Forming the feminine of adjectives ending in -oux + "faux" in French

Written by Qualified French Expert Aurélie Drouard HKH, Licence d'anglais LLCE
Last updated: 2022-11-27
11 questions

In French, the adjectives ending in -oux (as well as the adjective faux) have a specific ending in the feminine form.

The feminine form of adjectives ending in -oux in French

Look at these examples:

Il est jaloux. -Non, elle est jalouse.He is jealous. -No, she is jealous.

Il connaît un garçon roux et une fille rousse.He knows a red-haired boy and a red-haired girl.

Pour m'endormir, j'ai besoin d'un drap doux et d'une chanson douce.To fall asleep, I need a soft sheet and a sweet song.

The rule for adjectives ending in -oux is to become -ouse in the feminine form.

HOWEVER 

rousse and douce are very common exceptions to that rule! 

ATTENTION:

The adjective faux is a particular case: it becomes fausse in the feminine form!
Mon exercice était faux: j'ai donné une réponse fausse.My exercise was wrong: I gave a wrong answer.

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Examples and resources

Il est jaloux. -Non, elle est jalouse.He is jealous. -No, she is jealous.
Il connaît un garçon roux et une fille rousse.He knows a red-haired boy and a red-haired girl.
Pour m'endormir, j'ai besoin d'un drap doux et d'une chanson douce.To fall asleep, I need a soft sheet and a sweet song.
Mon exercice était faux: j'ai donné une réponse fausse.My exercise was wrong: I gave a wrong answer.
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