# FR: chic - accord



## Maharg

Moderator Note: Several threads have been merged to create this thread.

I think I've only ever come across this in the singular and just wanted to check it agrees in the ordinary way, and isn't an exception like 'marron' and 'orange'.

"le pantalon est chic, la jupe est chic, les baskets sont chics"?

Merci beaucoup!

maharg


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## DearPrudence

As the ATILF says, it's invariable!
So *"les baskets ne sont pas chic"*


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## xtrasystole

According to my _Robert_ dictionary, the adjective _'chic'_ is invariable. 
_
- 'Elle est chic'. 
- 'Les gens chic'. 
- 'Une fête chic'.
- 'Des baskets chic'. _


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## mickaël

Normally, there is no agreement with this adjective.


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## newcastlestudent

*les couleurs chics 		*

Just a quick question! Does the above phrase sound right?  Do I need the 's' on the end of chic?
Thank you very much!


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## Anna soror

Yes you need the 's', chic is an adjective here so it agrees with 'couleurs', feminin plural. To be noticed that chic is the same for masculin and feminin form.


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## Pasiphae II

lucas-sp said:


> Could you also say "avec ses courts cheveux  chics"?


No, I don't think so, lucas-sp. "chic" is invariable here as an adjective […]

*Moderator note:* This comment was split from this thread.


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## pointvirgule

The adjective _chic _does take the plural mark. Says Larousse, ← This is a link.


> _Chic _est invariable en genre (_un chic type, une femme très chic__)_ mais s'accorde en nombre (_des personnes chics_).


Also see this thread in French Only: chic. ← This is another link.


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## Pasiphae II

Excuse me, but I just finished googling Larousse, which states "chic" is invariable as an adjective, which means there is no accord between number or gender. My Cassell's French Dictionary states the same, and gives as example,"les gens chic". I have also consulted Wikipedia, with the same results.  Finally, I googled "Is 'chic' invariable?" Collins and Robert's dictionaries are in agreement. Examples abound, such as "baskets chic", and "des vêtements chic" and so on.  Then, the shocker! According to *forum.wordreference.com* "chic" is invariable as an adjective. […]


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## Maître Capello

Some dictionaries say it is invariable (e.g., _Petit Robert_), but others  like _Petit Larousse_, Larousse or TLFi say it is invariable in gender only. In other words, you have the choice: keep it invariable or make the agreement in number.

Anyway, I wonder how you perform your searches, Pasiphae II, because Larousse and Wikipedia both say _chic_ *does* normally vary in number… 

According to the Wiktionary:


> Encore considéré comme invariable par certains, l’usage du pluriel est pourtant très répandu.



And Grevisse makes the following comment (_Le Bon Usage_, § 560):


> _Chic_  a eu un fém. °_chique_, aujourd’hui disparu devant _chic _; il s’écrit souvent _chics _au plur. (masc. ou fém.), quoique l’invariabilité en nombre conserve des partisans.


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## Nicomon

Hello,

I personnaly would make the agreement in number.   

I'll just add this *link to the BDL*, for those who don't have access to Grevisse on line.


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## grantja

Les vêtements sont très chic/chics?


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## petit1

Ils sont très chic (invariable).


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## k@t

On peut accorder ou non, voir la remarque de Wikionnaire :


> Au xixe siècle, _chic_ ne s’accordait pas en nombre. Depuis, l’accord se répand[1]. Aujourd’hui, l’usage, bien que semblant globalement privilégier l’accord, hésite (« banlieues chic » l’emporte sur « banlieues chics », « boutiques chic » est au coude-à-coude avec « boutiques chics », « restaurants chics » est deux fois plus répandu que « restaurants chic », « endroits chics » écrase « endroits chic »), comme les lexicographes qui restent divisés.



Ou également le commentaire de  Grevisse :


> Chic a eu un fém. chique aujourd'hui disparu devant chic ; il  s'écrit souvent chics au plur. (masc. ou fém.), quoique l'invariabilité en nombre conserve des partisans.


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## pointvirgule

grantja said:


> Les vêtements sont très chic/chics?


Oui.


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