Masculin ou Féminin nom / Male or Female gender
In French, nouns have a gender: they are either masculine or feminine. The endings of words can often give us clues about their gender. For example, feminine words often end in -e, while masculine words have various endings. Additionally, we often use -e to transform a masculine word into a feminine one.
We also learned that seasons, days of the week, languages, fruits, and vegetables are generally masculine. Similarly, stores, emotions, and scientific disciplines are generally feminine, except for those already ending in -e.
In today’s leacture, we explored these rules in more detail and looked at concrete examples to better understand noun genders in French.
Common Masculine Endings
Here are some common endings for masculine nouns, along with examples and their English translations:
- -acle:
- Un obstacle (an obstacle)
- Un spectacle (a show)
- -age:
- Un voyage (a trip)
- Un message (a message)
- -isme:
- Le socialisme (socialism)
- Le tourisme (tourism)
- -al:
- Un journal (a newspaper)
- Un animal (an animal)
- -eau:
- Un cadeau (a gift)
- Un bateau (a boat)
- -et:
- Un secret (a secret)
- Un bouquet (a bouquet)
- -ier:
- Un pommier (an apple tree)
- Un cahier (a notebook)
- -ment:
- Un monument (a monument)
- Un bâtiment (a building)
Common Feminine Endings
Here are some common endings for feminine nouns, along with examples and their English translations:
- -ade:
- Une promenade (a walk)
- Une limonade (lemonade)
- -ale:
- Une finale (a final)
- Une spirale (a spiral)
- -ance:
- Une importance (importance)
- Une chance (luck)
- -ence:
- Une différence (a difference)
- Une expérience (an experience)
- -ette:
- Une baguette (a baguette)
- Une fillette (a little girl)
- -ie:
- Une partie (a part)
- Une vie (a life)
- -ique:
- Une technique (a technique)
- Une musique (music)
- -oire:
- Une histoire (a story)
- Une victoire (a victory)
- -sion:
- Une décision (a decision)
- Une mission (a mission)
- -tion:
- Une nation (a nation)
- Une question (a question)
- Une natation (swimming)
Binary Nouns (Masculine or Feminine)
Some nouns can be either masculine or feminine, depending on the context. These are called binary nouns. Here are some examples:
- Un/une artiste (an artist)
- Un/une camarade (a friend/classmate)
- Un/une collègue (a colleague)
- Un/une concierge (a concierge)
- Un/une élève (a student)
- Un/une enfant (a child)
- Un/une malade (a sick person)
- Un/une secrétaire (a secretary)
- Un/une touriste (a tourist)
Nouns That Don’t Change
Some nouns have the same form in both masculine and feminine. Here’s a list of these words with their English translations:
Masculine:
- Un agent de police (a police officer)
- Un bébé (a baby)
- Un mannequin (a model)
- Un médecin (a doctor)
- Un chef (a chef/leader)
- Un professeur (a teacher)
- Un dentiste (a dentist)
- Un écrivain (a writer)
- Un ingénieur (an engineer)
Feminine:
- Une star (a star)
- Une victime (a victim)
- Une connaissance (an acquaintance)
Conclusion
Understanding noun genders in French might seem challenging at first, but by learning common endings and practicing with examples, it becomes easier. Remember that some exceptions exist, but with time, you’ll memorize them naturally.