Noun
(Nom)
Gender
of the Nouns (Genre des Noms)
The nouns in French are either of masculine
or of feminine gender.
Nouns that refer to males are masculine
and those that refer to females are feminine.
| Masculine |
Feminine |
-
homme man
-
père father
-
fils [fis] son
-
frère brother
-
oncle uncle
-
neveu nephew
-
cousin cousin
(he)
-
roi king
-
serviteur servant
...
-
bouc goat (he)
-
bélier ram
-
bœuf bull
-
canard drake
-
cerf buck
-
cheval horse
-
coq cock
-
dindon turkey-cock
-
jars gander
-
lièvre hare
-
mulet mule (he)
-
perroquet parrot
(he)
-
porc boar
-
poulain foal
-
sanglier wild
boar (he)
-
singe ape
-
veau calf (he)
|
-
femme [fam] woman
-
mère mother
-
fille [fij] daughter,
girl
-
sœur sister
-
tante aunt
-
nièce niece
-
cousine cousin
(she)
-
reine queen
-
servante maid
...
-
chèvre goat
(she)
-
brebis sheep
-
vache cow
-
cane duck
-
biche doe
-
jument mare
-
poule hen
-
dinde turkey
-
oie goose
-
hase doe
-
mule mule (she)
-
perruche parrot
(she)
-
truie female
swine
-
pouliche young
mare
-
laie wild boar
(she)
-
guenon ape (she)
-
génisse calf
(she)
|
For the nouns that denote inanimate objects
gender seems randomly assigned and it is to be memorized.
Sometimes the gender may be recognized
by the suffixes.
Nouns ending in -age, -ier -ion, -ment,
-oir etc. are masculine:
-
voyage
voyage,
-
encrier
ink
pot,
-
avion aircraft.
-
bâtiment
building,
-
miroir
mirror.
Nouns ending in -ade, -aison, -tion (-sion),
-ance (-ence), -erie, -ise, -tude, -té, -(t)ure, -ale (-ole), -aix
(-oix), -oire etc. are feminine:
-
marmelade
jam,
-
maison
house,
-
nation
nation
-
vision
vision,
-
substance
substance,
-
essence
fuel,
-
boulangerie
baker,
|
-
bêtise
nonsense,
-
cité
city,
-
altitude
height,
-
nature
nature,
-
paix peace,
-
voix [vwa]
voice,
-
gloire
glory.
|
For more details see Suffixes
of Nouns.
Derivation
of the Feminine (La Dérivation du Féminin)
Usually feminine is derived from masculine
by adding a mute -e; note that in these cases the mute final consonants
of the masculine forms become pronounceable, cf.:
| Masculine |
Feminine |
-
ami
[ami]
friend
-
avocat
[av
 ka]
advocate
-
candidat
[k
 dida]
candidate
-
correspondant
[k
  sp d]
correspondent
|
-
amie
[ami]
friend
-
avocate
[avkat]
advocate
-
candidate
[kdidat]
candidate
-
correspondante
[kspdt]
correspondent
|
There occur some orthographic and phonetic
changes:
|
Termination
change
|
Examples
|
|
masculine
|
feminine
|
masculine
|
feminine
|
|
-p
|
-ve
|
loup wolf
|
louve
|
|
-f
|
-ve
|
veuf widow
|
veuve
|
|
-x
|
-se
|
époux spouse
|
épouse
|
|
-el
|
-elle
|
colonel colonel
|
colonelle
|
|
-er
|
-ère
|
berger shepherd
|
bergère
|
|
-n
|
-nne
|
lion lion
|
lionne
|
Feminine can be derived through suffixation:
| Suffix
Change |
Examples |
|
Masculine
|
Feminine
|
Masculine
|
Feminine
|
|
[noun]
|
+esse
|
maître
master |
maîtresse
mistress |
|
-eur
|
-eresse
|
pécheur
sinner |
pécheresse
sinner |
|
-eau
|
-elle
|
chameau he-camel |
chamelle she-camel |
|
-eur
|
-euse
|
serveur waiter |
serveuse waiteress |
|
-teur
|
-trice
|
directeur director |
directrice manageress |
|
-deur
|
-drice
|
ambassadeur ambassador |
ambassadrice
ambassadress |
Gender
of
the
nouns
of Greek origin (Genre des noms d'origine Grecque)
The nouns of Greek origin tend to preserve
the gender they have in Greek (the nouns of neuter gender being classified
as masculine). Thus:
The nouns suffixed by -me, -at and
-ète
are masculine, cf.:
-
thème theme,
topic, telegramme depeche;
-
climat climate;
-
poète poet,
prophète
prophet,
comète
comet
etc.
The nouns suffixed by -se, -èse
are feminine:
-
crise crisis,
hypothèse
hypothesis,
synthèse
synthesis,
thèse
thesis
etc.
The separate treating of the Greek words was
inherited from the Classical Latin where they had a declination
pattern of their own.
Nouns
of common gender (Noms de genre commun)
These are nouns with one form for both
genders. Here are included:
1. All the nouns suffixed by -ista,
cf.:
-
artiste artist
-
journaliste journalist
-
pianiste pianist
-
touriste tourist
etc.
2. Some other nouns, like:
-
camarade comrade
-
compatriote compatriot
-
hérétique heretic
-
indigène indigen
-
interprète interpreter
-
patriotre patriot
Nouns
of epicene gender (Noms de genre épicène)
These are nouns having but one form to
indicate either sex. The natural sex is indicated by the adjectives
mâle
male
and femelle
female:
-
la souris (mâle / femelle)
mouse
-
la cigogne (mâle / femelle)
stork
-
la grenouille (mâle / femelle)
toad
-
le serpent (mâle / femelle)
snake
-
le rossignol (mâle / femelle)
nightingale
-
le canari (mâle / femelle)
canary.
Nouns
of both genders (Noms de genre ambigu)
A few nouns may be either masculine or
feminine:
| Word |
Usage
in masculine |
Usage
in feminine |
| amour
love,
love affair |
un amour passager |
les amours secrètes
de Jean |
| après-midi
afternoon |
indifferently
|
indifferently
|
| chose
thing |
in the expressions:
-
autre chose,
-
grand-chose,
-
peu de chose,
-
quelque chose
|
in all the other cases
|
| gens (pl.)
people |
with adjectives
that follow the noun:
|
with adjectives
that precede the noun, ifthey have different forms for masculine and feminine,
cf.:
-
tous ces braves gens si hospitaliers
-
toutes ces vieilles gens si hospitaliers
|
| merci
mercy |
in the expressions
of politeness |
in the expression:
à la merci de... |
| œuvre
work |
in the expressions:
-
le gros œuvre
-
le grand œuvre
|
in all the other cases
|
| orgue
organ
(wind instrument) |
un orgue portatif |
les grandes orgues
d'une cathédrale |
| perce-neige
snowdrop |
indifferently
|
indifferently
|
Some of these nouns may change their meaning:
| Word |
Meaning
in masculine |
Meaning
in feminine |
aide
aigle
couple
crêpe
critique
foudre
garde
guide
hymne
livre
manche
mémoire
mode
moule
office
paillasse
page
Pâque
poêle
pendule
personne
poste
physique
platine
politique
solde
somme
statuaire
tour
vague
vapeur
voile |
assistant
male
eagle; eagle-bearing insignia
couple
crepe,
crape
critic
tun
guardian,
custodian
chieftain;
guide (manual)
national
anthem
book
handle,
grip, knob
scientific
article
mode,
manner
mold
church
service
jester
page
(young servant)
the
Jewish Passover
oven
pendulum
person
administrative
position
physique
(bodily
makeup)
platinum
politician
merchandise
of reduced price
sleep
sculptor
lap,
tour
vaguenes
steamer
veil |
aid
female
eagle; eagle-bearing standard
pair
pancake
critique
thunderbolt
guard,
custody
rein,
bridle
religious
song
pound
sleeve
memory
fashon
shell
pantry
mattress
of straw
page
(book leaf)
(pl.)
Easter
frying
pan
clock
(indef.
pron.) nobody
mail
(station)
physics
(science)
flat
part
politics
soldier
salary
sum
plastic
art
tower
wave
steam,
vapor
sail |
Plural
of the Nouns (Pluriel des Noms)
Plural is derived by adding -s
to the nouns, cf.:
| Singular |
Plural |
ami
friend
clou nail
détail
detail
mère mother
page page
etc... |
amis
friends
clous nails
détails
details
mères mothers
pages pages |
Note that this -s
is mute, though written, and in the speach plural is recognized by external
indicators, as articles, pronouns etc, cf.:
-
l'ami : les amis,
-
le clou : les clous,
-
la mère : les mères
|
-
mon ami : mes amis,
-
ce clou : ces clous,
-
ma mère : nos mères
|
Orthographic
Particularities:
|
Ending
in Singular
|
Ending
in Plural
|
Examples
|
|
-s, -x, -z
|
remain unchanged
|
-
le bras : les
bras arm :
arms
-
la voix : les
voix voice
: voices
-
le nez : les
nez nose :
noses
|
|
-au, -eau,
-eu, -œu
|
+x
|
-
le noyau :
les
noyaux
pit
of a fruit : pits
-
le château
:
les châteaux castle
: castles
-
le feu : les
feux fire
: fires
-
le vœu : les
vœux wish
: wishes
|
|
-ou
|
+x
(seven words only)
|
-
le bijou : les
bijoux jewel
: jewels
-
le caillou :
les cailloux stone
: stones
-
le chou : les
choux cabbage
: cabbages
-
le genou : les
genoux knee
: knees
-
le hibou : les
hiboux owl
: owls
-
le joujou : les
joujoux toy
: toys
-
le pou : les
poux louce
: lice
|
|
-ail
|
-aux
(eight words only)
|
-
le bail : les
baux lease
: leases
-
le corail : les
coraux coral
: corals
-
l' émail
:
les émaux overglaze
: overglazes
-
le fermail :
les fermaux buckle
: buckles
-
le soupirail :
les soupiraux small window for aeration
: ...
-
le travail :
les travaux work
: works
-
le vantail :
les vantaux wing of a door
: wings...
-
le vitrail :
les vitraux large painted window
: ...
|
|
-al
|
-aux
|
-
le journal :
les journaux journal
: journals
-
The following exceptions from this rule
occur:
le bal :
les bals ball (dance)
: balls
le carnaval
:
les -als carnival
: -als
le cèrémonial
:
les -als ceremonial
: -als
le chacal
:
les chacals jackal
: jackals
le festival
:
les -als festival
: festivals
le récital
:
les récitals recital
: recitals
etc...
|
Family names do not add -s
to make plural, cf.: les Dupont
the
Duponts.
The plurals of the illustrious family names
are, however, formed with -s,
cf.:
-
les Bourbons the
Bourbons,
-
les Plantagenets the
Plantagenets,
-
les Scipions the
Scipions,
-
les Stuarts the
Stuarts etc.
Irregular
Plural Forms (Formes Irrégulières de Pluriel)
| Singular |
Plural |
| un aïeul ancestor |
des aïeuls
grandparents
/ des aïeux ancestors |
| un ciel sky |
des cieux skies
/
des ciels skies |
| un erratum erratum |
des errata errata |
| un gentleman gentleman |
des gentlemen gentlemen |
| un impresario impresario |
des impresari- (-ios)
impresarios |
| un œil eye |
des yeux eyes
/ des œils eyes (as technical term) |
Plural
of the Compound Nouns (Pluriel des Noms Composés)
| Type
of Compound Noun |
Rule |
Examples |
| Noun + Noun |
If the second
noun is an apposition to the first, both make plural. |
un aide-maçon : des
aides-maçons
une location-vente : des locations-ventes |
| If the second noun is a
complement to the first, only the first noun forms plural. |
un timbre-poste
: des timbres-poste
une pause-café : des pauses-café |
| Noun + Adj. (Adj. +
Noun) |
In 95% of the
cases both elements form plural. |
une basse-cour
: des basses-cours
un haut-commissaire : des hauts-commissaires
-
Note especially:
un bonhomme : des bonshommes
un gentilhomme : des gentilshommes
madame : mesdames
mademoiselle : mesdemoiselles
monsieur : messieurs
|
| Noun +Prep.
+ Noun |
If
the second noun is a complement to the first, only the first noun forms
plural. |
un bouton-d'or : des boutons-d'or
un arc-en-ciel : des arcs-en-ciels |
| If the compound noun is
derived from complements attached to a verb, both elements remain invariable. |
un coq-à-l'âne
: des coq-à-l'âne
un pied-à-terre : des pied-à-terre
un face-à-face : des face-à-face |
| Prep. (Prefix) + Noun |
Only the noun makes plural. |
un demi-soupir : des demi-soupirs |
| Verb
+ Noun |
In 70% of the
cases both the verb and the noun remain invariable. |
un coupe-gorge
: des coupe-gorge
un porte-avions : des porte-avions |
| In 20% of the
cases the noun makes plural, while the verb remains invariable. |
un arrache-clou
: des arrache-clous
un passe-montagne : des passe-montagnes |
| In 10% of the
cases the noun can make or not plural, while the verb remains invariable. |
un porte-savon
: des porte-savon(s)
un pèse-lettre : des pèse-lettre(s) |
| Phrase |
All the elements
remain invariable. |
un cessez-le-feu
: des cessez-le-feu
un on-dit : des on-dit rumours |
Nouns
of different meaning in plural
(Noms
de significations différentes en pluriel)
Some nouns change their meaning in plural:
| Singular |
Plural |
| abattis
m
cut
wood |
abattis
m
turnings |
| autorité
f
authority |
autorités
f
authorities |
| bouche
f
mouth |
bouches
f
mouth
of a river |
| but m
aim,
goal |
buts m
goal
(sport) |
| ciseau
m
chisel |
ciseaux
m
scissors |
| douceur
f
sweetness |
douceurs
f
cake,
sweet |
| eau f
water |
eaux f
fountains |
| fer m
iron |
fers m
irons |
| humanité
f
humanity,
mankind |
humanités
f
humanities |
| lendemain
m
the
next day |
lendemains
m
future |
| lunettes
f
round
window |
lunettes
f
spectacles |
| menotte
f
little
hand |
menottes
f
shackles |
| lumière
f
light |
lumières
f
enligtenment |
| papier
m
paper |
papiers
m
documents,
papers |
| pâte
f
dough |
pâtes
f
pastry |
| provision
f
advance,
store, supply, stock |
provisions
f
viand |
| statut
m
statute |
statuts
m
regulations |
| vacance
f
vacant
place |
vacances
f
holiday |
| vicissitude
f
change,
transformations |
vicissitudes
f
vicissitudes |
Pluralia
tantum
These are nouns used in plural only. The
most important between them are:
-
affres f horrors
-
agissements m actions
-
annales f annals
-
appointements m royalty
-
archives f archive
-
armoiries f coat
of arms
-
arrhes f down
payment
-
besicles f spectacles
-
bestiaux m beasts
-
broussailles f bushes
-
Calandes Grecques f Greek
Calends
-
cisailles f garden
scissors
-
confins m boundaries
-
dépens m spendigs
-
décombres f debris
|
-
ébats m game
-
émoluments m perquisite
-
entrailles f intestines
-
fiançailles f betrothment
-
funérailles f funeral
-
honoraires m honorarium,
fee
-
mânes m ghosts
of dead
-
mœurs f customs,
behaviors
-
obsèques f obsequy
-
pierreries f jewels
-
pourparlers m negotiations
-
prémices f first-fruits
-
ténèbres f
darknes
-
vêpres f vesper
-
vivres m victuals
|
Some geographical
names are used in plural only:
-
les Andes
the
Ands
-
les Alpes
the
Alps
-
les Antilles
the
Antilles
-
las Baléares
the
Balearic Islands
-
les Carpathes
the
Carpathians
Singularia
tantum
These are nouns used in singular only.
The most important between them are:
1. The proper names: Jean
John,
Marie
Mary,
Paris
Paris,
France
France
etc.
2. Nouns, designating objects and phenomena
unique in themselves, such as:
-
le soleil sun
-
la lune moon
-
le sud south
-
le nord north
-
l'horizon horizon
3. Nouns, designating substances, materials,
products etc.:
-
le lait milk
-
le charbon coal
-
le blé wheat
If used in plural, they denote types, kinds
or separate peaces.
4. Abstract nouns, denoting quality, action
or state:
-
la joie joy
-
la vaillance valor
-
le développement development
-
l'ingratitude ingratitude
-
l'orgueil proud
5. Nouns implying a total plurality, such
as:
-
le pavage pavement
-
l'argent money
6. The nouns suffixed by -isme and
the names of the sciences, as:
-
l'impressionisme impressionism
-
la medicine medicine
(medical science)
-
la biologie biology.
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