Babbel: Unit 6

The Complete French Grammar Course

• Videos: 3
• Book Pages: Page 15-23 (ebook)
• Exercises: 1.3 - 1.6

90% rule for French nouns gender guessing (but not reliable so only a quick tip):

• If the noun ends in -e it is feminine; all other endings indicate masculine

Countries have genders!

• If a country ends with -e it is feminine otherwise it is masculine
  • and exception is Le Mexique (Mexico) which is masculine
• Plural countries are simply plural
• When speaking of a nationality - of a person - the country will change to match the gender of the person you are talking about

The following nouns are always masculine:

• Days of the Week
• Seasons
• Languages
• Weights & Metrics
• English loan words used in French

Professions, People & Gender

• If a noun ends in -e (or -t) then it will stay the same regardless of the gender of the person performing the profession, and only the article will change.
  • eg. un architecte - une architecte
• If the noun ends in a vowel (such as -i or -é) the feminine form will take an additional e.
  • eg. un apprenti - une apprentie
  • eg. un associé - une associée
• If the noun ends in a consonant add an -e after the consonant
  • eg. un avocat - une avocate
  • eg. un cousin - une cousine
• Sometimes the addition of an -e at the end isn't enough and other endings will be required
  • Masculine -er // Feminine -ère
    • eg. un infirmier // une infirmière
  • Masculine -eur // Feminine -euse
    • eg. un coiffeur // une coiffeuse
  • Masculine -ien // Feminine -ienne
    • eg. un pharmacien // une pharmacienne
  • Masculine -on // Feminine -onne
    • eg. un patron // une patronne
  • Masculine -teur // Feminine -trice
    • eg. un acteur // une actrice
  • Masculine -f // Feminine -v
    • eg. un veuf // une veuve
  • Masculine -x // Feminine -se
    • un époux // une éspouse
• Some nouns will not change depending on the gender of the person meaning that the same noun is use for both male and female
  • un bébé - a baby
  • un mannequin - a model
  • une connaissance - an acquaintance
  • une star - a star
  • une vedette - a star
  • une victime - a victim

Sometimes the gender of a noun can change it's meaning

• eg. Le poste = job // La poste = post office
• eg. Le rose = pink (colour) // La rose = rose (flower)
• eg. Le voile = veil // La voile = sail