An easy guide to masculine, feminine & gender neutral in French

Salut, futurs maîtres of the French language! If you're coming from English, the world of masculine and feminine in French, or in any other Romance language, might seem like a labyrinth.

And hey, as a French person, I totally get it – why should a table (la table) be feminine while a book (le livre) is masculine? What if it’s a very girly book? But fear not, we're here to guide you!

In this article, we’ll uncover the secrets behind gendered nouns in French, helping you navigate from the basics to those charmantes exceptions that make French so unique. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to fine-tune your skills, we’ve got the tips and tricks to make it all “un jeu d’enfants” (a piece of cake!).

Ready to turn confusion into confidence? Alors, c’est parti!

Table of contents

• Basics of gender in French
• Identifying masculine and feminine nouns in French
  • General rules for identifying masculine nouns
  • General rules for identifying feminine nouns
  • Common exceptions to the rules
• Gender agreement between nouns and adjectives in French
• Gender irregularities in French
• 7 Practical tips for learning and using gender
• Common mistakes to avoid while using masculine and feminine nouns in French
• Gender and inclusive language in French

Basics of gender in French

Alright, let’s start with the basics! In French, every noun is either masculine or feminine. No surprise here.

This little twist adds excitement — or confusion? — to learning French. But don’t worry, learning this can actually be entertaining! Keep reading to unveil all the secrets of gender in French.

Identifying masculine and feminine nouns in French

General rules for identifying masculine nouns

We have fantastiques news for you! The rules below will help you to get the right gender in about 80% of the cases. Not bad, right? Let’s start with masculine:

Common endings

• -eau
• -isme
• -ment
• -oir
• Other endings: -an, -and, -ant, -ent, -in, -int, -om, -ond, -ont, -on (but not after s/c¸), -au, -aud, -aut, -o, -os, -ot, -ai, -ais, -ait, -es, -et, -ou, -out, -out, -oux, -i, -il, -it, -is, -y, -at, -as, -ois, -oit, -u, -us, -ut, -eu, -er, -age, -ege, – ème, -ome, -aume, -as, -is, -os, -us, -ex, -it, -est, -al, -el, -il, -ol, -eul, -all, -if, -ef, -ac, -ic, -oc, -uc, -am, -um, -en, -air, -er, -erf, -ert, -ar, -arc, -ars, -art, -our, -ours, -or, -ord, -ors, -ort, -ir, -eur (if animate), -ail, -eil, -euil, -ueil, -ing

Nouns denoting males

It might sound logical, but just in case, nouns that refer to male people or animals are generally masculine (e.g., "homme" - man, "garçon" - boy, "coq" - rooster).

Days of the week, months, and seasons

• Days of the week (e.g., "lundi" - Monday, "mardi" - Tuesday)
• Months of the year (e.g., "janvier" - January, "février" - February)
• Seasons (e.g., "printemps" - spring, "été" - summer)

Languages

Names of languages are masculine (e.g., "français" - French, "anglais" - English).

Metals and elements

Names of metals and chemical elements are usually masculine (e.g., "fer" - iron, "or" - gold).

Colors

Names of colors used as nouns are typically masculine (e.g., "bleu" - blue, "rouge" - red).

Trees

Names of trees are generally masculine (e.g., "chêne" - oak, "sapin" - fir).

Borrowed words

Nouns borrowed from other languages — thank you, languages! — that don’t have a clear gender in French are often treated as masculine (e.g., "le weekend" - weekend, "le parking" - parking).

Here are some examples to get you started:

General rules for identifying feminine nouns

For all our readers who identify as female, don’t worry, the feminine gender has rules too!

Common endings

• -tion, -sion
• -té, -tié
• -ure
• -ude, -ade
• -esse
• -ette
• -ence, -ance
• -ine, -ise
• -ie
• Other endings: -aie, -oue, -eue, -te, -ée, -ue, -asse, -ace, -ece, -aisse, -isse, -ice, -ousse, -anse, -once, -enne, -onne, -une, -aine, -eine, -erne, -ande, -ende, -onde, -arde, -orde, -euse, -ouse, -ase, -aise, -ese, -oise, -yse, -ose, -use, -ache, -iche, -eche, -oche, -uche, -ouche, -anche, -ave, -eve, -ive, -ière, -eure, -ete, -ête, -atte, -otte, -oute, -orte, -ante, -ente, -inte, -onte, -alle, -elle, -ille, -olle, -aille, -eille, -ouille, -appe, -ampe, -ombe, -igue

Nouns denoting females

Just like for the masculine, nouns that refer to female people or animals are generally feminine (e.g., "femme" - woman, "fille" - girl, "poule" - hen).

Countries, continents, and regions ending in -e

Countries, continents, and regions ending in -e are usually feminine (e.g., "France," "Europe," "Provence").

Arts and sciences

Names of arts and sciences are generally feminine (e.g., "littérature" - literature, "chimie" - chemistry).

Here are a few examples:

Common exceptions to the rules

I know you’re over the moon because you’ve already mastered gender in French… In 80% of the cases! Well, sorry to disappoint, but there are of course a few exceptions. It’s a Latin language, after all!

Below are a few of the most common exceptions to these rules.

Gender agreement between nouns and adjectives in French

In French, like in any Latin language, nouns and adjectives must agree in gender and number. If they disagree, that’s “la fin des haricots” (I’ll let you look up that one…)!

This means that adjectives change their form to match the gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural) of the nouns they describe.

Main rules

• Masculine singular: The base form of an adjective is usually its masculine singular form.
• Feminine singular: To make an adjective feminine singular, generally add an -e to the masculine form. If the masculine form already ends in -e, it usually remains the same.
• Masculine plural: To form the masculine plural, usually add an -s to the masculine singular form. If the adjective already ends in -s or -x, it does not change.
• Feminine plural: To form the feminine plural, add -es to the masculine singular form, or simply add -s to the feminine singular form.

Special cases and irregular adjectives

• Some adjectives are irregular and do not follow the standard rules. For example:
  • Beau (beautiful) -> belle (feminine singular), beaux (masculine plural), belles (feminine plural)
  • Vieux (old) -> vieille (feminine singular), vieux (masculine plural), vieilles (feminine plural)
  • Nouveau (new) -> nouvelle (feminine singular), nouveaux (masculine plural), nouvelles (feminine plural)
• Adjectives that end in -el, -eil, -il, -en, -on, -et, -s, and -x often double the final consonant before adding the -e for the feminine form:
  • Bon (good) -> bonne
  • Cruel (cruel) -> cruelle
  • Gros (big/fat) -> grosse

Examples of gender agreement in French

Gender irregularities in French

Nouns that change meaning with gender

In French, some nouns change their meaning entirely depending on their gender. Yep, it adds a little fun to your learning, right? Below are some common examples so you get a better idea:

Invariable nouns

Fortunately, it’s not all exception and irregularities! Indeed, the French language has some awesome words called invariable. Basically, invariable nouns don’t change their form regardless of the gender they refer to. You just need to change the article to indicate the gender. How cool is that?

Below are some examples:

Sure, here's the table with the specified columns:

Compound nouns

The gender of compound nouns in French is generally determined by the main noun (the head noun) in the compound. This main noun typically dictates the overall gender of the compound noun. However, this can sometimes be nuanced — imagine that! — depending on the structure of the compound noun.

Here are the guidelines and some examples:

Noun + Noun

• The gender is usually determined by the first noun.
• Example:
  • Un chou-fleur (cauliflower) - Masculine because "chou" (cabbage) is masculine.
  • Un timbre-poste (postage stamp) - Masculine because "timbre" (stamp) is masculine.

Noun + Adjective

• The gender is typically determined by the noun.
• Example:
  • Un coffre-fort (safe) - Masculine because "coffre" (chest) is masculine.
  • Une belle-sœur (sister-in-law) - Feminine because "sœur" (sister) is feminine.

You’ll find more adjectives in French here.

Adjective + Noun

• The gender is generally determined by the noun.
• Example:
  • La haute-couture (high fashion) - Feminine because "couture" (sewing, fashion) is feminine.
  • Un beau-frère (brother-in-law) - Masculine because "frère" (brother) is masculine.

Verb + Noun

• The gender is usually determined by the noun.
• Example:
  • Un porte-monnaie (wallet) - Masculine because "monnaie" (money) is masculine.
  • Un tire-bouchon (corkscrew) - Masculine because "bouchon" (cork) is masculine.

Preposition + Noun

• The gender is generally determined by the noun.
• Example:
  • Un sans-abri (homeless person) - Masculine because "abri" (shelter) is masculine.
  • Un après-midi (afternoon) - Masculine because "midi" (noon) is masculine.

Verb + Preposition + Noun

• The gender is typically determined by the noun.
• Example:
  • Un tire-à-l’arc (archery) - Masculine because "arc" (bow) is masculine.
  • Un garde-à-vous (attention stance) - Masculine because "vous" (you) is masculine in this context.

Examples

Pluralization and gender

In French, some nouns change gender when they become plural. As weird as it might seem, don’t worry, there are just 3 of them, and there are all masculine when singular, and feminine when plural.

It’s a great way to impress your French-speaking friends with a very minimal learning effort, because many French people actually don’t know that!

7 Practical tips for learning and using gender

As a French native, I understand gender of nouns in Latin languages can be challenging with so many rules and exceptions. That being said, there are 3 genders in German and Latin, so it could be worse, right?

Here are some practical tips to help you crack the Da Vinci — errr, gender in French — code and use gender correctly:

1. Memorize nouns with their articles

Imagine nouns with their own article: "le" for masculine and "la" for feminine, and give them a gender in your head. For example, think of "le chien" (the dog) as a macho pup with sunglasses and "la voiture" (the car) as a stylish pink Corvette— Barbie style — with a glittery beret.

Use flashcards, Post-its or apps to help these articles stay by their nouns' sides.

2. Recognize common gender patterns

As seen above, while there are many exceptions, some common patterns can help you out:

• Masculine endings:
  • -age (le fromage - cheese, which we all know is tough!)
  • -eau (le château - castle, where knights live)
  • -isme (le tourisme - tourism, think of an adventurous Indiana Jones – ok, that’s a stretch, but whatever helps you!)
• Feminine Endings:
  • -tion (la nation - nation, ruled by a queen, perhaps?)
  • -sion (la télévision - television, always diva-ish)
  • -té (la liberté - freedom, symbolized by Lady Liberty)

3. Use mnemonic devices

Create silly stories to remember genders. Imagine masculine nouns with a macho superhero and feminine nouns with a glamorous movie star.

4. Use language tools

Online dictionaries and apps are like your language amis, always ready to tell you if a noun is rocking an "m" or "f."

5. Practice with native speakers

Chat with native French speakers or join a language exchange. If you can’t find anything like this in your area, you’ll find plenty of opportunities online, for example on language forums or simply social media! You can also take a French course online.

Even better, if you can, take a trip or a language course in a French-speaking country.

6. Have fun

Learning a language can be a bit tedious, so it’s important to enjoy yourself. What do you like to do? Binge on TV shows? Sing in the shower? Read? Cook? Awesome, you can do all that… in French! The more you soak in, the more natural gender usage will feel.

7. Be patient and consistent

It might be common sense, but it’s important to repeat it! Learning gender in French, or a language in general, is like gardening: it takes time, patience, and a little bit of love. Keep at it, and soon your language garden will be in full bloom. Yep, it’s cheesy, but we’re talking about the country of cheese!

Common mistakes to avoid while using masculine and feminine nouns in French

One of the biggest pitfalls when learning French, or any new language, is trying to think in your native language or searching for direct equivalents. Trust me, it rarely works, and it’s not the way you want to wire your brain! Gender in French is a prime example of this, since English doesn’t assign gender to objects. To get it right, always learn nouns with their articles (le/la) as if you're giving them their first name. Imagine each noun getting its own title! Monsieur verre, Madame assiette, etc.

French nouns can be very sneaky, especially when you’re trying to stick to the rule, and it doesn’t work. You know, the dreadful exceptions, leading to tourists looking for "le plage” or “la musée". French definitely likes to keep you guessing!

Matching adjectives to nouns can also be a delightful source of chaos. You don’t want to end up with "le voiture rouge" when it should be "la voiture rouge." And those pesky plural forms that can switch things up even more?

But here’s the kicker: mistakes — les erreurs (feminine)— are a natural part of learning, and they can actually be quite endearing. As a French speaker, I find it absolutely charming when English speakers mix up genders. It’s a fantastic icebreaker and a great way to make new amis (masculine) and amies (feminine). So, don’t worry too much and give it a try!

Gender and inclusive language in French

And speaking of amis et amies, in recent years, there's been a significant push towards adopting inclusive language in French to combat gender bias and promote equality. This approach to non-sexist language — often criticized by language purists, traditionalists and others — seeks to create a space that honors and recognizes all genders, moving away from the traditional masculine defaults. This change not only promotes inclusivity but also mirrors the diverse reality of our modern society.

Here are a few guidelines — more details in this guide — to help you navigate this linguistic evolution. Please note that official bodies like the Académie Française, which oversees the French language, haven’t recognized an inclusive and neutral French language.

Inclusive and neutral French language

This new French grammar includes two main approaches: neutral and inclusive. Neutral grammar doesn't reference any gender and is often used to represent non-binary individuals. Inclusive grammar, on the other hand, aims to represent all genders and is more widely used as it includes everyone. While these guidelines primarily focuses on inclusive grammar to ensure comprehensive representation, they also acknowledge the neutral approach for transparency.

Feminization

Feminization challenges the automatic masculine default in French. This involves using characters like the midpoint (e.g., intéressé·e) to represent both masculine and feminine forms. Avoid using parentheses or slashes, as they can imply lesser importance to the other genders.

Epicene writing

Epicene writing avoids gender-specific terms. Certain words already fit this category and don’t need alteration, such as "élève" (student) or "bénévole" (volunteer). For gendered expressions, use epicene alternatives: "l’auditoire" instead of "auditeurs/auditrices" (audience), or "les gens" instead of "Mesdames et Messieurs" (ladies and gentlemen).

New grammar rules

Inclusive grammar is evolving to better represent non-binary individuals. This includes new pronouns (e.g., "iel" or "ille") and possessive forms (e.g., "maon," "taon," "saon"). Plural inclusive pronouns like "iel·les" are also used. New endings like "x" are introduced for neutrality and inclusivity, such as "mignonx" instead of "mignon" or "mignonne."

Gender-neutral terms

To avoid gendered expressions, rephrase sentences to be inclusive. For instance, use "la personne moyenne" instead of "l'homme moyen" (average person). Neutral terms and new grammar rules help ensure language inclusivity and representation of all gender identities.

You've explored the fascinating, sometimes intimidating world of French gender, and now you're ready to put your skills to the test! Just like any new endeavor, consistent practice is the secret. Soon enough, those annoying gender rules will become second nature — though a few erreurs amusantes are part of the fun!

Mastering gender in French not only sets you apart, but also makes your conversations smoother and more authentic. Where other English speakers might stumble, you'll confidently navigate with "le" and "la", impressing native speakers and fellow learners alike.

And here’s a little secret from a French person: Even some French natives don’t get it right sometimes, especially for these words that change gender when plural!

So, keep pushing forward, stay enthusiastic, and enjoy every step of the journey! Each time you correctly use "le" or "la," it's a mini triumph (petit/petite victoire ?) worth celebrating. Did you get it right this time? Fantastique!

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