Agreement of même and tel
"Même" agrees after a plural noun or pronoun (eux-mêmes, elles-mêmes). "Tel" agrees with what follows it; "tel que" agrees with what precedes it.
Examples
Les enfants eux-mêmes l'ont dit.
Key word(s): mêmes
"Eux" is plural, so "mêmes" takes an -s.
Des fleurs telles que des roses.
Key word(s): telles
"Tel que" agrees with "fleurs" (feminine plural), the word that precedes it.
Tel père, tel fils.
Key word(s): tel, tel
"Tel" agrees with the noun that follows it.
Elle-même le reconnaît.
Key word(s): même
"Elle" is singular, so "même" takes no -s.
Telle est la question.
Key word(s): telle
"Tel" agrees with "question" (feminine singular).
Common mistakes
- Forgetting the -s in "eux-mêmes"
- Making "tel que" agree with what follows instead of what precedes
- Confusing "même" as an adjective (variable) with "même" as an adverb (invariable)
Test yourself
Elles-___ sont venues.
Des fruits ___ que des pommes.
___ mère, ___ fille.
Tips to remember
- Même after a pronoun: always agree (moi-même, eux-mêmes).
- Tel que: look BEFORE. Tel on its own: look AFTER.
- "Même" as an adverb (meaning aussi, y compris: even, including) does not agree: "même les enfants sont venus".
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