Adjectives - placement

1 Placement

Unlike in English where adjectives come before the noun (as in a red hat), in French adjectives generally come after the noun (as in un chapeau rouge). Adjectives can also be linked to a noun by a verb like être, as in Le chapeau est rouge (The hat is red).

1.1 Placement before the noun

A number of commonly used adjectives are usually placed before the noun :

Elle nous a préparé un excellent repas

She made us an excellent meal

Paul, c'est un très bon étudiant

Paul is a very good student

Après le dîner il nous a raconté une longue histoire

After dinner he told us a long story

1.2 Different meanings

Some adjectives have a different meaning according to whether they are placed before or after the noun :