3.1 Gender of Nouns

Notes

Every French noun is either masculine or feminine, even objects. Learn each noun with its article.

• People and animals usually match their sex: un garçon, une fille, un chat, une chatte.
• Common masculine endings: -age (le fromage), -ment (le moment), -eau (le bureau).
• Common feminine endings: -tion (la question), -té (la liberté), -ure (la voiture), -ette, -ie.
• Exceptions exist: la plage and la page are feminine; le musée is masculine; l'eau is feminine.
• Gender is not about meaning: un livre (m.), une table (f.), un problème (m.).