French Adjectives Before or After the Noun? The BANGS Rule Explained

French Adjectives Before or After the Noun: The BANGS Rule Explained

If you’ve been learning French for a while, you’ve probably noticed that adjectives don’t always follow the same order as in English. In English, adjectives almost always come before the noun: a big house, a red car, a beautiful day.

But in French, it’s not so simple. Sometimes the adjective comes after the noun (une maison rouge → “a red house”), while other times it comes before (une belle maison → “a beautiful house”).

So how do you know where to place adjectives in French? That’s where the BANGS rule comes in.

The General Rule: Adjectives Come After the Noun

Most French adjectives follow the noun they describe:

• Un livre intéressant → An interesting book

• Une robe élégante → An elegant dress

• Un repas délicieux → A delicious meal

This is the default rule you should keep in mind. If you’re not sure, put the adjective after the noun.

The BANGS Rule: The Exceptions Go Before the Noun

Some adjectives don’t follow the general rule. Instead, they go before the noun. To remember them, use the acronym BANGS:

• B = Beauty (beau, joli)

• A = Age (jeune, vieux, nouveau)

• N = Number (un, deux, plusieurs)

• G = Goodness (bon, mauvais, meilleur)

• S = Size (grand, petit, gros)

Adjectives that fit into these categories usually come before the noun.

Examples of Adjectives Before the Noun (BANGS)

Beauty

• Une belle maison → A beautiful house

• Un joli jardin → A pretty garden

Age

• Un jeune étudiant → A young student

• Un vieil homme → An old man

• Une nouvelle idée → A new idea

Number

• Deux enfants → Two children

• Plusieurs options → Several options

Goodness

• Un bon repas → A good meal

• Un mauvais film → A bad movie

Size

• Un grand appartement → A big apartment

• Une petite voiture → A small car

Adjectives That Change Meaning Depending on Position

Some adjectives can appear before or after the noun, but their meaning changes depending on where they are placed. These are especially tricky for learners:

• Ancien

  • Un ancien professeur → A former teacher

  • Un professeur ancien → An old teacher

• Cher

  • Un cher ami → A dear friend

  • Un livre cher → An expensive book

• Pauvre

  • Un pauvre homme → A poor (unfortunate) man

  • Un homme pauvre → A poor (without money) man

Learning these double meanings will help you avoid misunderstandings and sound more natural in French.

Tips for Mastering French Adjective Placement

1. Start with the default rule: assume adjectives come after the noun unless they fall under BANGS.

2. Memorize the most common BANGS adjectives: beau, nouveau, vieux, bon, grand, petit. These are everywhere in French.

3. Practice with sentences: don’t just study lists. Write short examples using BANGS and non-BANGS adjectives.

4. Listen to native speakers: songs, movies, and podcasts will reinforce adjective placement naturally.

5. Watch out for meaning shifts: some adjectives completely change meaning depending on where they are placed.

Conclusion

French adjective placement may feel confusing at first, but with the BANGS rule, it becomes much easier. Remember: most adjectives go after the noun, except those describing Beauty, Age, Number, Goodness, and Size, which usually come before.

By practicing with real examples, you’ll quickly internalize the difference and avoid mistakes in both writing and conversation.

So next time you want to say a beautiful house in French, you’ll know it’s une belle maison — not une maison belle.