Gender agreement in French means that words must match in gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural). This is important for nouns, adjectives, articles, pronouns, and some verb forms to ensure correct grammar.
Rules
- Nouns: Each noun has a gender (masculine or feminine).
- Adjectives: Must agree with the noun’s gender and number.
- Articles: Change form to match the noun’s gender and number.
- Pronouns: Must agree with the noun or person they replace.
- Verb agreement: Required only in certain cases (e.g., past participles with être or direct object pronouns).
How do adjectives agree with nouns in French?
Adjectives change endings to match the noun's gender and number
French adjectives must change their endings to agree with the gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural) of the noun they describe.
Examples
Nouns and Articles
| Noun | Article + Noun (Singular) | Article + Noun (Plural) | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| garçon (boy) | le garçon | les garçons | the boy / the boys |
| fille (girl) | la fille | les filles | the girl / the girls |
Adjectives
French adjectives change endings to agree with the noun’s gender and number.
| Base Adjective | Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | Masculine Plural | Feminine Plural | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| petit (small) | petit | petite | petits | petites | small |
| blanc (white) | blanc | blanche | blancs | blanches | white |
Examples:
| Noun + Adjective (Singular) | Noun + Adjective (Plural) | English Example |
|---|---|---|
| un garçon petit | des garçons petits | a small boy / small boys |
| une fille petite | des filles petites | a small girl / small girls |
Pronouns
| Subject (Nom) | Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | Masculine Plural | Feminine Plural | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| il | il | — | ils | — | he / they (masc.) |
| elle | — | elle | — | elles | she / they (fem.) |
| Pronoun (Objet Direct) | Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | Masculine Plural | Feminine Plural | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| le | le | — | les | — | him / it / them (masc.) |
| la | — | la | — | les | her / it / them (fem.) |
Past Participle Agreement
With être or with a preceding direct object pronoun, the past participle agrees in gender and number.
| Pronoun + Verb | Past Participle | English Example |
|---|---|---|
| Elle est partie | partie (fem. sing.) | She left |
| Ils sont partis | partis (masc. pl.) | They left |
| La lettre que j’ai écrite | écrite (fem. sing.) | The letter I wrote |
Sample Sentences
| French Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Le garçon est petit. | The boy is small. |
| La fille est petite. | The girl is small. |
| Les garçons sont petits. | The boys are small. |
| Les filles sont petites. | The girls are small. |
| Elle est partie tôt. | She left early. |
| Ils sont partis tôt. | They left early. |
| La robe que j’ai achetée est rouge. | The dress I bought is red. |
Summary
Gender agreement in French requires matching gender (masc./fem.) and number (sing./plur.) across nouns, adjectives, articles, pronouns, and certain verb forms. Rules are mostly regular but include some exceptions.
Flashcards (1 of 20)
- Noun: garçon (boy)
- Article + Noun (Singular): le garçon
- Article + Noun (Plural): les garçons
- English Example: the boy / the boys
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
