While most French adjectives follow the rules of regular adjectives, there are still quite a few that

have irregular formation and/or irregular placement.

Beau, nouveau and vieux have both irregular formation and irregular placement.

In order to understand the irregular adjectives: beau, nouveau and vieux,

let's begin by revisiting the rules for regular adjective formation and placement to see what is different about these three adjectives.

Regular French adjectives are very different

from English adjectives in two ways:

1. French adjectives change to agree in gender and number with the nouns that they modify, which means there can be up to four forms of each adjective. To make adjective agreement, add endings s, e or es to the end of the adjective as indicated by the gender and number of the noun/pronoun.

*Beau. nouveau and vieux each have 5 irregular forms.

beau Le beau manteau 1 Le bel imper 2 La belle veste 3

nouveau Le nouveau manteau 1 Le nouvel imper 2 La nouvelle veste 3

vieux Le vieux manteau 1 Le vieil imper 2 La vieille veste 3

Singulier

Masc.

Fem.

Masc.
Pluriel Fem.

Les beaux manteaux 4

Les nouveaux manteaux 4

Les vieux manteaux 4

Les belles vestes 5

Les nouvelles vestes 5

Les vieilles vestes 5

beau Masc. Le beau manteau 1 Le bel imper 2

nouveau Le nouveau manteau Le nouvel imper 2

1

vieux Le vieux manteau Le vieil imper 2

1

Singulier

Fem.
Masc.

La belle veste

La nouvelle veste
4

La vieille veste
4

Les beaux manteaux Les belles vestes

5

Les nouveaux manteaux Les nouvelles vestes

5

Les vieux manteaux Les vieilles vestes

Pluriel
Fem.
5

Most adjectives have 4 forms, because there are two singular forms (one masculine and one feminine) and two plural forms (one masculine and one feminine). These adjectives have 5 forms because there are 3 singular adjective formations. One feminine and 2 masculine.

One masculine form is only used before a noun beginning with a consonant; the other is only used before a vowel.

Each form is irregular in formation, because you cannot simply add s, e or es to make agreement with the noun/pronoun. While there is a pattern to their formation, YOU MUST MEMORIZE the forms to use them accurately; there is no rule for adjectives like these.

beau Masc. Fem. Masc. Le beau manteau Le bel imper 2 La belle veste
3 1

nouveau Le nouveau manteau 1 Le nouvel imper 2 La nouvelle veste

4 3

vieux Le vieux manteau 1 Le vieil imper 2 La vieille veste

4 3

Singulier

Les beaux manteaux Les belles vestes

5

Les nouveaux manteaux Les nouvelles vestes

5

Les vieux manteaux Les vieilles vestes

Pluriel
Fem.
5

Regular French adjectives are very different

from English adjectives in two ways:

2. In English, adjectives are always found in front of the noun, but most French adjectives follow the noun they modify.

As you may have already noticed from their use in the chart, the adjectives beau, nouveau and vieux are BANGS adjectives.
beau nouveau vieux

Singulier

Masc.

Le beau manteau 1 Le bel imper 2

Le nouveau manteau 1 Le nouvel imper 2

Le vieux manteau Le vieil imper 2

Fem. Masc. Pluriel

La belle veste

La nouvelle veste
4

La vieille veste
4

Les beaux manteaux

Les nouveaux manteaux

Les vieux manteaux

Fem.

Les belles vestes

Les nouvelles vestes

Les vieilles vestes

To review: Most French adjectives follow the noun they modify. BANGS: French adjectives which precede the noun; certain adjectives which are placed before the noun they are modifying.

BEAUTY beau, belle joli, jolie AGE jeune vieux, vieille nouveau, nouvelle NUMBER un, deux, trois.... premier, premire dernier, dernire GOODNESS bon, bonne gentil, gentille mauvais, mauvaise SIZE grand, grande gros, grosse petit, petite

To summarize: The adjectives beau, nouveau and vieux each have 5 irregular forms. We must memorize these forms.
In addition to deciding which form matches the noun/pronoun in gender and number, if the noun/pronoun is masculine, we must check to see if it begins with a vowel or a consonant in order to use the correct form of the adjective. Beau, nouveau and vieux are BANGS adjectives.

They are always placed before the noun.