In French, adjectives must agree in gender and number with the nouns they modify, including adjectives that describe nationalities. Here’s a detailed guide on how nationalities and their adjectives agree in French:
1. General Rules for Adjective Agreement
- Masculine Singular: Adjectives in their base form.
- Feminine Singular: Add -e to most adjectives.
- Masculine Plural: Add -s.
- Feminine Plural: Add -es.
2. Nationality Adjectives
Nationality adjectives follow the general rules of agreement. They are derived from country names and must match the gender and number of the noun they describe.
Charts for Nationality Adjectives
1. Adjectives Ending in -e:
| Nationality | Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | Masculine Plural | Feminine Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Français | français | française | français | françaises |
| Américain | américain | américaine | américains | américaines |
| Canadien | canadien | canadienne | canadiens | canadiennes |
Examples:
- Masculine Singular: un homme français (a French man)
- Feminine Singular: une femme française (a French woman)
- Masculine Plural: des hommes français (French men)
- Feminine Plural: des femmes françaises (French women)
2. Adjectives Not Ending in -e:
| Nationality | Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | Masculine Plural | Feminine Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anglais | anglais | anglaise | anglais | anglaises |
| Allemand | allemand | allemande | allemands | allemandes |
| Espagnol | espagnol | espagnole | espagnols | espagnoles |
Examples:
- Masculine Singular: un homme anglais (an English man)
- Feminine Singular: une femme anglaise (an English woman)
- Masculine Plural: des hommes anglais (English men)
- Feminine Plural: des femmes anglaises (English women)
3. Adjectives with Irregular Forms:
Some nationality adjectives have irregular forms and don’t follow the standard rules.
| Nationality | Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | Masculine Plural | Feminine Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turc | turc | turque | turcs | turques |
| Grec | grec | grecque | grecs | grecques |
| Viet | vietnamien | vietnamienne | vietnamiens | vietnamiennes |
Examples:
- Masculine Singular: un homme turc (a Turkish man)
- Feminine Singular: une femme turque (a Turkish woman)
- Masculine Plural: des hommes turcs (Turkish men)
- Feminine Plural: des femmes turques (Turkish women)
Summary
- Masculine Singular: Use the base form of the adjective.
- Feminine Singular: Add -e (e.g., français → française).
- Masculine Plural: Add -s (e.g., français → français).
- Feminine Plural: Add -es (e.g., française → françaises).
Adjectives of nationality must agree in gender and number with the nouns they modify. Make sure to follow these rules to ensure proper grammatical agreement in French.