BAGS Adjectives: Before the Noun

In French, the standard position for an adjective is after the noun. This is for colors, shapes, and nationalities. But BAGS adjectives change the rhythm. They sit between the article and the noun. For example, un petit chien means a small dog. The word petit is about size. So it moves to the front. If you said un chien petit, a French person would know what you mean. But it would sound like saying "the dog small" in English. It feels backwards. This rule applies to both masculine and feminine nouns. It also applies to plural nouns. However, there is a tiny secret. When a plural BAGS adjective comes first, des often changes to de. You would say de grands arbres instead of des grands arbres. It is a subtle touch that makes you sound very sophisticated. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. BAGS means green light to go first. Everything else stays at the red light behind the noun.

1. 1To use BAGS adjectives correctly, follow these steps:
2. 2Identify your noun first. For example, maison (house).
3. 3Choose your adjective. Let's use belle (beautiful).
4. 4Check if it fits the BAGS categories. Beauty? Yes!
5. 5Place the adjective before the noun: la belle maison.
6. 6Ensure the adjective matches the gender of the noun. Maison is feminine, so we use belle.
7. 7Ensure the adjective matches the number. If there are two houses, it becomes les belles maisons.
8. 8Check for vowel clashes. If a masculine adjective like beau meets a vowel, it might change to bel.

Use this pattern every time you describe one of the four BAGS categories.

Beauty: Use this for words like beau (beautiful), joli (pretty), or vilain (ugly). If you are at a museum, you would talk about un beau tableau.

Age: This includes jeune (young), vieux (old), and nouveau (new). When you meet a new friend, you have un nouvel ami.

Goodness: This is for quality. Words like bon (good), mauvais (bad), or gentil (kind) live here. If you are eating a croissant, you might say it is un bon croissant.

Size: This covers grand (big/tall), petit (small), gros (fat), and court (short). If you are looking for a small cafe, ask for un petit café.

These categories cover the most common adjectives in daily life. You will use them when ordering food, describing your family, or shopping for clothes. They are the workhorses of the French language.

Do not use this pattern for colors. This is the biggest trap for English speakers. Even though a color is an adjective, it goes after the noun. You must say une voiture rouge, never une rouge voiture.

Do not use it for nationalities. Un ami français is correct. Un français ami is wrong.

Do not use it for religion or technical descriptions. Un livre religieux or un écran plat stay in the back.

Do not use it for shapes. Une table ronde (a round table) keeps the adjective at the end.

Think of BAGS as an exclusive VIP list. If the adjective isn't on the list, it doesn't get to go to the front of the line. It has to wait with the rest of the adjectives in the back.

One common mistake is putting colors first. It is very tempting because we do it in English. Just remember: colors are not BAGS.

Another mistake is forgetting the special masculine forms. The word vieux becomes vieil before a vowel. You say un vieil homme. If you say un vieux homme, it sounds clunky. It is like a speed bump in your sentence.

Learners often forget to change des to de before a plural BAGS adjective. While people will still understand you, using de is the mark of a true pro.

Finally, don't overthink it. Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes when they are talking fast. If you put an adjective in the wrong place, just keep going. The grammar police won't arrest you, though they might give you a confused look.

Compare BAGS with regular adjectives.

Regular: Un chat noir (A black cat). The color follows the noun.

BAGS: Un petit chat (A small cat). The size precedes the noun.

What happens if you have both? You sandwich the noun! Un petit chat noir. The BAGS adjective stays in front, and the color stays in the back.

Some adjectives change meaning based on position. This is the "boss level" of French. Un grand homme means a great man (important). Un homme grand means a tall man (physical size). When it is in the BAGS position, it often takes on a more figurative or emotional meaning. When it is after the noun, it is usually literal and physical.