A1 French GrammarNoun Gender
Learn how French nouns are either masculine (le) or feminine (la). Discover patterns and endings that help predict gender, common exceptions, and why gender matters for adjectives and articles. Essential foundation for correct French.
1Understanding Gender
Every French noun has a gender: masculine (masculin) or feminine (féminin). This affects which article to use: le/un (m.) or la/une (f.). There's no neuter gender. Gender must be memorized for each noun, but there are patterns to help.
Articles by Gender
| Gender | Definite | Indefinite | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine | le | un | le livre, un livre |
| Feminine | la | une | la table, une table |
| Before vowel | l' | un/une | l'arbre (m.), l'Ă©cole (f.) |
Examples
Le soleil brille.
The sun is shining.
soleil is masculine
La lune est belle.
The moon is beautiful.
lune is feminine
J'ai un frère et une soeur.
I have a brother and a sister.
natural gender matches
L'eau est froide.
The water is cold.
l' before vowel, eau is feminine
2Masculine Noun Patterns
Many nouns ending in certain suffixes are masculine: -age (le voyage), -ment (le moment), -isme (le tourisme), -eau (le bateau), -eur (le bonheur). Days, months, seasons, languages, and most tree names are masculine.
Masculine Endings
| Ending | Example | English |
|---|---|---|
| -age | le voyage | trip |
| -ment | le gouvernement | government |
| -eau | le gâteau | cake |
| -isme | le tourisme | tourism |
| -phone | le téléphone | telephone |
Examples
Le fromage français est délicieux.
French cheese is delicious.
-age ending is masculine
Le lundi est mon jour préféré.
Monday is my favorite day.
days are masculine
J'apprends le français.
I'm learning French.
languages are masculine
Le printemps arrive.
Spring is coming.
seasons are masculine
3Feminine Noun Patterns
Many nouns ending in certain suffixes are feminine: -tion/-sion (la nation), -té (la liberté), -ure (la voiture), -ence/-ance (la différence), -ie (la vie). Most countries ending in -e are feminine. Sciences and academic subjects are often feminine.
Feminine Endings
| Ending | Example | English |
|---|---|---|
| -tion/-sion | la situation | situation |
| -té | la beauté | beauty |
| -ure | la nature | nature |
| -ie | la boulangerie | bakery |
| -ence/-ance | la patience | patience |
Examples
La France est un beau pays.
France is a beautiful country.
-e ending country = feminine
J'Ă©tudie la biologie.
I study biology.
-ie ending is feminine
La liberté est importante.
Freedom is important.
-té ending is feminine
Quelle est la solution?
What is the solution?
-tion ending is feminine
4Exceptions and Tricky Cases
Some common words don't follow patterns: le problème (m., despite -e), le musée (m., despite -ée), la plage (f., despite -age). Words borrowed from other languages often keep unexpected genders. When in doubt, check a dictionary.
Common Exceptions
| Word | Gender | Expected | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| le problème | masculine | feminine? | problem |
| le musée | masculine | feminine? | museum |
| la plage | feminine | masculine? | beach |
| la peau | feminine | masculine? | skin |
Examples
C'est un problème difficile.
It's a difficult problem.
problème is masculine despite -e
Le musée est fermé le lundi.
The museum is closed on Mondays.
musée is masculine despite -ée
La plage est magnifique.
The beach is magnificent.
plage is feminine despite -age
J'aime l'eau minérale.
I like mineral water.
eau is feminine despite -eau