"Tu es une grande personne."
Translation:You are a grown-up.
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Actually, that would depend on context, but this exercise is not adequate in my opinion.
Generally, "une grande personne" means "a grown-up", "an adult person".
"Je trouvais ça flatteur d'être traitée comme une grande personne" = "It was so flattering to have someone treat me like a grown-up".
Therefore, if you mean "a tall or large or great person" you will say something else, like "homme grand", "femme grande" (size) or "grand homme", "grande femme" (quality)
2049
Thanks for your explanation. I was somewhat confused because I thought that grande followed the noun if it was referring to the size of a person.
I will throw grown up in as an answer. If it gets marked wrong I will indicate their answer is wrong and my mine is possibly correct in the feedback section placed at the bottom of error pages.
Perhaps that will generate some some scrutiny of the issue. Duolingo will repeat what looks like an error many times as part of its teaching process if it's not corrected.
15 Nov 2014 still rejects "You are a great person" (grande used as subjective adjective before the noun). Collins says that "grande personne" is a term used by children to refer to a grown-up. www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english-french/grownup
2049
viniciuspaiva88
As always with languages there are exceptions. The S in the Size part of BANGS should read .....Size (except when referring to people)
2049
It's more like un grand homme refers to an inherent subjective quality of the man in that he is great. Un homme grand refers to an objective classification of the man in that he is tall.
Its about whether you have an old friend that you have known for a long time or a friend who has lived for many years. Subjective/figurative in front, objective/literal after the noun. Inherent quality in front of the noun, classifying type go after.
Most of the adjectives that are covered by B.A.G.S. are pretty subjective and refer to inherent qualities and therefore precede the noun. I have read that by moving an adjective from its customary placement, you can add emphasis to that adjective. Sort of make it stick out deliberately.
2049
Figurative or subjective meaning un grand homme - a great man
Literal or objective meaning un homme grand - a tall man
From:
2049
prky
Size when used with regard to people does not comply with the B.A.G.S convention.
Remember that B.A.G.S. is just an aid to help deal with the real criteria.
Adjectives referring to an inherent quality of the noun go in front. Being full grown is an inherent quality of an adult. Thus une grande personne, which refers to an inherent quality of being an adult, goes in front.
Adjectives that classify a noun into various categories go after the noun. When an individual or group is classified by size (or shape, color, taste, nationality, religion, social class,personality, mood....) relative to other individuals or groups, the adjective goes after. Thus une personne grande, which categorizes an individual or group as being tall, goes after.
2049
prky
I should add that grand can also mean great. Une grande personne could mean a great person. Great is something that would seem to be fundamental to a person so it goes in front.
So if you see grand in front in a context where it's obvious that the person is an adult, they could be trying to indicate a particular quality of the individual. Changing the position of some adjectives can significantly change their meaning. Sitesurf says about ten per cent of French adjectives can be treated this way.
Because this is not the meaning. If you want to comment on someone's size, you can say "tu es un homme grand", "tu es une femme grande", "tu es un enfant/garçon grand", "tu es une fille grande".
"une grande personne" is a grown-up, an adult.
"un grand homme" is a great man
"une grande femme" is either tall or great
"un grand enfant" is a childish adult
"un grand garçon" is a big boy (sensible boy)
"une grande fille" is a big girl (sensible girl)
I understand very well the meaning of "grown-up" and it's true that the best translation in French would be "grande personne" but it doesn't imply that it must be narrowed in the same way the other way around. "Une personne grande" is absolutely wrong, same for "un chien petit", "une maison grande" since the adjectives "grand/petit" never(!) go after a name but rather before unless there are other adjectives enumerated like in "une personne grande, forte et courageuse", but still "une grande, forte et courageuse personne" could be said as well.
The different meanings are usually clear with the context but sometimes it happens that they're not (We hate to admit it, but in every languages there are things that are still unclear even for native speakers...). P.S. please be careful for your typos : "une grande fille" and not "une grand fille", and "a big boy", not "a big goy".
You may try to remember that as a general rule, adjectives that have the ability to be placed before or after a noun have a more subjective meaning (and sometimes quite different) when placed before the noun. So their translation to English will also be more subjective.
Just look at "un grand homme" vs "un homme grand": the first one is "great" and the second one is "tall".
Which I would never have known had I not had the opportunity to read this entire thread! So thank you! It may not be the easiest way of learning all these exceptions or idiosyncracies, but the discovery method tends to stay with you longer because there’s ultimately a greater depth of understanding...