francés
/frahn-SEHS/
French
The adjective francés describes something as French, like this delicious baguette.
📝 In Action
Me encanta el queso francés.
A1I love French cheese.
Mi amigo francés es muy amable.
A2My French friend (male) is very kind.
La bandera francesa es azul, blanca y roja.
A1The French flag is blue, white, and red. (Note: The adjective changes to 'francesa' for 'bandera'.)
💡 Grammar Points
Changing Gender and Number
This word must match the noun it describes. For feminine nouns, change it to 'francesa' (the accent mark disappears!). For plurals, add '-es': 'franceses' (masc.) or 'francesas' (fem.).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting Gender Change
Mistake: "Me gusta la comida francés."
Correction: Me gusta la comida francesa. (Since 'comida' is feminine, the adjective must be 'francesa'.)
⭐ Usage Tips
No Capitalization
Unlike English, nationalities used as adjectives (like 'francés') are not capitalized in Spanish.
As a noun, francés refers to the French language itself.
📝 In Action
El francés es una lengua romance.
A1French is a Romance language.
¿Hablas francés?
A1Do you speak French?
Quiero traducir este libro del francés al español.
B1I want to translate this book from French to Spanish.
💡 Grammar Points
Use of 'El'
When talking about the language generally, you almost always need the word 'el' (the), as in 'El francés es difícil.' However, 'el' is often dropped after verbs like 'hablar' (to speak) and 'aprender' (to learn).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Missing the Article
Mistake: "Francés es una lengua elegante."
Correction: El francés es una lengua elegante. (The article 'el' is needed when the language is the subject of the sentence.)
Francés can also be used as a noun meaning a Frenchman.
📝 In Action
Conocí a un francés en el aeropuerto.
A1I met a Frenchman at the airport.
Los franceses son conocidos por su cultura.
A2The French (people) are known for their culture.
💡 Grammar Points
Referring to Groups
To talk about a group of people including both men and women, use the masculine plural form: 'los franceses' (the French people).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Referring to a Female
Mistake: "Ella es un francés."
Correction: Ella es una francesa. (Use 'francesa' for a female person.)
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: francés
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly refers to the French language?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'francés' have an accent mark, but 'francesa' does not?
The accent mark on 'francés' (masculine singular) is needed to show that the stress falls on the last syllable. When you add the feminine ending '-a' or the plural ending '-es' or '-as', the stress naturally shifts, so the written accent is no longer necessary according to Spanish spelling rules.
When should I capitalize 'francés'?
Only capitalize 'Francés' if it starts a sentence. Spanish does not capitalize nationalities, languages, or days of the week, unlike English.