<p>Most French adjectives must be placed after the noun they modify, except for the BAGS exceptions (<a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/introduction-to-french-adjectives-1368789" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" data-ordinal="1">learn more</a>). There are also a number of <a data-inlink="ggFJ1mID6gjLX8lqX8MCkQ&#61;&#61;" href="https://www.thoughtco.com/introduction-to-french-adjectives-1368789" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" data-ordinal="2">French adjectives</a> which have different meanings depending on where they are placed. Generally speaking, when the adjective precedes the noun, it has a figurative or subjective meaning, whereas the adjective which follows the noun has a literal or objective meaning.<br/><br/>Here are the most common &#34;fickle&#34; French adjectives; if you know of others which should be added to this list, please <a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/french-4133079" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" data-ordinal="3">let me know</a>.<br/><br/><strong>ancien</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>mon ancienne école</em> - my old (former) school<br/> <em>un ancien château</em> - an old château (now a hotel)<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>mon école ancienne</em> - my old (aged) school<br/> <em>un château ancien</em> - an ancient château<br/><br/><strong>bon</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>une bonne réputation</em> - a good reputation<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>un homme bon</em> - a good (charitable) man<br/><br/><strong>brave</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>un brave homme</em> - a good (decent) man<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>un homme brave </em> - a brave man<br/><br/><strong>certain </strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>un certain regard</em> - a certain (type of) look<br/> <em>un certain âge</em> - old age (euphemism)<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>une victoire certaine</em> - a certain (assured) victory<br/> <em>un âge certain</em> - old age (rude)<br/>Word play: Certain âge et âge certain<br/><br/><strong>cher</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>un cher ami</em> - a dear friend<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>un pull cher</em> - an expensive sweater<br/><br/><strong>chic</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>une chic fille</em> - a nice, decent girl<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>une fille chic</em> - a classy girl<br/><br/><strong>curieux</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>un curieux homme</em> - a curious (strange) man<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>un homme curieux </em> - a curious (nosy) man<br/><br/><strong>dernier</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>la dernière semaine</em> - the last week (of the year)<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>la semaine dernière </em> - last week (the one before this one)<br/><br/><strong>différent</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>différentes idées</em> - various ideas<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>une idée différente</em> - different idea<br/><br/><strong>divers</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>divers étudiants</em> - various, several students<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>des étudiants divers</em> - varied, diverse students<br/><br/><strong>doux</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>une douce musique</em>* - sweet music<br/> <em>un <a data-inlink="Jgh9Ktjm5JiY5-53NtBMhg&#61;&#61;" href="https://www.thoughtco.com/doux-vocabulary-1371905" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" data-ordinal="4">doux</a> parfum</em>* - sweet perfume<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>la moutarde douce</em> - sweet mustard <em>la peau douce</em> - soft skin<br/><br/><strong>drôle</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>un drôle d&#39;idée</em> - strange idea<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>une histoire drôle</em> - funny story<br/><br/><strong>faible</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>une faible chance</em> - weak, poor, slight chance<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>un homme faible</em> - a weak man<br/><br/><strong>fameux</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>un fameux problème</em> - a heck of a problem<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>un vin <a data-inlink="EjcEwXiUnQAqByGfyOWfbw&#61;&#61;" href="https://www.thoughtco.com/french-vocabulary-4133076" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" data-ordinal="5">fameux</a></em> - first-rate wine<br/><br/><strong>franc</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>un franc imbécile</em> - total idiot<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>une différence franche</em> - clear difference<br/><br/><strong>grand</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>un grand homme</em> - a great man<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>un homme grand</em> - a tall man<br/><br/><strong>gros</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>un gros problème</em> - big problem<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>un homme gros</em> - fat man<br/><br/><strong>honnête</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>un honnête homme</em>** - a gentleman<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>un homme honnête </em> - an honest man<br/><br/><strong>jeune</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>une jeune femme</em> - a young woman<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>une femme jeune</em> - youthful woman<br/><br/>*For this meaning, the adjective can precede or follow the noun<br/><br/>**Somewhat archaic</p><p><strong>maigre</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>un maigre repas</em> - skimpy, meager meal<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>un garçon maigre</em> - skinny boy<br/><br/><strong>méchant</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>un méchant cigare</em> - great big cigar<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>un homme méchant</em> - mean (cruel) man<br/><br/><strong>même</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>le même jour</em> - the same day<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>le jour même</em> - the very day<br/><br/><strong>modeste</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>un modeste repas</em> - small, simple meal<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>un homme modeste</em> - modest, humble man<br/><br/><strong>noble</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>nobles aspirations</em> - noble, worthy aspirations<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>une femme noble</em> - imposing, respected woman<br/><br/><strong>nouveau</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>un nouveau produit</em> - a new, alternative product<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>un produit nouveau</em> - a new, original product<br/><br/><strong>pauvre</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>un pauvre homme</em> - a poor (pitiful) man<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>un homme pauvre</em> - a poor (penniless) man<br/><br/><strong>plat</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>une plate excuse</em> - a humble excuse<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>un pays plat</em> - a flat country<br/><br/><strong>premier</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>le premier problème</em> - first problem<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>le problème premier</em> - fundamental, basic problem<br/><br/><strong>prochain</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>la prochaine semaine</em> - the following week<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>la semaine prochaine</em> - next week<br/><br/><strong>propre</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>ma propre chambre</em> - my own bedroom<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>une chambre propre</em> - a clean bedroom<br/><br/><strong>pure</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>la pure imagination</em> - pure, total imagination<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>l&#39;eau pure</em> - pure water<br/><br/><strong>rare</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>d&#39;une rare beauté</em> - exceptionally beautiful<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>un oiseau rare</em> - rare bird<br/><br/><strong>rude</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>une rude tâche</em> - difficult task<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>une barbe rude</em> - rough beard<br/><br/><strong>sacré</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>un sacré menteur</em> - a damn liar<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>un objet sacré</em> - a sacred object<br/><br/><strong>sale</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>une sale ville</em> - a nasty town<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>une ville sale</em> - a dirty town<br/><br/><strong>seul</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>la seule fille</em> - the one/single/only girl<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>une fille seule</em> - lonely girl, a girl who is alone<br/><br/><strong>simple</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>un simple homme</em> - a mere (plain, ordinary) man<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>un homme simple</em> - a modest, honest man<br/><br/><strong>triste</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>un triste individu</em> - a sad (mean, bad) person<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>un individu triste</em> - a sad (crying) person<br/><br/><strong>unique</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>un unique fils</em> - an only son<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>un fils unique</em> - only child (who is a boy)<br/><br/><strong>véritable</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>un véritable problème</em> - serious problem<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>un problème véritable</em> - genuine (not fake) problem<br/><br/><strong>vert</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>mes vertes années</em> - my green (fruitful) years<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>légumes verts</em> - green vegetables<br/><br/><strong>vilain</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>vilains mots</em> - bad words<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>un garçon vilain</em> - ugly or naughty child<br/><br/><strong>vrai</strong><br/>Figurative or subjective meaning<br/> <em>un vrai ami</em> - a real, true friend<br/>Literal or objective meaning<br/> <em>une histoire vraie</em> - true story</p><p><a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/french-4133079" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" data-ordinal="1">Comments and additions</a></p>