How to Guess French Noun Genders (With 80% Accuracy)
The Secret to French Genders
One of the most frustrating parts of learning French is trying to remember if a table is a boy or a girl (it's a girl, by the way: la table). While your teacher might have told you that you just have to memorize every single word, there is actually a massive shortcut. The ending of a French noun gives away its gender about 80% of the time.
Top Feminine Word Endings
If a word ends in one of these suffixes, you can confidently use la or une. (Note: words ending in 'e' are often feminine, but not always!)
- -tion / -sion: la nation, la décision, la traduction (Exception: le bastion)
- -té: la liberté, la société, la beauté (Exceptions: le côté, le comité)
- -ette: la cigarette, la recette, la fillette (Almost 100% feminine!)
- -ance / -ence: la chance, la différence, la science (Exception: le silence)
Top Masculine Word Endings
When you spot these endings, grab your le or un.
- -ment: le gouvernement, le développement, le sentiment
- -age: le fromage, le voyage, le courage (Exceptions: la page, la plage, l'image)
- -eau: le bureau, le couteau, le bateau (Exception: l'eau - water is feminine)
- -isme: le tourisme, le capitalisme, le réalisme (Almost 100% masculine)
Gender by Category
Sometimes, the meaning of the word dictates its gender rather than the spelling.
- Always Masculine: Days of the week (le lundi), months, seasons (l'hiver), and languages (le français).
- Always Feminine: Car brands (une Renault, la Ferrari) and academic disciplines (la biologie, l'histoire).
The Golden Rule of Vocabulary
While these rules are incredibly helpful for guessing, the absolute best way to master genders is to change how you learn vocabulary. Never write down a noun by itself. Don't write "voiture = car". Always write "une voiture = a car". Treat the article as an inseparable part of the word itself!
Want a structured path through grammar like this? Explore our French learning parcours for a complete course roadmap.