Today’s lesson explains how to use nouveau/nouvelle, which means “new”. This adjective always precedes the noun: un nouveau vélo (a new bike). Nouveau comes from novus in Latin, meaning new, fresh and young.
nouveau, nouvelle
new
Pronunciation [nuvo, nuvɛl]
Nouveau, nouvelle – New
Example sentences
For these first two example sentences the usage of nouveau/nouvelle is very straight forward: Un nouveau + masculine noun and une nouvelle + feminine noun. This first sentence uses puis-je, which is the inversion form of the question “Est-ce que je peux?” (can I?).
Où puis-j‘acheter un nouveau mini-four ?
Where can I buy a new toaster oven?
La famille achète une nouvelle voiture cette année.
The family is buying a new car this year.
This final sentence uses nouvel as the masculine form of nouveau. The pronunciation of nouvel and the feminine form nouvelle are essentially the same. This is done in order to affect a liaison (linking of two words) as ordinateur (computer) is masculine and starts with a vowel.
Other examples are un nouvel appartement (a new apartment), un nouvel ami (a new friend), un nouvel emploi (a new job) and le nouvel an (the new year).
Marc va au magasin pour acheter un nouvel ordinateur.
Marc is going to the store to buy a new computer.
Plural forms
The plural forms for nouveau/nouvelle are nouveaux and nouvelles.
- les nouveaux – les nouveaux skis (new skis)
- les nouvelles – les nouvelles chaussures (new shoes)
Related lessons
References
Word of the Day archive | Lessons by David Issokson
