French Words to Know: Describing Words ✨
Learning how to describe people, places, and things is one of the most important parts of mastering a language. In French, describing words (les adjectifs) allow you to add detail, personality, and emotion to your sentences.
This guide covers the most useful French adjectives with English translations and examples, so you can start making your French sound richer and more natural.
📝 What Are Describing Words in French?
Describing words are called adjectifs in French. They agree in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) with the noun they describe.
Example with petit (small):
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Un petit chien – a small dog (masculine singular)
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Une petite maison – a small house (feminine singular)
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Des petits chats – small cats (masculine plural)
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Des petites fleurs – small flowers (feminine plural)
👤 Describing People
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Grand / Grande – tall
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Petit / Petite – small, short
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Jeune – young
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Vieux / Vieille – old
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Beau / Belle – beautiful, handsome
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Joli / Jolie – pretty
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Intelligent / Intelligente – intelligent
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Gentil / Gentille – kind
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Drôle – funny
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Sérieux / Sérieuse – serious
👉 Example: Ma sœur est très drôle et gentille.
(My sister is very funny and kind.)
🏡 Describing Objects & Places
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Grand / Grande – big
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Petit / Petite – small
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Long / Longue – long
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Court / Courte – short
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Large – wide
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Étroit / Étroite – narrow
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Ancien / Ancienne – old, ancient
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Moderne – modern
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Confortable – comfortable
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Magnifique – magnificent
👉 Example: Paris est une ville magnifique.
(Paris is a magnificent city.)
🎨 Describing Colors
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Rouge – red
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Bleu / Bleue – blue
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Vert / Verte – green
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Jaune – yellow
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Noir / Noire – black
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Blanc / Blanche – white
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Gris / Grise – grey
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Rose – pink
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Orange – orange
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Violet / Violette – purple
👉 Example: J’ai acheté une robe bleue.
(I bought a blue dress.)
😊 Describing Feelings & Emotions
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Heureux / Heureuse – happy
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Triste – sad
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Fatigué / Fatiguée – tired
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En colère – angry
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Stressé / Stressée – stressed
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Calme – calm
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Excité / Excitée – excited
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Inquiet / Inquiète – worried
👉 Example: Je suis fatigué après une longue journée.
(I am tired after a long day.)
⚡ Useful Phrases with Describing Words
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C’est magnifique ! – It’s wonderful!
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La maison est grande et moderne. – The house is big and modern.
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Il est très intelligent. – He is very intelligent.
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Elle est petite mais jolie. – She is small but pretty.
🎯 Practice Activity
👉 Try to describe your best friend in French using at least 5 adjectives from this list. Example:
Mon ami est grand, drôle, intelligent, gentil et sérieux.
✅ Conclusion
By learning these French describing words, you’ll be able to add color and detail to your sentences. Whether you’re talking about a person, a place, or an object, these French adjectives are essential for making your French more expressive and natural.
If you enjoyed this guide, explore more of our French vocabulary lists to boost your learning!