Learn French: Il y a une grosse tache sur ma chemise. - There is a big stain on my shirt.

Il y a une grosse tache sur ma chemise.

There is a big stain on my shirt.

Breakdown of Il y a une grosse tache sur ma chemise.

Questions & Answers about Il y a une grosse tache sur ma chemise.

Why is the adjective grosse placed before the noun tache instead of after?

In French, most adjectives go after the noun. However, short, common adjectives that describe Beauty, Age, Number, Goodness, and Size (often remembered by the acronym BANGS) go before the noun. Since grosse describes size, it comes before tache.

Why use grosse instead of grande for a big stain?

While both can mean big, grand and grande usually refer to tallness or large surface area, whereas gros and grosse are used for things that have volume, thickness, or are chunky. A stain is typically thought of as a prominent blob or mark, so grosse is the natural choice.

Is there a difference between tache and tâche?

Yes, the accent changes the meaning completely! A tache (without the circumflex) is a physical mark, spot, or stain, like on this shirt. A tâche (with the circumflex) means a task or a chore.

Does chemise mean any kind of shirt?

Une chemise specifically refers to a button-up shirt with a collar. A regular t-shirt would just be un t-shirt, and a woman's tailored blouse is often called un chemisier.