A detailed overview of how French nouns change for number and gender, including rules, exceptions, and key patterns for forming plurals and identifying masculine and feminine forms.
Understanding how to form plurals and assign gender to nouns is fundamental to mastering French grammar. French nouns are either masculine or feminine, and most form their plural by adding an -s. However, there are several important rules and exceptions to learn.
Gender in French Nouns
Every French noun is either masculine (m) or feminine (f). This affects the forms of articles and adjectives that agree with the noun.
- Masculine nouns often refer to males, male animals, or objects without a gendered association.
- Feminine nouns often refer to females, female animals, or sometimes abstract concepts.
- Many noun endings signal gender, but there are exceptions.
Common Gender Endings
Certain endings help predict a noun’s gender:
| Ending | Gender | Example (Singular) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| -e (most common) | Feminine | la table | table |
| -ion | Feminine | la maison | house |
| -té | Feminine | la liberté | freedom |
| -age | Masculine | le village | village |
| -ment | Masculine | le gouvernement | government |
| -eau | Masculine | le chapeau | hat |
| -eur | Feminine (often) | la couleur | color |
Which noun ending usually indicates a feminine gender in French?
-ion
Nouns ending in '-ion' are typically feminine in French, such as 'la maison'.
Which noun ending usually indicates a masculine gender in French?
-age
Nouns ending in '-age' are typically masculine, such as 'le village'.
Forming Feminine Nouns from Masculine
Many feminine nouns are formed by adding -e to the masculine form.
| Masculine | Feminine | Example Usage (Masculine) | Example Usage (Feminine) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ami | amie | C’est mon ami. | C’est mon amie. |
| acteur | actrice | Il est acteur. | Elle est actrice. |
| étudiant | étudiante | Il est étudiant. | Elle est étudiante. |
| écrivain | écrivaine | Il est écrivain. | Elle est écrivaine. |
Note: Some masculine nouns ending in -eur form feminine nouns in -euse:
- travailleur → travailleuse
- chanteur → chanteuse
Forming Plurals
Basic Rule
Add -s to the singular noun (most plurals are silent).
| Singular | Plural | Example Singular | Example Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| chat | chats | Le chat dort. | Les chats dorment. |
| table | tables | La table est ronde. | Les tables sont rondes. |
| livre | livres | J’ai un livre. | J’ai des livres. |
Articles
- Singular: le, la, l’ (the)
- Plural: les
- Indefinite singular: un, une
- Indefinite plural: des
Irregular Plurals
Nouns Ending in -s, -x, or -z
No change for the plural (the article changes).
| Singular | Plural | Example Singular | Example Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| nez | nez | Le nez est petit. | Les nez sont petits. |
| choix | choix | Ce choix est difficile. | Ces choix sont difficiles. |
| souris | souris | La souris est blanche. | Les souris sont blanches. |
Nouns Ending in -al
Usually change -al to -aux.
| Singular | Plural | Example Singular | Example Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| animal | animaux | L’animal est grand. | Les animaux sont grands. |
| journal | journaux | Le journal est sur la table. | Les journaux sont sur la table. |
Exceptions (just add -s): bal, carnaval, festival, récital, *récital
Nouns Ending in -eau
Add -x for plural.
| Singular | Plural | Example Singular | Example Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| chapeau | chapeaux | Le chapeau est noir. | Les chapeaux sont noirs. |
| bateau | bateaux | Le bateau est grand. | Les bateaux sont grands. |
Exception: pneu → *pneus
Nouns Ending in -ou
Add -s in most cases, but some take -x.
| Singular | Plural | Example Singular | Example Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| clou | clous | Le clou est rouillé. | Les clous sont rouillés. |
| bijou | bijoux | Le bijou est précieux. | Les bijoux sont précieux. |
| genou | genoux | Le genou me fait mal. | Les genoux me font mal. |
Plural -x occurs for: *bijou, caillou, chou, genou, hibou, joujou, pou
Summary
- French nouns are masculine or feminine. Use endings to predict gender.
- Feminine nouns often add -e to the masculine form.
- Plurals usually add -s; articles change (les for plural).
- Irregular plural endings include -aux (from -al), -eaux, and some -oux.
- No plural change for nouns ending in -s, -x, or -z.
Mastering French noun plurals and gender is key to building correct sentences with proper agreement!
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
