Learn French: Certaines formes géométriques sont des triangles.

Certaines formes géométriques sont des triangles.

Certain geometric shapes are triangles.

Breakdown of Certaines formes géométriques sont des triangles.

être

to be

des

some (plural indefinite)

la forme

the fitness / the shape

certain

certain / some (certains, certaine, certaines)

Questions & Answers about Certaines formes géométriques sont des triangles.

Why use Certaines here instead of Quelques?

While both can translate to "some", certaines means "certain" or "particular" ones out of a larger group. Quelques emphasizes a small quantity ("a few"). Since the sentence identifies a specific category of shapes, certaines is the natural choice.

Why is the article des required before triangles?

English often drops articles before plural nouns, but French almost always requires them. Because these shapes represent instances of triangles rather than the abstract concept of all triangles (which would take les), the plural indefinite article des is used.

Would the meaning change if certaines were placed after the noun?

Yes! When placed before the noun, certain acts as a determiner meaning "some" or "certain" (like in this sentence). When placed after the noun, it acts as an adjective meaning "sure" or "undeniable" (for example, une victoire certaine means "a sure victory").

Why does géométriques look the same for masculine and feminine plural?

Because the base singular adjective géométrique already ends in an -e, it does not take an extra -e in the feminine form. To make it plural to agree with the feminine plural noun formes, you simply add an -s.