8/12/2019 French Main Adj

1/2

In French, adjectives normally have to agree with the nouns they modify in gender and number.

However, there are numerous adjectives which don't agree - they have a single form that does not

change to reflect the gender or number of the noun. These are called invariable adjectives.

French color adjectives derived from nouns, such as animals, flowers, fruits, gems, and metals,

are usually invariable:

amarante amaranthine (dark purple-red)

ardoise slate-grey

argent silver

aubergine eggplant

auburn auburn

brique brick-red

canari canary yellow

caramel caramel-colored

carmin carmine

cerise cherry red

chair flesh-colored

champagne champagne

chocolat chocolate-brown

citron lemon-yellow

crme cream-colored

emeraude emerald green

grenat garnet

indigo indigo

kaki khaki

lavande lavender

lilas lilac

marine navy blue

marron brownnoisette hazel

ocre ochre

olive olive-green

or gold

orange orange

pastel pastel

pervenche periwinkle

pie (magpie) - piebald, black and white

pistache pistachio-green

platine platinum

prune plum

puce (flea) - pucerouille rust-colored

rubis ruby red

sable sandy, sand-colored

safran saffron-colored

saphir sapphire-blue

saumon salmon-pink

tabac tobacco brown

turquoise turquoise

vermillon vermilion

Exceptions:

8/12/2019 French Main Adj

2/2

1) alezan(chestnut), fauve(tawny/fawn), incarnat(rosy), mauve,pourpre(crimson), rose(pink),

andvioletare variable according to the normal rules of agreement

2) chtain(chestnut brown) is semi-invariable - it usually agrees in number, but rarely in gender

Multiple Colors

When two or more colors describe a noun, they may or may not agree:

1) If there are items of each individual color, the adjectives agree:

des drapeaux bleus, blancs, rouges- red, white, and blue flags

(some are red, some are white, and some are blue)

des chapeaux rouges et noirs- red and black hats

(some are red and some are black)

2) If each item has all of the colors, the adjectives are invariable

des drapeaux bleu, blanc, rouge- red, white, and blue flags (e.g., French flags)

des chapeaux rouge et noir- red and black hats

This is one instance where agreement is useful, because it gives you more detail than what is

available in the English translation.

Compound Colors

When adjectives of color are modified by another adjective or a noun, the adjectives are

invariable:

une jupe gris clair light gray skirt

des gants violet fonc dark purple gloves

une couleur rouge-orange reddish-orange color

des yeux bleu-vert blue-green eyes

une voiture vert pomme apple-green car

des fleurs rouge tomate tomato-red flowers