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Adjectifs invariables
Most French adjectives have to agree with their nouns in gender and number, but there are many exceptions, known as invariable adjectives. These have just one unchanging form no matter the gender and number of the noun they modify.
Par exemple…
| la région nord | the northern region | |
| des lois antitabac | anti-smoking laws |
Most invariable adjectives fit in one of the following groups:
| Apocopes | extra, perso, sympa | |
| Cardinal directions | nord, sud, est, ouest | |
| Color adjectives* | argent, chocolat, orange | |
| Foreign adjectives | cool, lambda, people | |
| Numerical adjectives* | deux, troisième, quatrième |
* Not all of these kinds of adjectives are invariable; see the lessons for more detailed info.
Cross-dressing adjectives
When words that normally belong to another part of speech are used as adjectives, they are invariable: Non-adjectives.
Likewise, adjectives that are used as adverbs are invariable: Adjectives as adverbs.
Other invariable adjectives
There are also invariable adjectives that don’t fit into any of the above categories:
| antiblocage | antilock (brakes) | ||
| antibruit | soundproof, noise-reducing | ||
| anticalcaire | water softening | ||
| anticellulite | anti-cellulite | ||
| anticorrosion | anticorrosive | ||
| antidouleur | painkilling | ||
| antiglisse | nonslip | ||
| antihausse | anti-inflation | ||
| antipersonnel | antipersonnel | ||
| antrirejet | anti-rejection (drugs) | ||
| antirides | anti-wrinkle | ||
| antitabac | anti-smoking | ||
| arsénieux | arsenic | ||
| autofocus | autofocus | ||
| autoreverse | auto reverse | ||
| chaque | each | ||
| cracra | (familiar) | dirty, scuzzy, grotty | |
| craignos | (familiar) | shady, dodgy | |
| craspec | (familar) | shabby, grotty | |
| dextrorsum | dextrorsal, clockwise | ||
| furax | (informal) | furious | |
| gnangnan | (informal) | silly, soppy | |
| manganeux | manganous | ||
| mercureux | mercurous | ||
| multiplex | multiplex | ||
| omnibus | omnibus, local | ||
| péritel | multisocket | ||
| plusieurs | several | ||
| princeps | first (edition) | ||
| raplapla | (informal) | exhausted, flat | |
| redox | redox | ||
| rikiki riquiqui |
(informal) | tiny, stingy | |
| rosat | made from roses | ||
| sélénieux | selenious | ||
| sénestrorsum | sinistrorse, counter-clockwise | ||
| soi-disant | so-called, supposedly | ||
| surchoix | prime, top-quality | ||
| toc toc | crazy, nutty | ||
| tout craché | very similar, spitting image | ||
| tricourant | three-phase (electricity) |
C’est
With c’est plus an adjective on its own, including in impersonal expressions, the adjective is always invariable.
Par exemple…
| La maison, c’est joli. | The house is pretty. | |
| C’est intéressant, la chimie. | Chemistry is difficult. |
* As opposed to c’est une jolie maison and la chimie est intéressante.
Related lessons
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