Beau, nouveau, vieux have different plural forms for masculine and feminine (French Adjectives)

Written by Qualified French Expert Aurélie Drouard , HKH, Licence d'anglais LLCE

Last updated: 2022-09-13

In French, adjectives (beau, nouveau, vieux) have different plural forms when they are masculine and they are feminine.

The plural form of the adjectives beau, nouveau, vieux in French

Look at these adjectives:

Tom est beau, mais Henri et Bob sont très beaux.Tom is handsome, but Henri and Bob are very handsome.

Yvette est belle, mais Leila et Belinda sont très belles.Yvette is beautiful, but Leila and Belinda are very beautiful.

Regarde ces vieux hommes et ces vieilles femmes.Look at these old men and these old women.

J'ai acheté de nouveaux bols et de nouvelles assiettes.I bought some new bowls and some new plates.

To form the masculine plural, add an -x to the adjectives ending in -eau (beau/nouveau), and vieux doesn't change.

To form the feminine plural, it follows the simple rule for pluralisation, and simply takes an -s.

Case of masculine words starting with a vowel or mute h

C'était un vieil hôtel, et j'adore les vieux hôtels !It was an old hotel, and I love old hotels!

Ce vieil arbre est à côté de ces vieux arbres.This old tree is next to these old trees.

Mon nouvel ami s'entend bien avec mes nouveaux amis.My new friend gets along with my new friends.

The masculine forms bel, nouvel and vieil (used in front of a vowel or a mute h) become the regular masculine plural beaux, nouveaux andvieux.

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