And quite fascinating as well. There are different ways to find out a noun's gender: we can look in the dictionary and check for the abbreviations m. (masculine) or f. (feminine); we can check the noun's ending, which generally gives an indication whether the noun is masculine or feminine; or we can look at the noun's article. When you discover something you love you want to share it with the world, thats only natural. We use it for plural nouns, whether theyre masculine or feminine. I tried to study Russian a couple of years ago but didnt continue. We use it for plural nouns, whether theyre masculine or feminine. \"https://sb\" : \"http://b\") + \".scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js\";el.parentNode.insertBefore(s, el);})();\r\n","enabled":true},{"pages":["all"],"location":"footer","script":"\r\n\r\n","enabled":false},{"pages":["all"],"location":"header","script":"\r\n","enabled":false},{"pages":["article"],"location":"header","script":" ","enabled":true},{"pages":["homepage"],"location":"header","script":"","enabled":true},{"pages":["homepage","article","category","search"],"location":"footer","script":"\r\n\r\n","enabled":true}]}},"pageScriptsLoadedStatus":"success"},"navigationState":{"navigationCollections":[{"collectionId":287568,"title":"BYOB (Be Your Own Boss)","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-the-entry-level-entrepreneur-287568"},{"collectionId":293237,"title":"Be a Rad Dad","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/be-the-best-dad-293237"},{"collectionId":295890,"title":"Career Shifting","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/career-shifting-295890"},{"collectionId":294090,"title":"Contemplating the Cosmos","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/theres-something-about-space-294090"},{"collectionId":287563,"title":"For Those Seeking Peace of Mind","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-those-seeking-peace-of-mind-287563"},{"collectionId":287570,"title":"For the Aspiring Aficionado","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-the-bougielicious-287570"},{"collectionId":291903,"title":"For the Budding Cannabis Enthusiast","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-the-budding-cannabis-enthusiast-291903"},{"collectionId":291934,"title":"For the Exam-Season Crammer","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-the-exam-season-crammer-291934"},{"collectionId":287569,"title":"For the Hopeless Romantic","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-the-hopeless-romantic-287569"},{"collectionId":296450,"title":"For the Spring Term Learner","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-the-spring-term-student-296450"}],"navigationCollectionsLoadedStatus":"success","navigationCategories":{"books":{"0":{"data":[{"categoryId":33512,"title":"Technology","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/books/technology-33512"},{"categoryId":33662,"title":"Academics & The Arts","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/books/academics-the-arts-33662"},{"categoryId":33809,"title":"Home, Auto, & Hobbies","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/books/home-auto-hobbies-33809"},{"categoryId":34038,"title":"Body, Mind, & Spirit","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/books/body-mind-spirit-34038"},{"categoryId":34224,"title":"Business, Careers, & Money","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/books/business-careers-money-34224"}],"breadcrumbs":[],"categoryTitle":"Level 0 Category","mainCategoryUrl":"/category/books/level-0-category-0"}},"articles":{"0":{"data":[{"categoryId":33512,"title":"Technology","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/articles/technology-33512"},{"categoryId":33662,"title":"Academics & The Arts","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/articles/academics-the-arts-33662"},{"categoryId":33809,"title":"Home, Auto, & Hobbies","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/articles/home-auto-hobbies-33809"},{"categoryId":34038,"title":"Body, Mind, & Spirit","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/articles/body-mind-spirit-34038"},{"categoryId":34224,"title":"Business, Careers, & Money","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/articles/business-careers-money-34224"}],"breadcrumbs":[],"categoryTitle":"Level 0 Category","mainCategoryUrl":"/category/articles/level-0-category-0"}}},"navigationCategoriesLoadedStatus":"success"},"searchState":{"searchList":[],"searchStatus":"initial","relatedArticlesList":[],"relatedArticlesStatus":"initial"},"routeState":{"name":"Article4","path":"/article/academics-the-arts/language-language-arts/learning-languages/french/the-gender-of-french-nouns-166697/","hash":"","query":{},"params":{"category1":"academics-the-arts","category2":"language-language-arts","category3":"learning-languages","category4":"french","article":"the-gender-of-french-nouns-166697"},"fullPath":"/article/academics-the-arts/language-language-arts/learning-languages/french/the-gender-of-french-nouns-166697/","meta":{"routeType":"article","breadcrumbInfo":{"suffix":"Articles","baseRoute":"/category/articles"},"prerenderWithAsyncData":true},"from":{"name":null,"path":"/","hash":"","query":{},"params":{},"fullPath":"/","meta":{}}},"dropsState":{"submitEmailResponse":false,"status":"initial"},"sfmcState":{"status":"initial"},"profileState":{"auth":{},"userOptions":{},"status":"success"}}, Ten Common French Grammar Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them). After living in France while raising my three children over the last 11 years, i've accumulated a lot of insider knowledge. Note that many French professions have only a masculine form. Dummies helps everyone be more knowledgeable and confident in applying what they know. EXCEPT, 1 noun doesnt equal to one definition. One situation that this creates is when people are discussing their tea habits. Une mission f ranais e. (m) Words that end in -age, as in message and mirage, and -eau, like manteau (coat) and chapeau (hat), are usually masculine. We may feel overwhelmed and at a loss at what to do when studying a language. Now lets take a look at some typical feminine endings. The same rules we mentioned above regarding endings apply here. This button displays the currently selected search type. All French words have a gender. Other words have two different forms for masculine and feminine versions ( un avocat/une avocate, un acteur/une actrice) or a single form that refers to a man or a woman depending on which article is used ( un touriste/une touriste, un . Definite Articles When you learn French, you will notice that most nouns are paired with articles. Adjectives are words that give you more information about the noun. Instead of learning table, you learn la table. We're glad this was helpful. For example, in English, we just use the for everything whether its masculine/feminine or singular/plural. I took one semester of French in college. Translation of "salad" in German. Knowing the difference between them will dictate what words you have to use, particularly when it comes to determiners (e.g. En Afrique du Nord, il y a trois pays francophones, LAlgrie, le Maroc et la Tunisie. What countries are feminine and masculine in French? I've lived in France since 2011. Generally, the feminine form is simply the masculine form of the adjective, with an -e at the end. Asked . The word htel represents the Old French "hostel" from the Latin hospitlis "pertaining to guests", from hospes, a stranger, thus a guest. What type of clothing is a robe? However, French has four definite articles which are: le, la, l, and les. "Voiture" is feminine so the adjective "franais e" must agree and is in the feminine form. le la. 1 noun = 1 gender. For example : La France, lItalie, la Slovaquie, lAlgrie, la Syrie. If you speak English, you're in luck because many country names in French and nationalities in French look or sound very similar to English. Because you understand genders, you know what to look out for when you build a sentence and want to use the right gender at the right time. Finally, for plural we use des. directeur → masculine The English equivalent is some. However, it also means tea in English, which is not a feminine word. Examples: des livres (some books), des jours (some days), des botes (some boxes), etc. There are some exceptions in French, but theyre not too many. "French Nouns With Two Genders." Its interesting to learn how languages differ, isnt it? Is Maison masculine or feminine in French? Island located in the Caribbean Sea. Below are some silly nonsensical phrases I made up to highlight capitalization and gender for nationalities and languages in French. I believe you have made a lot of valuable points for your readers in your niche and I think that they will receive value from your post. As a color, it's masculine, but as a flower, it's feminine. This rule applies to adjectives that end in most consonants as well as all vowels except the unaccented E. I Love Writing Weird, Wonderful, Interesting, Forgotten, And Fascinating Articles For Intellectually Curious People Amazed By France, French Culture, And World Travel. However, there are some appliances that are specifically designed to make tea. By the way, what language do you speak if you dont mind my asking? This word is used to refer to the act of drinking tea, which is indeed a feminine act. But determining gender isnt always that logical, especially with inanimate objects, like things and ideas.\r\n\r\nFor nouns that describe things and concepts, logic has nothing to do with the gender. Likewise, most US states keep their names in French, while a few undergo slight Frenchification. in most cases where it precedes a noun starting with h. Examples: . What am I trying to say? la carotte. Tone. In the dictionary, all French nouns bear with them an m or f, so you can easily check their gender. Thats why many English speakers struggle with this aspect of French. But it can also be masculine. like France, we say en. Some words are always masculine or feminine regardless of their ending. You will receive an email asking to confirm your subscription. She currently teaches French at Austin Community College in Austin, Texas.","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9721"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"