MASCULINE or FEMININE Unlike English French nouns are

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MASCULINE or FEMININE? Unlike English, French nouns are either MASCULINE or FEMININE This is

MASCULINE or FEMININE? Unlike English, French nouns are either MASCULINE or FEMININE This is known as the GENDER 1

Getting the gender right is important in order to avoid confusion and to speak

Getting the gender right is important in order to avoid confusion and to speak the language correctly. The = le – goes before masculine nouns A/an = un – goes before masculine nouns The = la – goes before feminine nouns A/an = une – goes before feminine nouns BUT: l’ (‘the’ before a vowel or h) & les (‘the’ before plurals) go with either gender! 2

Masculine nouns…. • • • Le chien Le sac Le livre Un chien Un

Masculine nouns…. • • • Le chien Le sac Le livre Un chien Un sac Un livre 3

Feminine nouns…. • • • La fille La table La tasse Une fille Une

Feminine nouns…. • • • La fille La table La tasse Une fille Une table Une tasse 4

…. . but how do you know when nouns are masculine or feminine? Here

…. . but how do you know when nouns are masculine or feminine? Here are some pointers…. . keep clicking! 5

MOST masculine nouns are those that… • • … end in a consonant …

MOST masculine nouns are those that… • • … end in a consonant … end in –ment … end in –on … end in –é … end in –eau … end in -ède, -ème, -ège … end in –age … end in -ou (shop) (moment) (fish) (market) (boat) (system) (cheese) (knee) Le magasin Le moment Le poisson Le marché Le bâteau Le système Le fromage Le genou Back to exercises 6

MOST feminine nouns are those that… • • … end in -e … end

MOST feminine nouns are those that… • • … end in -e … end in a vowel + -e … end in –ion … end in –ise … end in -ance, -ence … end in –ière … end in –ude, -ure … end in –ace, -ade (table) (bank) (nation) (church) (chance) (beer) (car) (salade) La table La banque La nation L’ église La chance La bière La voiture La salade Back to exercises 7

BUT there are exceptions… Masculine nouns usually • … end in a consonant •

BUT there are exceptions… Masculine nouns usually • … end in a consonant • … end in –on • … end in –eau • … end in –age Feminine nouns usually • … end in –e • … end in a vowel + -e • … end in –ance, -ence BUT…. . (tooth) (drink) (skin) La dent La boisson La peau (page) La page (cheese) (museum) (silence) Le fromage Le musée Le silence Back to exercises 8

TIP! In order to get the gender right, learn and visualise all new nouns

TIP! In order to get the gender right, learn and visualise all new nouns with the articles… Le/Un chien Le/Un fromage La/Une voiture La/Une dent 9

Don’t worry – the more you use the language, the easier it will be

Don’t worry – the more you use the language, the easier it will be to get the gender right Try the following exercises by clicking on the links below: • Start from scratch… • Know a little… • Quite confident… 1 Click here. . . 2 Click here. . . 3 Click here. . . Choose your level or start from scratch and do the lot! Use a dictionary if you want – answers are at the bottom of each page! Return to Masculine Return to Feminine Return to Exceptions 10