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 known as the GENDER 1
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 sac Un livre 3
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 are some pointers…. . keep clicking! 5
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 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 • … 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 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 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