Language/French/Grammar/Often-Mistaken-Gender-of-Nouns
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English speakers are often mistaken about the gender of these nouns
[CHANGED]
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!
The following nouns are masculine:
French | English |
---|---|
le caractère | character/temperament |
le choix | choice |
le crime | crime |
l'espace | space |
l'exode | exodus |
le groupe | group |
un légume | a vegetable |
le manque | lack, lacuna |
le mérite | merit |
un parachute | a parachute |
un parapluie | an umbrella |
le silence | silence |
NB: espace is feminine when it means 'a space in printing'.
The following nouns are feminine:
French | English |
---|---|
une croix | a cross |
une espèce | a type, kind |
la fin | the end |
une forêt | a forest |
une noix | a nut |
une vis | a screw |