ELONIO
Log inSign up

J'habite dans une maison ancienne.

J'habite dans une maison ancienne.
I live in an old house.
From Lesson 78:Double consonant adjectives (-enne, -ette)·French

Questions & Answers about J'habite dans une maison ancienne.

Why is it ancienne with two Ns?
Because it describes une maison, which is feminine. For adjectives that end in -en in the masculine form (like ancien), you make them feminine by doubling the last consonant and adding an -e. So, -en becomes -enne.
Does the spelling change how ancienne is pronounced compared to the masculine ancien?
Yes, it changes completely! The masculine ancien ends in a nasal vowel where the 'n' isn't fully pronounced. In the feminine ancienne, the nasal sound disappears and you pronounce a clear, hard 'n' sound at the end.
Why does ancienne come after the noun? Doesn't the rule say adjectives about 'Age' come before?
You are thinking of the BANGS rule, where age adjectives like vieux (old) or nouveau (new) go before the noun. But ancien is a special adjective that changes meaning based on its position! Placed after the noun (maison ancienne), it means 'old' or 'antique'. If you place it before the noun (ancienne maison), it means 'former'.
Do you always need to say dans after habiter?
Not always. You can actually say either J'habite dans une maison or just J'habite une maison. Both are correct and common, but adding dans puts a little more focus on being physically inside the building.

Learn J'habite dans une maison ancienne and more in French

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free
Start learning French →