What are common mistakes with La place des adjectifs?

Putting all adjectives before the noun (English pattern) or all after. 🇬🇧 English speakers: English always puts adjectives before nouns. French usually puts them after — a major adjustment. 🇷🇺 Russian speakers: Russian adjectives go before nouns, like English. The after-noun placement is new. 🇨🇿 Czech speakers: Czech adjectives usually go before nouns. The after-noun default is the main challenge.

La place des adjectifs | French Grammar A1

La place des adjectifs

A1 — Adjectifs

Adjective placement: before or after the noun (BAGS rule)

Can place adjectives correctly before or after the noun

Adjective placement: before or after the noun (BAGS rule)

Examples

C'est un petit chat noir. — It's a small black cat.
J'ai acheté une nouvelle voiture française. — I bought a new French car.
C'est un grand homme, mais pas un homme grand. — He's a great man, but not a tall man.

AdjectifsA1

La place des adjectifs

Adjective placement: before or after the noun (BAGS rule)

Learning Goal

Can place adjectives correctly before or after the noun

Exam Skills:Production écriteProduction orale

Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?

C'est un petit chat noir.

It's a small black cat.

J'ai acheté une nouvelle voiture française.

I bought a new French car.

C'est un grand homme, mais pas un homme grand.

He's a great man, but not a tall man.

Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?

En français, la plupart des adjectifs se placent après le nom. Mais certains adjectifs courts et courants se placent avant :

Règle BAGS — adjectifs avant le nom :

Catégorie	Adjectifs	Exemple
Beauté	beau, joli	une belle maison
Âge	jeune, vieux, nouveau	un vieux livre
Goodness	bon, mauvais, gentil	un bon restaurant
Size	grand, petit, gros, long	une petite fille

Tous les autres = après : un livre intéressant, une robe rouge, un étudiant français.

Sens qui change : un grand homme (great man) vs un homme grand (tall man). Un ancien professeur (former) vs un professeur ancien (old/ancient).

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

Practice Exercises

Putting all adjectives before the noun (English pattern) or all after. 🇬🇧 English speakers: English always puts adjectives before nouns. French usually puts them after — a major adjustment.

Common Error Patterns

Adjective placed on wrong side of noun

BAGS (Beauty, Age, Goodness, Size) go BEFORE. All others AFTER. Check meaning-changers: grand, ancien, propre.

C'est un petit chat noir.

It's a small black cat.

Petit (size = BAGS) goes BEFORE noun. Noir (color) goes AFTER noun.

J'ai acheté une nouvelle voiture française.

I bought a new French car.

Nouvelle (newness = BAGS) before noun. Française (nationality) after noun.

C'est un grand homme, mais pas un homme grand.

He's a great man, but not a tall man.

Grand before noun = great/important. Grand after noun = physically tall. Position changes meaning!

Practice in course

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

A1 Course

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Put it into practice

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Frequently asked questions

When is La place des adjectifs used?: En français, la plupart des adjectifs se placent après le nom. Mais certains adjectifs courts et courants se placent avant :
How is La place des adjectifs formed?: Tous les autres = après : un livre intéressant , une robe rouge , un étudiant français . Sens qui change : un grand homme (great man) vs un homme grand (tall man). Un ancien professeur (former) vs un professeur ancien (old/ancient).
What are common mistakes with La place des adjectifs?: Putting all adjectives before the noun (English pattern) or all after. 🇬🇧 English speakers: English always puts adjectives before nouns. French usually puts them after — a major adjustment. 🇷🇺 Russian speakers: Russian adjectives go before nouns, like English. The after-noun placement is new. 🇨🇿 Czech speakers: Czech adjectives usually go before nouns. The after-noun default is the main challenge.