Study French
French noun genders
The gender of most French nouns follows from their ending or their meaning. These are the
73 groups behind the 337 nouns of our word bank up to level
A1 , in the order our
practice introduces them: 76% of the nouns follow one of them, the rest must be learnt word by word.
Open a group for its explanation, examples, exceptions and every noun in it.
masc
masculine (le)
191 nouns (57%)
48 groups
fem
feminine (la)
146 nouns (43%)
24 groups
1
masc
Male people
rule
l'acteur, l'ami, le copain, le docteur
24 nouns
2
fem
Female people
rule
l'actrice, l'amie, la copine, l'enseignante
20 nouns
3
masc
People nouns that are always masculine
rule
le bébé
1 noun
4
fem
People nouns that are always feminine
rule
la personne, les personnes
2 nouns
5
masc
Mixed-gender groups of people
rule
les gens, les grands-parents, les parents
3 nouns
6
fem
Female animals
rule
la vache
1 noun
7
masc
Days of the week
rule
le dimanche, le jeudi, le lundi, le mardi
7 nouns
8
masc
Months
rule
l'août, l'avril, le décembre, le février
12 nouns
9
masc
Seasons
rule
l'automne, l'été, l'hiver, le printemps
4 nouns
10
masc
Nouns ending in a consonant
strong indication
l'air, le cœur, le corps, le mur
14 nouns
11
fem
Nouns ending in ‑tion, ‑sion or ‑xion
strong indication
la question, la station, la télévision
3 nouns
12
masc
Nouns ending in ‑ment
rule
l'aliment, l'appartement, le sentiment, les vêtements
4 nouns
13
masc
Nouns ending in ‑eau (except eau and peau)
rule
le bureau, le chapeau, le château, le couteau
7 nouns
14
fem
Nouns ending in ‑ette
strong indication
l'assiette, les lunettes, les toilettes
3 nouns
15
masc
Nouns ending in ‑age
strong indication
le fromage, le message, le visage
3 nouns
16
fem
Nouns ending in ‑ure
strong indication
la chaussure, l'heure, la nourriture, la voiture
4 nouns
17
fem
Nouns ending in ‑ité
rule
la nationalité, l'université
2 nouns
18
masc
Shortened words with a masculine full form
rule
le bus, le cinéma, le foot, le kilo
7 nouns
19
fem
Shortened words with a feminine full form
rule
la photo, la télé, la TV
3 nouns
20
masc
Loanwords from English
strong indication
le film, l'Internet, le sport, le week-end
4 nouns
21
masc
Infinitives used as nouns
rule
le déjeuner, le devoir, les devoirs, le dîner
4 nouns
22
fem
Countries ending in ‑e
strong indication
l'Allemagne, l'Angleterre, la Chine, l'Espagne
6 nouns
23
fem
Continents (except Antarctique)
rule
l'Europe
1 noun
24
masc
Ball and racket sports
rule
le football, le tennis
2 nouns
25
fem
Sciences and disciplines
rule
l'histoire
1 noun
26
masc
Trees
rule
l'arbre
1 noun
27
masc
Nouns ending in ‑on (not ‑tion, ‑sion, ‑xion, ‑aison)
indication
l'avion, le ballon, le cochon, le crayon
8 nouns
28
fem
Nouns ending in ‑aison
rule
la maison
1 noun
29
masc
Nouns ending in ‑in
indication
le jardin, le magasin, le matin, le pain
6 nouns
30
masc
Nouns ending in ‑et
rule
le poulet
1 noun
31
fem
Nouns ending in ‑ie
strong indication
la pluie, la vie
2 nouns
32
fem
Nouns ending in ‑ée
strong indication
l'année, la chaussée
2 nouns
33
fem
Nouns ending in ‑ine
strong indication
la cuisine, la semaine
2 nouns
34
fem
Nouns ending in ‑che
strong indication
la bouche
1 noun
35
fem
Nouns ending in ‑ille
strong indication
la bouteille, la famille, l'oreille, la ville
4 nouns
36
fem
Nouns ending in ‑ise
strong indication
la chaise, la chemise, l'église
3 nouns
37
masc
Nouns ending in ‑ier
rule
le papier
1 noun
38
fem
Nouns ending in ‑ière (except cimetière, derrière and arrière)
rule
la bière, la rivière
2 nouns
39
masc
Nouns ending in ‑teur
strong indication
l'ordinateur
1 noun
40
masc
Nouns ending in ‑eur for people and things
strong indication
le téléviseur
1 noun
41
fem
Nouns ending in ‑eur for qualities and feelings
rule
la couleur
1 noun
42
fem
Nouns ending in ‑ance
rule
les vacances
1 noun
43
varies
Phrases: gender of the main noun
rule
la carte de crédit, la chambre à coucher, la crème glacée, la fin de semaine
11 nouns
44
masc
Nouns ending in ‑it
strong indication
l'endroit, le fruit, le lait, le lit
5 nouns
45
masc
Nouns ending in ‑é (not ‑té)
strong indication
le café, le marché, le thé
3 nouns
46
masc
Nouns ending in ‑ail, ‑eil or ‑euil
rule
le soleil, le travail
2 nouns
47
masc
Nouns ending in ‑ant
rule
le petit-enfant, le restaurant
2 nouns
48
masc
Nouns ending in ‑ent
strong indication
l'argent, le vent
2 nouns
49
masc
Nouns ending in ‑al
rule
l'animal, le cheval, l'hôpital, le journal
4 nouns
50
masc
Nouns ending in ‑el
strong indication
le ciel, l'hôtel, le miel, le sel
4 nouns
51
masc
Nouns ending in ‑an or ‑en
strong indication
l'an, le chien, le plan
3 nouns
52
masc
Nouns ending in ‑at
rule
le chat, le chocolat
2 nouns
53
masc
Nouns ending in ‑rt
strong indication
l'aéroport, l'art
2 nouns
54
masc
Nouns ending in ‑d
rule
le pied
1 noun
55
masc
Nouns ending in ‑eu
strong indication
les cheveux, le feu, le jeu
3 nouns
56
masc
Nouns ending in ‑u
strong indication
l'autobus, le jus
2 nouns
57
masc
Nouns ending in ‑i
strong indication
le midi
1 noun
58
masc
Nouns ending in ‑is
strong indication
le mois
1 noun
59
masc
Nouns ending in ‑as
strong indication
le bras
1 noun
60
masc
Nouns ending in ‑ot
strong indication
le mot
1 noun
61
masc
Nouns ending in ‑ol
rule
l'alcool
1 noun
62
masc
Nouns ending in ‑oir
rule
le soir
1 noun
63
masc
Nouns ending in ‑our (except cour and tour)
rule
l'amour, le cours, le jour, le séjour
4 nouns
64
masc
Greek loanwords ending in ‑me
rule
le kilogramme
1 noun
65
masc
Nouns ending in ‑phone or ‑scope
rule
le téléphone
1 noun
66
fem
Nouns ending in ‑thèque
strong indication
la bibliothèque
1 noun
67
fem
Nouns ending in ‑ade
strong indication
la salade
1 noun
68
masc
Nouns ending in ‑ac, ‑ic or ‑oc
strong indication
le lac, le sac
2 nouns
69
fem
Nouns ending in ‑esse
rule
l'adresse
1 noun
70
masc
Nouns ending in ‑il
rule
l'œil
1 noun
71
masc
Nouns ending in ‑aire
indication
l'anniversaire, le dictionnaire
2 nouns
72
masc
Nouns ending in ‑o
strong indication
le dos, le numéro, le piano
3 nouns
73
masc
Nouns ending in ‑bre
indication
le nombre
1 noun
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