Question 1

Why is it nouvel instead of nouveau in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

In French, nouveau changes to its special vocalic form nouvel when placed directly before a masculine singular noun starting with a vowel or mute H. Here, it precedes établissement, which starts with an é. This mutation happens to make the phrase flow better by preventing two vowel sounds from clashing.

Question 2

If établissement starts with a vowel, why do we use Ce instead of Cet?

Accepted Answer

That is a very common trap! While it is true you would say cet établissement if the noun stood alone, the form of the demonstrative adjective depends strictly on the word immediately following it. Because the intervening adjective nouvel starts with a consonant, we must use the standard masculine ce.

Question 3

What happens to the word nouvel if we make the sentence plural?

Accepted Answer

The sentence would become Ces nouveaux établissements sont somptueux. The special mutated form nouvel is exclusively used in the singular. In the plural, you simply use the standard masculine plural form nouveaux and make a liaison (a Z sound) with the following vowel.

Question 4

Would somptueux change if the noun were plural?

Accepted Answer

No, it remains exactly the same. Masculine adjectives that already end in -s or -x in the singular do not take an extra -s in the plural. Both one establishment or multiple establishments can be described as somptueux.

Ce nouvel établissement est somptueux.

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