Language/French/Grammar/Often-Mistaken-Gender-of-Nouns
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French Nouns Genders[edit | edit source]
French nouns are either masculine or feminine. Masculine nouns use the pronouns "le" and "un" while feminine nouns use "la" and "une".
Gender in the French language is a confusing system for English speakers or non-native speakers. Not to mention that there are divergences in this same linguistic family: “água” is feminine in French, Portuguese and Italian, for example, but masculine in Spanish.
For the list of nouns in the table below, English speakers often use the wrong gender. A word of advice, learn this list by heart!
Often Mistaken MASCULINE nouns[edit | edit source]
English | French |
---|---|
choice | le choix |
character/temperament | le caractère |
crime | le crime |
group | le groupe |
exodus | l'exode |
lack, lacuna | le manque |
a vegetable | un légume |
merit | le mérite |
the parachute | le parachute |
the umbrella | le parapluie |
silence | le silence |
Often Mistaken FEMININE nouns[edit | edit source]
English | French |
---|---|
a cross | une croix |
a type, a kind | une espèce |
the end | la fin |
the forest | la forêt |
the nut | la noix |
the screw | la vis |
Video - French Genders: Rules for Masculine / Feminine Words[edit | edit source]
French nouns are gendered but this does not follow any particular rule or logic. In this episode, you will learn how to easily identify whether a name is masculine or feminine, and you will also learn how to apply the rules.
Gender of Nouns (all lessons)[edit source]
Other Chapters[edit | edit source]