How do you know if a word is masculine or feminine in French?

Determining whether a French noun is masculine or feminine can be difficult for learners. There are some general rules, but many exceptions exist. Below are guidelines to help identify the gender of French words.

Articles Indicate Gender

French nouns are preceded by articles that indicate gender.

• Le: Used for masculine words
• La: Used for feminine words
• L’: Used for words beginning with a vowel, regardless of gender
• Un: Masculine form of an indefinite article
• Une: Feminine form of an indefinite article

Example:
Le livre (the book) – masculine
La table (the table) – feminine

Common Endings for Masculine and Feminine Words

Masculine Endings

Words ending in the following are usually masculine:

• -eau: Example: bateau (boat)
• -isme: Example: tourisme (tourism)
• -ment: Example: mouvement (movement)

Feminine Endings

Words ending in these are often feminine:

• -tion: Example: nation (nation)
• -sion: Example: décision (decision)
• -té: Example: liberté (freedom)

Exceptions to the Rules

Some words do not follow the typical gender patterns.

• Le problème (problem) – masculine, despite ending in -e
• La main (hand) – feminine, despite not ending in -tion, -sion, or -té

Gender of Certain Categories of Words

Days, Months, and Seasons

All days of the week, months, and seasons are masculine.
Example: Le lundi (Monday), le juillet (July), le printemps (spring)

Languages

Languages are masculine.
Example: Le français (French), le chinois (Chinese)

Trees

Most tree names are masculine.
Example: Le chêne (oak), le sapin (fir)

Sciences and Academic Disciplines

These are usually feminine.
Example: La chimie (chemistry), la biologie (biology)

Words That Change Gender

Some words change gender depending on meaning.

• Le livre (book) – masculine

• La livre (a unit of weight, pound) – feminine

• Le tour (a trip or tour) – masculine

• La tour (a tower) – feminine

When in Doubt

If unsure, check a dictionary. Most dictionaries indicate the gender with m. for masculine and f. for feminine.