🇫🇷A1 French GrammarNoun Gender
1Masculine Noun Endings
Many French nouns have predictable genders based on their endings. Common masculine endings include -age, -ment, -eau.
Common Masculine Endings
| Ending | Example | English |
|---|---|---|
| -age | le voyage | the trip |
| -ment | le moment | the moment |
| -eau | le gâteau | the cake |
| -isme | le tourisme | tourism |
| -eur | le bonheur | happiness |
Examples
Le fromage est délicieux.
The cheese is delicious.
-age = masculine
Le gouvernement décide.
The government decides.
-ment = masculine
Le chapeau est noir.
The hat is black.
-eau = masculine
Le problème est grave.
The problem is serious.
-ème = masculine
2Feminine Noun Endings
Common feminine endings include -tion, -sion, -té, -ette, and -ure. Most nouns ending in -e are feminine.
Common Feminine Endings
| Ending | Example | English |
|---|---|---|
| -tion | la nation | the nation |
| -té | la liberté | freedom |
| -ette | la recette | the recipe |
| -ure | la voiture | the car |
| -ence/-ance | la différence | the difference |
Examples
La situation est difficile.
The situation is difficult.
-tion = feminine
La beauté est subjective.
Beauty is subjective.
-té = feminine
La nature est belle.
Nature is beautiful.
-ure = feminine
La patience est importante.
Patience is important.
-ence = feminine
3Gender by Meaning
Some noun categories have predictable genders: days, months, seasons, languages, and trees are masculine; sciences and continents are feminine.
Gender by Category
| Masculine | Feminine |
|---|---|
| Days: le lundi | Sciences: la physique |
| Months: le janvier | Continents: l'Europe |
| Seasons: le printemps | Countries ending -e: la France |
| Languages: le français | Stores: la boulangerie |
Examples
Le samedi, je me repose.
On Saturdays, I rest.
days = masculine
J'étudie la biologie.
I study biology.
sciences = feminine
Le français est beau.
French is beautiful.
languages = masculine
L'Afrique est grande.
Africa is big.
continents = feminine
4Irregular Genders
Some common words have unexpected genders that must be memorized. A few words even change meaning with gender.
Common Exceptions
| Word | Gender | English |
|---|---|---|
| le problème | masculine | the problem |
| le musée | masculine | the museum |
| la main | feminine | the hand |
| la plage | feminine | the beach |
Examples
Le musée est fermé.
The museum is closed.
-ée but masculine
La plage est belle.
The beach is beautiful.
-age but feminine
J'ai mal à la main.
My hand hurts.
la main = feminine
Le groupe arrive.
The group is arriving.
-oupe but masculine
Practice
Get 2 of 3 right to learn this lesson
Which article shows 'gare' (station) is feminine?
Words ending in -tion (like 'situation') are usually:
Complete: '___ miel est doux.' (The honey is sweet.)
See Real Examples in Stories
Now that you've practiced, see this grammar in context
