This is your primary auditory cue for plurality when the adjective's final consonant is silent.

- Regarde les belles photos ! (Look at the beautiful photos!) - You hear les (/le/) indicating plural, and belles (/bɛl/) sounds identical to belle (singular).

- Ils sont fatigués après la journée. (They are tired after the day.) - Ils (they) signals plural, fatigués (/fatiɡe/) sounds like fatigué (singular).

- Liaison as a Secondary Cue: In specific instances, liaison will make the plural -s audible, forming a /z/ sound. This is a clear, though less frequent, indicator.

- Ce sont des grands_amis. (They are good friends.) - Here, the s of grands liaises with amis, sounding like /ɡʁɑ̃z‿ami/.

- Context: The overall conversation often provides enough context to infer plurality even without explicit phonetic markers.

In Written French (Emails, Texts, Social Media):

- Formal and Informal Writing: Even in casual texts or social media posts, native speakers are expected to maintain correct adjective agreement. Omitting the -s can appear as a grammatical error, even if the meaning is understood.

- Text Message: On a passé de bonnes vacances ! (We had a good vacation!) - bonnes correctly plural for vacances.

- Social Media Caption: Mes amis sont incroyables ! (My friends are incredible!) - incroyables correctly plural for amis.

- Email (Formal): J'ai bien reçu vos dernières directives. (I have received your latest directives.) - dernières correctly plural for directives.

- Clarity: In writing, the -s ensures unambiguous grammatical number, which is vital when phonetic cues are absent.

Understanding that the visual manifestation of plural agreement is more pronounced in writing, while auditory cues are more reliant on surrounding words in speech, is key to developing both spoken and written proficiency.

Quick FAQ

Q: Do I add an -s if the masculine singular adjective already ends in -s or -x?

No. If a masculine singular adjective already concludes with -s or -x, it remains unchanged in its masculine plural form. For instance, un homme gris (a gray man) becomes des hommes gris (gray men). Similarly, un chien heureux (a happy dog) becomes des chiens heureux (happy dogs). The existing -s or -x serves as the plural marker.

Q: What happens when an adjective describes a group containing both masculine and feminine nouns or individuals?

In French grammar, the masculine plural form of the adjective is used to describe mixed-gender groups. This is a grammatical rule of precedence. For example, if you are describing a group of boys and girls as

Pluralization Table

Singular Plural Article (S) Article (P)
chat
chats
le
les
pomme
pommes
une
des
ami
amis
un
des
livre
livres
le
les
chien
chiens
le
les
fleur
fleurs
une
des

Meanings

The process of indicating that there is more than one of an object or that a quality applies to multiple items.

1

Standard Plural

Indicating multiple items.

“Les livres sont sur la table.”

“J'aime les pommes.”

Reference Table

Reference table for French Plurals: Just Add -s!
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Article + Noun + s
Les chats
Negative
Ne + verb + pas + de + Noun
Je n'ai pas de chats
Question
Est-ce que + Article + Noun + s
Est-ce que les chats mangent ?
Adjective
Noun + Adjective + s
Les chats noirs
Invariable
Noun ending in s/x
Les souris
Special
Noun ending in al
Les journaux

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Je possède des chats.

Je possède des chats. (Daily conversation)

Neutral
J'ai des chats.

J'ai des chats. (Daily conversation)

Informal
J'ai des chats.

J'ai des chats. (Daily conversation)

Slang
J'ai des chats.

J'ai des chats. (Daily conversation)

Pluralization Map

Pluralization

Nouns

  • chat cat

Adjectives

  • grand big
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Examples by Level

1

J'ai des chats.

I have cats.

2

Les livres sont ici.

The books are here.

3

Ce sont des amis.

These are friends.

4

Les pommes sont rouges.

The apples are red.

1

Je vois des petites fleurs.

I see small flowers.

2

Les voitures sont rapides.

The cars are fast.

3

Il n'a pas de frères.

He has no brothers.

4

Les grands chiens courent.

The big dogs are running.

1

Les nouveaux étudiants arrivent.

The new students are arriving.

2

Nous avons des projets importants.

We have important projects.

3

Les décisions difficiles sont prises.

Difficult decisions are made.

4

Il y a des oiseaux partout.

There are birds everywhere.

1

Les phénomènes météorologiques sont imprévisibles.

Weather phenomena are unpredictable.

2

Les analyses approfondies montrent des résultats.

In-depth analyses show results.

3

Les gouvernements doivent prendre des mesures.

Governments must take measures.

4

Ces idées sont complexes et nuancées.

These ideas are complex and nuanced.

1

Les arcs-en-ciel sont magnifiques.

Rainbows are magnificent.

2

Les chefs-d'œuvre de la littérature française.

Masterpieces of French literature.

3

Les enjeux sociétaux sont primordiaux.

Societal stakes are paramount.

4

Les stratégies mises en œuvre sont efficaces.

The strategies implemented are effective.

1

Les mœurs de cette époque étaient singulières.

The customs of that era were singular.

2

Les détails infimes échappent souvent à l'œil.

Minute details often escape the eye.

3

Les vicissitudes de la vie sont inévitables.

The vicissitudes of life are inevitable.

4

Les nuances sémantiques sont cruciales ici.

Semantic nuances are crucial here.

Easily Confused

French Plurals: Just Add -s! vs Des vs De

Learners use 'des' in negative sentences.

French Plurals: Just Add -s! vs Plural vs Singular

Forgetting to pluralize the adjective.

French Plurals: Just Add -s! vs Invariable Nouns

Adding -s to nouns ending in -s.

Common Mistakes

✗

le chats

✓

les chats

Article must match the noun.
✗

des chat

✓

des chats

Noun must be pluralized.
✗

les petit chats

✓

les petits chats

Adjectives must agree.
✗

j'ai des chats pas

✓

je n'ai pas de chats

Negative structure.
✗

des journauxs

✓

des journaux

Already plural.
✗

les souris

✓

les souris

Already ends in s.
✗

des beauxs

✓

des beaux

Already ends in x.
✗

les chevals

✓

les chevaux

Irregular plural.
✗

des travauxs

✓

des travaux

Irregular plural.
✗

les yeuxs

✓

les yeux

Irregular plural.
✗

les arcs-en-ciels

✓

les arcs-en-ciel

Compound noun rule.
✗

les chefs-d'œuvres

✓

les chefs-d'œuvre

Compound noun rule.
✗

les après-midis

✓

les après-midi

Invariable noun.
✗

les porte-monnaies

✓

les porte-monnaie

Invariable noun.

Sentence Patterns

J'ai des ___.

Les ___ sont ___.

Je n'ai pas de ___.

Les ___ que j'aime sont ___.

Real World Usage

Bakery constant

Je voudrais trois croissants.

Social Media very common

Mes amis sont géniaux !

Job Interview common

Mes compétences sont variées.

Travel common

Où sont les billets ?

Food Delivery common

Je veux deux pizzas.

Email common

Voici les documents.

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💡

Check the article

Always check if your article is plural (les/des) before the noun.
⚠️

Don't add -s to everything

Check if the word already ends in -s or -x.
🎯

Adjective agreement

If the noun is plural, the adjective MUST be plural.
💬

Silent S

Don't pronounce the 's' at the end of the word!

Smart Tips

Check the noun, then check the article, then check the adjective.

Le chat noir est ici. → Les chats noirs sont ici.

Remember the 'de' rule for 'pas'.

Je n'ai pas des chats. → Je n'ai pas de chats.

Ask yourself: 'What does this describe?'

Les filles est content. → Les filles sont contentes.

Check the ending for -s, -x, -z.

Les souriss sont là. → Les souris sont là.

Pronunciation

chat /ʃa/ vs chats /ʃa/

Silent S

The 's' at the end of a plural noun is almost always silent.

Rising

Les chats ? ↗

Questioning if there are cats.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

S is for 'Several'—add an S to make it several!

Visual Association

Imagine a single cat wearing a hat. Then, suddenly, a magical 'S' appears and multiplies the cat into a group of cats.

Rhyme

One is fine, but if you have more, add an S to the noun and the core!

Story

Pierre had one apple (une pomme). He wanted more, so he added an 's' to his basket. Suddenly, he had many apples (des pommes). He was so happy he added an 's' to his friend (un ami) to make many friends (des amis).

Word Web

chatslivrespommesamischiensfleurs

Challenge

Look around your room and write down 5 things you see. Write them in singular, then convert them to plural.

Cultural Notes

French speakers are very precise about plural agreement in writing.

Pluralization is identical, but pronunciation of final consonants can vary.

Standard French grammar is used in schools and media.

French pluralization evolved from the Latin accusative plural ending in -s.

Conversation Starters

“

As-tu des animaux ?

“

Quels livres aimes-tu ?

“

Quels sont tes projets ?

“

Quelles idées as-tu ?

Journal Prompts

Describe your pets.
What do you like to eat?
Describe your friends.
What are your goals?

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Make the noun plural.

Le chat → Les ___

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: chats
Add -s.
Choose the correct article. Multiple Choice

___ amis sont là.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les
Plural requires 'Les'.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

J'ai des chat.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: J'ai des chats
Add -s.
Make plural. Sentence Transformation

La pomme est rouge.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les pommes sont rouges
Everything must agree.
True or False? True False Rule

Do you pronounce the final 's'?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
It is silent.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: As-tu des frères? B: Non, je n'ai pas ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: de frères
Negative uses 'de'.
Build the sentence. Sentence Building

les / sont / grands / chiens

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les chiens sont grands
Correct word order.
Match singular to plural. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Livres
Add -s.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Make the noun plural.

Le chat → Les ___

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: chats
Add -s.
Choose the correct article. Multiple Choice

___ amis sont là.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les
Plural requires 'Les'.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

J'ai des chat.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: J'ai des chats
Add -s.
Make plural. Sentence Transformation

La pomme est rouge.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les pommes sont rouges
Everything must agree.
True or False? True False Rule

Do you pronounce the final 's'?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
It is silent.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: As-tu des frères? B: Non, je n'ai pas ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: de frères
Negative uses 'de'.
Build the sentence. Sentence Building

les / sont / grands / chiens

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les chiens sont grands
Correct word order.
Match singular to plural. Match Pairs

Livre

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Livres
Add -s.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises
Translate to French: Translation

The books are interesting.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les livres sont intéressants.
Reorder the words to form a correct sentence. Sentence Reorder

sont / Les / intelligentes / filles

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les filles sont intelligentes
Match the singular to its plural form. Match Pairs

Match the pairs:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: grand : grands, grande : grandes, vert : verts, verte : vertes
Complete the sentence with the plural form. Fill in the Blank

Ces exercices sont _____ (difficile).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: difficiles
Select the correct plural form for 'fort' (strong) when describing 'les hommes'. Multiple Choice

Les hommes sont...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: forts
Correct the mistake: Error Correction

Les robes sont rouge.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les robes sont rouges.
Translate to French: Translation

The children are happy.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les enfants sont contents.
Put the words in order: Sentence Reorder

sont / Mes / verts / stylos

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Mes stylos sont verts
Which adjective matches 'Les fleurs'? Multiple Choice

Les fleurs sont...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: jolies
Add the correct ending to 'amusant' for 'Les jeux'. Fill in the Blank

Les jeux sont _____

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: amusants

Score: /10

FAQ (8)

Almost always! But words ending in -s, -x, or -z stay the same.

It's a historical feature of French pronunciation.

They also get an 's' to match the noun.

Yes, it becomes 'de'.

Yes, like 'journal' to 'journaux'.

Look at the article (les/des).

Yes, the written rule is standard.

No, use 'les' for specific and 'des' for general.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

Spanish high

Add -s or -es

Spanish adjectives agree, but the article system is slightly different.

German low

Various endings

French is much more consistent with -s.

Japanese none

No plural marker

French requires explicit plural markers.

Arabic low

Broken plurals

French uses a suffix.

Chinese none

Contextual

French uses mandatory markers.

English moderate

Add -s

French requires agreement.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

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French Adjectives: Adding -e for Feminine
Next
French Adjective Order: Describing Things (After the Noun)

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A1 Requires

French Noun Gender & Articles (le, la, un, une)

Overview You're embarking on one of French grammar's most defining features: **noun gender**. Unlike English, where noun...

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