French grammar - Feminine adjectives - some rules

Feminine adjectives - some rules

As we saw previously, getting the feminine form of an adjective can be as simple as appending an -e to the masculine form.

There are however several rule-based expectations that depend on the ending of the masculine form. Three such rules are:

• An -f masculine ending becomes -ve for the feminine adjective.

• An -er masculine ending becomes -ère for the feminine adjective.

• An -eux masculine ending becomes -euse for the feminine adjective.

Examples:
	Le chapeau est neuf et la cravate est neuve aussi. The hat is new and the tie is also new. neuf (adj) means 'new' neuf (m) ⇒ neuve (f) - An -f ending becomes -ve chapeau (m) means 'hat' cravate (f) means 'tie' or 'necktie'
	La femme est sportive mais le mari n'est pas du tout sportif. The wife is sporty but the husband is not at all sporty. sportif (adj) means 'sporty' sportif (m) ⇒ sportive (f) - An -f ending becomes -ve femme (f) means 'wife' or 'woman' mari (m) means 'husband' ne...pas du tout means 'not at all'
	Le garçon est vif et la fille est vive aussi. The boy is lively and the girl is also lively. vif (adj) means 'lively' or 'alert' vif (m) ⇒ vive (f) - An -f ending becomes -ve
	La chemise est chère. Mais le pull n'est pas cher. The shirt is expensive. But the jumper is not expensive. cher (adj) means 'expensive' or 'dear' cher (m) ⇒ chère (f) - An -er ending becomes -ère chemise (f) means 'shirt' pull (m) means 'sweater' or 'jumper' or 'pullover'
	La valise est légère mais le sac n'est pas léger. The suitcase is light but the bag is not light. léger (adj) means 'light (weight)' léger (m) ⇒ légère (f) - An -er ending becomes -ère valise (f) means 'suitcase' sac (m) means 'bag'
	Le vin n'est pas étranger - il est français - mais la bière est étrangère. The wine is not foreign - it's French - but the beer is foreign. étranger (adj) means 'foreign' étranger (m) ⇒ étrangère (f) - An -er ending becomes -ère bière (f) means 'beer'
	La femelle est dangereuse, mais le mâle n'est pas dangereux. The female is dangerous, but the male is not dangerous. dangereux (adj) means 'dangerous' dangereux (m) ⇒ dangereuse (f) - An -eux ending becomes -euse femelle (f) means 'female' mâle (m) means 'male'
	L'artichaut est délicieux. Et la pomme de terre est délicieuse aussi. The artichoke is delicious. And the potato is delicious too. délicieux (adj) means 'delicious' délicieux (m) ⇒ délicieuse (f) - An -eux ending becomes -euse artichaut (m) means 'artichoke' pomme de terre (f) means
	Pourquoi est-elle malheureuse ? Why is she unhappy? malheureux (adj) means 'unhappy' malheureux (m) ⇒ malheureuse (f)
	La musique de Noël est festive. Christmas music is festive. festif (adj) means 'festive' festif (m) ⇒ festive (f) la musique de Noël (f) means 'Christmas misuc'
	Le repas est délicieux et la tarte est aussi délicieuse. The meal is delicious and the pie is also delicious. délicieux (m) ⇒ délicieuse (f) - An -eux ending becomes -euse repas (m) means 'meal' tarte (f) means 'tarte'
	La fille est première de la classe. The girl is first in the class. premièr (adj) means 'first' premièr (m) ⇒ première (f) classe (f) means 'classroom' de la classe means 'of the class'