Місце прикметника при іменнику

In English the adjective comes before the noun: a red dress. In French most adjectives come after it: une robe rouge. A short list of very common adjectives goes before the noun, as in English.

After the noun (the default)

Colours, nationalities, shapes, and most longer adjectives: un livre intéressant - an interesting book, une robe rouge, un étudiant français, une table ronde, la cuisine provençale. English speakers' instinct to say *une rouge robe is the main mistake here.

Before the noun: BAGS

The adjectives that come first are mostly about Beauty, Age, Goodness and Size:

BAGS is a memory aid, not a complete rule: plenty of adjectives about size or beauty go after the noun (une ville énorme, un paysage magnifique). Treat the short, everyday words on this list as the ones that go first.

Before a noun starting with a vowel, three of them take a special masculine form: un bel appartement, un vieil ami, un nouvel hôtel. And des becomes de before a plural adjective in careful French: de belles maisons.

When the position changes the meaning

A few adjectives mean one thing before the noun and another after it:

• un grand homme - a great man; un homme grand - a tall man
• un ancien professeur - a former teacher; une maison ancienne - an old house
• mon cher ami - my dear friend; un restaurant cher - an expensive restaurant