Difference between revisions of "Language/French/Grammar/Nouns-which-change-form-when-they-refer-to-males-or-to-females"
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
(Created page with "thumb <div style="font-size:300%"> Nouns which change form when they refer to males or to females</div> ==Regular patterns== For wor...") |
|||
Line 6: | Line 6: | ||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
| colspan="2" |French | |||
|English | |||
|- | |||
|Masculine | |||
|Feminine | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
|un ami | |||
|une amie | |||
|a friend | |||
|- | |||
|un employé | |||
|une employée | |||
|an employee (worker) | |||
|- | |||
|un rival | |||
|une rivale | |||
|a rival | |||
|} | |||
For words ending in -d, -t, -ois, -ais, -er, -ier an -e is added and the final consonant, previously not pronounced, is pronounced: | For words ending in -d, -t, -ois, -ais, -er, -ier an -e is added and the final consonant, previously not pronounced, is pronounced: | ||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
| colspan="2" |French | |||
|English | |||
|- | |||
|Masculine | |||
|Feminine | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
|un marchand | |||
|une marchande | |||
|a trader | |||
|- | |||
|un candidat | |||
|une candidate | |||
|a candidate | |||
|- | |||
|un avocat | |||
|une avocate | |||
|a lawyer | |||
|- | |||
|un bourgeois | |||
|une bourgeoise | |||
|a bourgeoisie) | |||
|- | |||
|un boulanger | |||
|une boulangère | |||
|a baker | |||
|- | |||
|un berger | |||
|une bergère | |||
|a shepherd | |||
|- | |||
|un fermier | |||
|une fermière | |||
|a farmer | |||
|- | |||
|un caissier | |||
|une caissière | |||
|a checkout operator | |||
|- | |||
|un romancier | |||
|une romancière | |||
|a novelist | |||
|} | |||
For words ending in -ien, -on, -an, -in, -ain in written form -(n)e is added and the final vowel, previously pronounced as a nasal vowel, is pronounced as an oral vowel plus -n: | For words ending in -ien, -on, -an, -in, -ain in written form -(n)e is added and the final vowel, previously pronounced as a nasal vowel, is pronounced as an oral vowel plus -n: | ||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
| colspan="2" |French | |||
|English | |||
|- | |||
|Masculine | |||
|Feminine | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
|un chien | |||
|une chienne | |||
|a dog/a bitch | |||
|- | |||
|un lion | |||
|une lionne | |||
|a lion/a lioness | |||
|- | |||
|un paysan | |||
|une paysanne | |||
|a farmer | |||
|- | |||
|un gitan | |||
|une gitane | |||
|a gypsy (pejorative) | |||
|- | |||
|un voisin | |||
|une voisine | |||
|a neighbour | |||
|- | |||
|un Africain | |||
|une Africaine | |||
|an African | |||
|} | |||
Some nouns add -esse. | Some nouns add -esse. | ||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
| colspan="2" |French | |||
|English | |||
|- | |||
|Masculine | |||
|Feminine | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
|un âne | |||
|une anesse | |||
|a donkey | |||
|- | |||
|un chanoine | |||
|une chanoinesse | |||
|a canon/canoness (religious) | |||
|- | |||
|un comte | |||
|une comtesse | |||
|a count I countess | |||
|- | |||
|un diable | |||
|une diablesse | |||
|a devil/she-devil | |||
|- | |||
|un drôle | |||
|une drôlesse | |||
|someone a little odd | |||
|- | |||
|un hôte | |||
|une hôtesse | |||
|a host/hostess | |||
|- | |||
|un ivrogne | |||
|une ivrognesse | |||
|a drunkard | |||
|- | |||
|un maître | |||
|une maîtresse | |||
|a master/mistress (in the school context) | |||
|} | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
| colspan="2" |French | |||
|English | |||
|- | |||
|Masculine | |||
|Feminine | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
|un ogre | |||
|une ogresse | |||
|an ogre | |||
|- | |||
|un pauvre | |||
|une pauvresse | |||
|a poor person | |||
|- | |||
|un prêtre | |||
|une prêtresse | |||
|a priest/priestess | |||
|- | |||
|un prince | |||
|une princesse | |||
|a prince/princess | |||
|- | |||
|un Suisse | |||
|une Suissesse | |||
|a Swiss person | |||
|- | |||
|un tigre | |||
|une tigresse | |||
|a tiger/tigress | |||
|} | |||
Nouns ending in -eur which are not derived from a French verb, change –eur to -rice: | Nouns ending in -eur which are not derived from a French verb, change –eur to -rice: | ||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
| colspan="2" |French | |||
|English | |||
|- | |||
|Masculine | |||
|Feminine | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
|un ambassadeur | |||
|une ambassadrice | |||
|an ambassador | |||
|- | |||
|un directeur | |||
|une directrice | |||
|a director | |||
|- | |||
|un empereur | |||
|une impératrice | |||
|an emperor/empress | |||
|} | |||
Those ending in -eur which are derived from a French verb change to -euse: | Those ending in -eur which are derived from a French verb change to -euse: | ||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
| colspan="2" |French | |||
|English | |||
|- | |||
|Masculine | |||
|Feminine | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
|un chanteur | |||
|une chanteuse | |||
|a singer | |||
|- | |||
|un menteur | |||
|une menteuse | |||
|a liar | |||
|- | |||
|un voleur | |||
|une voleuse | |||
|a thief | |||
|} | |||
==Irregular patterns== | ==Irregular patterns== | ||
In addition to these regular patterns there are a number of masculine/feminine forms where the words are quite different: | In addition to these regular patterns there are a number of masculine/feminine forms where the words are quite different: | ||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
| colspan="2" |French | |||
|English | |||
|- | |||
|Masculine | |||
|Feminine | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
|un héros | |||
|une héroïne | |||
|a hero/heroine | |||
|- | |||
|un époux | |||
|une épouse | |||
|a husband/wife | |||
|- | |||
|un neveu | |||
|une nièce | |||
|a nephew/niece | |||
|- | |||
|un homme | |||
|une femme | |||
|a man/woman | |||
|- | |||
|un fils | |||
|une fille | |||
|a son/daughter | |||
|- | |||
|un garçon | |||
|une fille | |||
|a boy'/girl | |||
|} |
Revision as of 14:55, 11 October 2021
Nouns which change form when they refer to males or to females
Regular patterns
For words ending in -i, -é, -u, -l an -e is added in the written form and the pronunciation remains the same:
French | English | |
Masculine | Feminine | |
un ami | une amie | a friend |
un employé | une employée | an employee (worker) |
un rival | une rivale | a rival |
For words ending in -d, -t, -ois, -ais, -er, -ier an -e is added and the final consonant, previously not pronounced, is pronounced:
French | English | |
Masculine | Feminine | |
un marchand | une marchande | a trader |
un candidat | une candidate | a candidate |
un avocat | une avocate | a lawyer |
un bourgeois | une bourgeoise | a bourgeoisie) |
un boulanger | une boulangère | a baker |
un berger | une bergère | a shepherd |
un fermier | une fermière | a farmer |
un caissier | une caissière | a checkout operator |
un romancier | une romancière | a novelist |
For words ending in -ien, -on, -an, -in, -ain in written form -(n)e is added and the final vowel, previously pronounced as a nasal vowel, is pronounced as an oral vowel plus -n:
French | English | |
Masculine | Feminine | |
un chien | une chienne | a dog/a bitch |
un lion | une lionne | a lion/a lioness |
un paysan | une paysanne | a farmer |
un gitan | une gitane | a gypsy (pejorative) |
un voisin | une voisine | a neighbour |
un Africain | une Africaine | an African |
Some nouns add -esse.
French | English | |
Masculine | Feminine | |
un âne | une anesse | a donkey |
un chanoine | une chanoinesse | a canon/canoness (religious) |
un comte | une comtesse | a count I countess |
un diable | une diablesse | a devil/she-devil |
un drôle | une drôlesse | someone a little odd |
un hôte | une hôtesse | a host/hostess |
un ivrogne | une ivrognesse | a drunkard |
un maître | une maîtresse | a master/mistress (in the school context) |
French | English | |
Masculine | Feminine | |
un ogre | une ogresse | an ogre |
un pauvre | une pauvresse | a poor person |
un prêtre | une prêtresse | a priest/priestess |
un prince | une princesse | a prince/princess |
un Suisse | une Suissesse | a Swiss person |
un tigre | une tigresse | a tiger/tigress |
Nouns ending in -eur which are not derived from a French verb, change –eur to -rice:
French | English | |
Masculine | Feminine | |
un ambassadeur | une ambassadrice | an ambassador |
un directeur | une directrice | a director |
un empereur | une impératrice | an emperor/empress |
Those ending in -eur which are derived from a French verb change to -euse:
French | English | |
Masculine | Feminine | |
un chanteur | une chanteuse | a singer |
un menteur | une menteuse | a liar |
un voleur | une voleuse | a thief |
Irregular patterns
In addition to these regular patterns there are a number of masculine/feminine forms where the words are quite different:
French | English | |
Masculine | Feminine | |
un héros | une héroïne | a hero/heroine |
un époux | une épouse | a husband/wife |
un neveu | une nièce | a nephew/niece |
un homme | une femme | a man/woman |
un fils | une fille | a son/daughter |
un garçon | une fille | a boy'/girl |