French adjective position and meaning

Adjectives with different meanings

• ancien🔊former
• cher🔊dear
• grand🔊great
• pauvre🔊poor
• pauvre🔊poor
• propre🔊own

Ancien: former or old

In these examples, *ancien* before the noun means “former”; after the noun, it describes something old or antique. English does not use adjective position to make this distinction. « Mon ancien professeur habite près d’ici. » refers to someone who used to be my teacher; they may still teach other people. « Elle achète des meubles anciens. » describes old or antique furniture.

• Mon ancien professeur habite près d’ici.🔊

  My former teacher lives near here.

• Notre ancien voisin habite maintenant à Paris.🔊

  Our former neighbor now lives in Paris.

• Elle achète des meubles anciens.🔊

  She buys old furniture.

Cher: dear or expensive

Before the noun, *cher* can express affection, as in « Ma chère grand-mère vient aujourd’hui. » This is emotionally expressive language, also familiar from written greetings. The example « C'est une chère amie à moi. » is understandable but sounds literary and awkward in everyday conversation. With things, *cher* after the noun means “expensive”: « On vend des meubles chers ici. » English speakers may also use “dear” for a high price. With people, *cher* can express affection after the noun too; the meaning depends on the noun and context.

• C'est une chère amie à moi.🔊

  She is a dear friend of mine.

• Ma chère grand-mère vient aujourd’hui.🔊

  My dear grandmother is coming today.

• On vend des meubles chers ici.🔊

  They sell expensive furniture here.

Grand: great or tall

Before a noun describing a person, *grand* can express admiration or importance. « C’était un grand homme. » means he was a great man. To specify height, it can follow the noun: « Il y a un homme grand près de la porte. » describes a tall man. However, *grand* before a noun can also describe size or height, depending on the noun and context. English usually places both “great” and “tall” before the noun, so learn the French combinations with their meanings.

• C’était un grand homme.🔊

  He was a great man.

• C’est une grande artiste.🔊

  She is a great artist.

• Il y a un homme grand près de la porte.🔊

  There is a tall man by the door.

Pauvre: sympathy or poverty

Before the noun, *pauvre* often shows sympathy, like “poor thing”; after the noun, it describes someone with little money. English uses “poor” for both, so the French position helps distinguish the meanings. « Ce pauvre homme a perdu son chien. » expresses sympathy. « Elle vient d’une famille pauvre. » describes a family with little money.

• Ce pauvre homme a perdu son chien.🔊

  That poor man has lost his dog.

• Le pauvre enfant est encore malade.🔊

  The poor child is ill again.

• Il aide les familles pauvres à acheter à manger.🔊

  He helps poor families buy food.

• Elle vient d’une famille pauvre.🔊

  She comes from a poor family.

Propre: own or clean

Between a possessive determiner and the noun, *propre* emphasizes “own”: « J’ai ma propre chambre. » means I have a room of my own, without necessarily owning the property. After the noun, *propre* means “clean”: « Nous avons une chambre propre. » English uses different words for these meanings.

• J’ai ma propre chambre.🔊

  I have my own room.

• Il utilise sa propre voiture pour son travail.🔊

  He uses his own car for work.

• Nous avons une chambre propre.🔊

  We have a clean room.

Beau, nouveau and vieux before vowel sounds

Immediately before a masculine singular noun beginning with a vowel or mute h, *beau*, *nouveau* and *vieux* become *bel*, *nouvel* and *vieil*. Compare « beau jardin » with « bel appartement » and « bel hôtel ». An aspirated h blocks this change. These special forms are masculine singular: the feminine singular forms are *belle*, *nouvelle* and *vieille*; the masculine plurals are *beaux*, *nouveaux* and *vieux*; and the feminine plurals are *belles*, *nouvelles* and *vieilles*.