Question 1

Why does relaxants end with an -s here?

Accepted Answer

Here, the present participle relaxant (relaxing) is being used as a verbal adjective to describe the noun massages. Just like any regular adjective, it must agree with the noun it modifies. Since massages is masculine plural, we add an -s to make it relaxants.

Question 2

I thought present participles do not change their endings. Why does this one change?

Accepted Answer

You are right that when a present participle acts strictly as a verb (like expressing an ongoing action), it is invariable and never changes. However, when it is used purely as a descriptive word, as it is here, it acts as a verbal adjective and must follow standard adjective agreement rules.

Question 3

Why do we use Ce sont instead of Ils sont?

Accepted Answer

In French, when you introduce or identify a noun that has an article (like des massages), you must use C'est for singular or Ce sont for plural. You would only use Ils sont if there were no noun following it, such as in the sentence Ils sont très relaxants (They are very relaxing).

Question 4

Why is relaxants placed after the noun?

Accepted Answer

Adjectives formed from verbs (verbal adjectives) follow the general French rule for adjective placement: they almost always go directly after the noun they describe.

Ce sont des massages très relaxants.

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