French grammar - Feminine adjectives - doubling the final consonant

Feminine adjectives - doubling the final consonant

As we saw, the general rule is to add -e to make a feminine adjective.

But if the masculine adjective ends with an -n, -s, or -l then we double that final consonant before adding -e to make it feminine.

For example:

• bon ⇒ bonne - 'good' – double the -n and add an -e.

• gros ⇒ grosse - 'fat' or 'big' – double the -s and add an -e.

• gentil ⇒ gentille - 'nice' or 'kind' – double the -l and add an -e.

Examples:
	Le pain est très bon mais la tarte n'est pas bonne. The bread is very good but the pie is not good. bon (m) means 'good' bon (m) ⇒ bonne (f) pain (m) means 'bread' tarte (f) means 'pie (usually sweet)'
	Est-elle gentille ? Is she nice? gentil (m) means 'nice' or 'kind' gentil (m) ⇒ gentille (f)
	L'enseignant est gentil et la directrice est aussi gentille. The teacher is nice and the directress is also nice. enseignant (m) means 'teacher' directrice (f) means 'headmistress'
	Le bâtiment dans le jardin est ancien. The building in the garden is old. ancien (adj) means 'old' or 'ancient'
	La rue est ancienne. The street is old. ancien (m) ⇒ ancienne (f)
	La music est trop basse. The music is too low. bas (adj) means 'low' bas (m) ⇒ basse (f)
	La vie est cruelle. Life is cruel. cruel (adj) means 'cruel' cruel (m) ⇒ cruelle (f)
	Le chat est gros mais heureux. The cat is fat but happy. gros (adj) means 'fat' or 'big'
	La chatte n'est pas grosse mais est aussi heureuse. The cat (female) is not fat but is also happy. gros (m) ⇒ grosse (f) chatte (f) means 'female cat'
	Le bébé est mignon et la fille est aussi mignonne. The baby is cute and the girl is also cute. mignon (adj) means 'cute' mignon (m) ⇒ mignonne (f)
	Julien n'est pas européen mais Veronica est européenne. Julien is not European but Veronica is European. européen (m) means 'European' européen (m) ⇒ européenne (f)
	Juliette, est-elle vraiment australienne ? Non, mais David est australien. Juliette, is she really Australian? No, but David is Australian. australien (adj) means 'Australian' australien (m) ⇒ australienne (f)