In French, “tel” and its variations (“telle,” “tels,” “telles”) are used to mean “such” or “such a” in English. They are adjectives that agree in gender and number with the noun they describe. Here’s a simple guide on how to use each form. 1. Tel (masculine singular) Use “tel” when describing a singular masculine noun….
The French adjectives “nouveau” and “neuf” both mean “new.” So how do you decide which one to use? Nouveau Meaning: Usage: “Nouveau” is used before the noun and agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies: Examples: Neuf Meaning: Usage: “Neuf” is also used before the noun and must agree in gender and…
French words that end in the letters “al” can be a trap for learners. That’s because in the plural, they change their spelling to “aux.” The classic example is “un cheval,” which in the plural becomes “des chevaux.” But this applies to every single noun and adjective ending in the letters “al.” Nouns are relatively…
Colours in French are adjectives. They are placed after the noun they describe. So a blue sky is “un ciel bleu.” They must also agree in number and gender with the noun they describe. So “purple flowers” would be “des fleurs violettes.” Colour Masculine Feminine black noir noire white blanc blanche red rouge rouge blue…
The French adjective “fou” (masculine) and “folle” (feminine) mean “crazy” or “mad.” Meanings: Etymology: The etymology of “fou, folle” can be traced back to Latin. The word “follis” in Latin originally meant “bellows” or “windbag,” and over time, its meaning evolved to include “empty-headed” or “silly.” In Old French, around the year 1100 AD, “fol”…
The French word “rigolo” can be either an adjective (meaning “funny”) or a noun (meaning “a funny person”). The Adjective “Rigolo”: Masculine and Feminine Forms: The masculine singular adjective “rigolo” becomes “rigolote” in the feminine singular in French. Etymology: The word “rigolo” comes from the verb “rigoler,” which means “to laugh” or “to have a…
Meaning “Paresseux” is a French adjective used to describe a person or thing as “lazy” or “idle.” Corresponding Noun “La paresse” is a related feminine noun that means “laziness,” “sloth,” or in a medical context, “sluggishness.” Gender & number The adjective “paresseux” takes on different forms depending on the gender and number of the noun…
French possessive adjectives are used to describe to whom something or someone belongs. Their English equivalents are words like “my,” “your,” “his,” “her,” “its,” “our,” and “their.” They replace articles They are used instead of an article. Articles are words like “un,” “une,” “le,” “la,” “l’” (l + apostrophe), “de,” “du,” “de la,” “de l’” (de…