Indefinite adjectives of intensity (tel / telle)

To express "such" or "such a" when emphasizing intensity or describing something similar—like a spectacular shot in billiards—use the indefinite adjective tel.

Because tel is an adjective, it must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies.

GenderSingularPlural
Masculineun telde tels
Feminineune tellede telles

Word Order and Articles

Notice the word order: unlike in English where we say "such a", French places the indefinite article before the adjective.

For plural nouns, remember that the plural article des changes to de when it comes directly before an adjective. This is why the plural forms are always de tels and de telles.

He wants to play such a shot, yet the angle is bad.
Il veut jouer un tel coup, pourtant l'angle est mauvais.
He hits with such force, so much so that the billiard ball bounces.
Il frappe avec une telle force, si bien que la bille rebondit.
However, such masterful shots are rare.
Cependant, de tels coups magistraux sont rares.
I have never seen such billiard balls on this pool table.
Je n'ai jamais vu de telles billes sur ce billard.

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