What is the grammatical difference between beau and bel? They are both the masculine singular form of the adjective beau, right?
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5 Answers
"Beau" and "bel" are both french adjectives of the some token. That is that 'beau' becomes 'bel' before a french singular masculine noun starting with a vowel or a mute 'h'. Hence, if we take the nouns "Art" and "homme", the plural of beau stays unchanged while becoming plural: "les 'beaux' arts" or "l'Ecole des 'Beaux' Arts de Paris".
So, 'beau' keeps its form when qualifying a plural noun here, 'arts'.
But if art was singular, it's 'bel' that would has been used.
Example: "Quel 'bel' art !" or "Quel 'bel' homme !" and "Quels 'beaux' hommes !" for the plural.
While using the same process we would have said: "Quelle 'belle' femme !" for the singular, and "Quelles 'belles' femmes !" for the plural.
We will here use the same process for:
"Quel 'vieil' homme !" and "Quels 'vieux' hommes!".
Where, 'H' is also mute.
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Beaux-arts prend le trait d'union et le sens de beau y est peu usuel (l'idéal).– user3177Commented Dec 28, 2015 at 23:08
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So it stays 'beau' if the word after is not the noun, even starting with a vowel? 'Un beau et puissant sentiment...' ?– DestalCommented Oct 19, 2016 at 6:33
Actually, it is pretty simple. If there is a vowel after "beau", it becomes "bel":
Il est bel et bien avocat.
Quel bel écureuil !
Quel beau cheval !
You can see more exemples and exercises here.
"beau" is used by default.
The form "bel" is used when the next word starts with a vowel.
For example:
- un beau rocher
- un bel arbre
- un bel et grand édifice
There are very few adjectives with 2 forms: short, before a noun begining with a vowel, and another often bigger, to put after the noun.
And it is for masculine, singular.
I see 4 cases (with help of M. Glisse):
- beau / bel
- vieux / vieil
- nouveau / nouvel
- fou / fol
answered Dec 28, 2015 at 16:42
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mol ne s'emploie plus. voir quelques exemples (dernier en date 1911) cnrtl.fr/definition/mol Commented Apr 29, 2020 at 7:16
Yes, they are both the masculine form of beau, but bel is used when the noun after it starts with a vowel. For example,
Un bel appartement
Note that bel is before the noun. Follow the rule called BANGS word. B stands for Beauty, A stands for age, N stands for new/old, G stands for good, and S stands for size. If any adjective falls in a category of BANGS, then it will go before the noun. Usually they go after the noun.
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3BANGS is more of a guideline than a rule; there are plenty of instances where adjectives fall in those categories but go after the noun anyway, see french.stackexchange.com/q/319/217.– KareenCommented Dec 28, 2015 at 16:15
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2It is incorrect. In fact, almost every adjectives can go before or after the noun. There are some exceptions: colors (but not always: "un noir dessein"). I dont see a lot. Commented Dec 28, 2015 at 16:27