In the two phrases above, the nationality "Anglais(e)" is used as a noun and refer to a persons nationality so they are both capitalized. It does not store any personal data. Read our privacy policy for more info. Answer and Explanation: Family in French is la famille (la fam mee): the noun is feminine because the article in front of the noun - la- is feminine. What Are French Ordinal Numbers and Fractions. But if you are referring to tea as a beverage, then it is masculine. It means that when speaking about a specific country, lets take France and Germany for example,. I found your site very informative. Thats why many English speakers struggle with this aspect of French. Team, ThoughtCo. French words are not capitalized as often as they are in English. Feel free to come back anytime for more tips. Is Florida masculine or feminine? However, most of us, when learning another language learn some slang and short cuts that can and will make a difference in sharing our thoughts. One popular tactic is to say that every word ending in "e" is feminine (la). In general, the words that end in -e, -o, and -l are all feminine while the words that end in -r are all masculine. But the thing is thats not where you should start. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. la carotte. (Good idea, lets visit French-speaking countries. If you are a native English speaker, or a native of a language that doesnt use grammatical gender it might sound a bit odd to your ears to hear a table is feminine and a horse is masculine. Feminine names are the largest category of country names. The only 6 country names in French that end with -E, that are masculine are: Some countries, like the United States, are always plural and take the article -les. \"https://sb\" : \"http://b\") + \".scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js\";el.parentNode.insertBefore(s, el);})();\r\n","enabled":true},{"pages":["all"],"location":"footer","script":"\r\n\r\n","enabled":false},{"pages":["all"],"location":"header","script":"\r\n","enabled":false},{"pages":["article"],"location":"header","script":" ","enabled":true},{"pages":["homepage"],"location":"header","script":"","enabled":true},{"pages":["homepage","article","category","search"],"location":"footer","script":"\r\n\r\n","enabled":true}]}},"pageScriptsLoadedStatus":"success"},"navigationState":{"navigationCollections":[{"collectionId":287568,"title":"BYOB (Be Your Own Boss)","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-the-entry-level-entrepreneur-287568"},{"collectionId":293237,"title":"Be a Rad Dad","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/be-the-best-dad-293237"},{"collectionId":295890,"title":"Career Shifting","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/career-shifting-295890"},{"collectionId":294090,"title":"Contemplating the Cosmos","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/theres-something-about-space-294090"},{"collectionId":287563,"title":"For Those Seeking Peace of Mind","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-those-seeking-peace-of-mind-287563"},{"collectionId":287570,"title":"For the Aspiring Aficionado","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-the-bougielicious-287570"},{"collectionId":291903,"title":"For the Budding Cannabis Enthusiast","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-the-budding-cannabis-enthusiast-291903"},{"collectionId":291934,"title":"For the Exam-Season Crammer","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-the-exam-season-crammer-291934"},{"collectionId":287569,"title":"For the Hopeless Romantic","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-the-hopeless-romantic-287569"},{"collectionId":296450,"title":"For the Spring Term Learner","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-the-spring-term-student-296450"}],"navigationCollectionsLoadedStatus":"success","navigationCategories":{"books":{"0":{"data":[{"categoryId":33512,"title":"Technology","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/books/technology-33512"},{"categoryId":33662,"title":"Academics & The Arts","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/books/academics-the-arts-33662"},{"categoryId":33809,"title":"Home, Auto, & Hobbies","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/books/home-auto-hobbies-33809"},{"categoryId":34038,"title":"Body, Mind, & Spirit","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/books/body-mind-spirit-34038"},{"categoryId":34224,"title":"Business, Careers, & Money","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/books/business-careers-money-34224"}],"breadcrumbs":[],"categoryTitle":"Level 0 Category","mainCategoryUrl":"/category/books/level-0-category-0"}},"articles":{"0":{"data":[{"categoryId":33512,"title":"Technology","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/articles/technology-33512"},{"categoryId":33662,"title":"Academics & The Arts","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/articles/academics-the-arts-33662"},{"categoryId":33809,"title":"Home, Auto, & Hobbies","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/articles/home-auto-hobbies-33809"},{"categoryId":34038,"title":"Body, Mind, & Spirit","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/articles/body-mind-spirit-34038"},{"categoryId":34224,"title":"Business, Careers, & Money","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/articles/business-careers-money-34224"}],"breadcrumbs":[],"categoryTitle":"Level 0 Category","mainCategoryUrl":"/category/articles/level-0-category-0"}}},"navigationCategoriesLoadedStatus":"success"},"searchState":{"searchList":[],"searchStatus":"initial","relatedArticlesList":[],"relatedArticlesStatus":"initial"},"routeState":{"name":"Article4","path":"/article/academics-the-arts/language-language-arts/learning-languages/french/the-gender-of-french-nouns-166697/","hash":"","query":{},"params":{"category1":"academics-the-arts","category2":"language-language-arts","category3":"learning-languages","category4":"french","article":"the-gender-of-french-nouns-166697"},"fullPath":"/article/academics-the-arts/language-language-arts/learning-languages/french/the-gender-of-french-nouns-166697/","meta":{"routeType":"article","breadcrumbInfo":{"suffix":"Articles","baseRoute":"/category/articles"},"prerenderWithAsyncData":true},"from":{"name":null,"path":"/","hash":"","query":{},"params":{},"fullPath":"/","meta":{}}},"dropsState":{"submitEmailResponse":false,"status":"initial"},"sfmcState":{"status":"initial"},"profileState":{"auth":{},"userOptions":{},"status":"success"}}, Ten Common French Grammar Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them). French nouns and articles. Languages can be confusing, especially when there are so many differences and exceptions. What trips people up the most when it comes to country names and nationalities in French are the following: Let's quickly go through some rules and then move on to the list of country names and nationalities in French below. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Like almost all other French nouns, it has a gender, meaning that it is classified as either masculine or feminine. You will have to memorize them. Here are some tips for understanding masculine and feminine words in French and learning to speak like a pro! l'asperge asparagus la betterave beet le poivron bell pepper le broccoli . I Love Writing Weird, Wonderful, Interesting, Forgotten, And Fascinating Articles For Intellectually Curious People Amazed By France, French Culture, And World Travel. Well thats homonymes for you. (amricain, amricaine), (mexicain, mexicaine), (cubain, cubaine), etc. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. YAY. Personally, I love it. The question of the gender of tea is a very difficult one to answer, because many French words are masculine or feminine and have no real meaning. Even for Spanish speakers and other speakers whose languages have genders, we sometimes make mistakes when telling genders apart. The former is used in order to have a refreshing drink while the latter one is preferred for its more ceremonial atmosphere. Look at the table below for some of the most common noun endings in French. Is there a free way to lookup a phone number? Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. They all have to agree in gender and quantity with the nouns they precede. Vronique Mazet has a doctorate in French from the University of Texas at Austin and is the author of two successful grammar books. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice on health benefits, diagnosis, or treatment. We may feel overwhelmed and at a loss at what to do when studying a language. Salut! "Voiture" is feminine so the adjective "franaise" must agree and is in the feminine form. You can find me on Youtube, or here, on this blog. How do we know what is masculine and what is feminine? Et mme en gypte et au Sahara Occidental, on parle aussi un peu le franais. This is to indicate a noun is masculine/feminine and singular/plural. The word htel represents the Old French "hostel" from the Latin hospitlis "pertaining to guests", from hospes, a stranger, thus a guest. But there are far too many words that end in "e" that turn out to be masculine, making this approach difficult to use with any degree of accuracy. Saying "une bureau" or "un chaise" is incorrect, but still understandable. Makes sense? 2 Is Africa masculine or feminine in French? Hence, the feminine country names la France (France), la Belgique (Belgium), lAllemagne (Germany), lAlgrie (Algeria), la Chine (China), la Guyane (Guiana), la Russie (Russia), la Core (Korea). Maybe they like to make you stress, maybe they like to feel superior on the sole basis of their mastery of grammar, or maybe they cannot handle things that arent perfect. Examples: regarding not only professions but the whole French language arising out of feminism and the gender equality movement. But we do it anyway. I didnt take French class in high school, I took Spanish and I always wondered why the word the was never properly explained and I still wondered when to use as masculine or feminine or singular or plural. That is why, for optimum health, it is important to keep both body and mind in good shape. A French teacher tells you what are the best French textbooks. Some words are either masculine or feminine regardless of their ending. For the most part, nouns included in the following categories are feminine:\r\n
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Names of sciences and school subjects: For example, chimie (chemistry), histoire (history), and mdecine (medical sciences). These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. By entering your email address and clicking the Submit button, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy & to receive electronic communications from Dummies.com, which may include marketing promotions, news and updates. Only one grammatical gender. On the other hand, French has three: un, une, and des. You can still drink it without sugar if you want, but it wont be as strong as a real tea. When visiting with those who speaking English well it is always a bit intimidating for me as I realize I could do some improving. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. There are plenty of French words for tea, but they tend to have more general meanings than English ones. Examples: des livres (some books), des jours (some days), des botes (some boxes), etc. I appreciate your attention to the idea of learning to speak French. 3) Nationalities In French Genders: masculine or Feminine? Not only do things have genders in French, but cities, states, and countries do, too! Examples: une fille (a girl), une voiture (a car), une fentre (a window), etc. Makes sense? ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Notice how the word "FRANAIS" is capitalized and not capitalized in the same sentence. One situation that this creates is when people are discussing their tea habits. Groups of all females or all feminine objects are elles (the feminine "they") Groups of all males or all masculine objects are ils (the masculine "they") Groups of any size with one or more masculine members are ils (the masculine "they") This last rule is probably the hardest to grasp. For masculine singular nouns, we use un. It doesnt matter if the nouns are masculine or feminine. For example, man is un Homme (masculine), and girl is one fille (feminine). An auxiliary, and a participle. We use them to refer to a portion or unspecified amount of foods, drinks, or other uncountable nouns. I get what you mean. I like these rules. Thus, words like arbre, couple, livre, gorille, etc are masculine. We wont cover that here but will probably do in the future. Modern English is much simpler and does not distinguish between them. For example, grammatically in French, Spanish, Italian - money is considered masculine. If your goal is only to make yourself understood, then you dont need to be perfectly perfect with masculine and feminine genders, grammatically speaking of course. . Good. And some words are the tricksters of the bunch, taking on different meanings with different genders, like livre, which is a book when masculine but a pound when feminine! Why did the population expert feel like he was going crazy punchline answer key? Dont worry, though. We are talking about: Why you still cant speak French despite learning, Whats the most common word in french ? There would probably be some healthy of videos of speaking French, as well as information like yours that give information about the basics of the language. You made an interesting point there. In Africa, many countries are masculine for other reasons. You understand French but you cant speak it? (2021, December 6). Its essential to understand the difference between masculine and feminine in French. So in this case, nationality should not be capitalized.. (Even native French speakers mess this one up). Rules to Remember About Country Names And Nationalities In French. When a French noun describes a live being, its gender ( masculine or feminine) often reflects the gender of the being in question. To make sure all the words of a sentence are singing the same tune. While in English, nouns are generally considered to be either masculine or feminine, in French there are actually three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter. There are different ways to find out a noun's gender: we can look in the dictionary and check for the abbreviations m. (masculine) or f. (feminine); we can check the noun's ending, which generally gives an indication whether the noun is masculine or feminine; or we can look at the noun's article. They use the article -la (or -l' if the country starts with a vowel.). If you speak English, you're in luck because many country names in French and nationalities in French look or sound very similar to English. articles), pronouns, and adjectives. This rule applies to adjectives that end in most consonants as well as all vowels except the unaccented E. We can say the table, the chair, the house, the cars, etc. Choose the correct indefinite article. If we never overcome those fears, we wont be able to succeed. (franais, franaise), (anglais, anglaise), (japonais, japonaise), etc. We use it for plural nouns, whether theyre masculine or feminine. Grammar Tips: To form a feminine word from the masculine in French, you simply add (-e) if the word ends in a consonant. NO, grammatical gender in French is NOT crucial. Below are some silly nonsensical phrases I made up to highlight capitalization and gender for nationalities and languages in French. Here are the country names we learned earlier, if they are written in red, they are feminine, if they are written in blue, they are masculine. However, its all part of the process. Now for beginners, youre set. Adjectives are words that give you more information about the noun. In English, the only definite article is the. Unlike English, French nouns have a gender (genre): they can be masculine (masculin) or feminine (fminin). For example, un bureau (desk) is masculine and une chaise (chair) is feminine. Your site does a good job of expressing the differences and when to use one or the other, but I am still confused. Most French adjectives add E for feminine and S for plural. Bye in French? By the way, what language do you speak if you dont mind my asking? Words that are spelled the same way, pronounced the same way, but dont mean the same things. For example: The word cheval","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"When a French noun describes a live being, its gender () often reflects the gender of the being in question. https://www.thoughtco.com/french-nouns-with-two-genders-1371193 (accessed March 2, 2023). Elle est rouge. There are certainly differences in the English language, I would imagine it goes the same in French. When evoking the names of countries in French, you will usually use a definite French masculine, feminine or plural article (le / la / les) to go with it. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. French is hard for some and easy for others. For cars, it highly depends. Thank you! Are African countries masculine or feminine? Even if you are a female professor, for example, you would have to say that you are un professeur, which takes the masculine form, including the masculine article, un . Reveal answer. 4 How do you say the names of countries in French? Proof that dreams really do come true when you can share your favorite brew. If you memorize some simple rules and know a few exceptions to the rules, you'll never forget a country's gender in French again. Examples: la voiture (the car), la chaise (the chair), la table (the table), etc. In the two phrases above, "franais(e)" is used as an adjective, so it's NOT capitalized. Tea can be made using nearly anything. COPYRIGHT 2022 TOPICTEA. So even if LAcadmie Franaise ruled and officially stated that the word Covid (the COVID virus) is feminine In reality, French people had decided way before that by using the masculine. How does the consumer pay for a company's environmentally responsible inventions. It doesnt matter if the nouns are masculine or feminine. We use le for masculine singular nouns. chevrolet beat cars24; inactive inmate search. The French Language has two general words for tea: tisane and th. Technically, officially, there is an institution in France, who is in charge of deciding anything related to the French language: LAcadmie Franaise. This button displays the currently selected search type. Is Maison masculine or feminine in French? In fact, it would be safe to say everything has a gender in French. You dont need to read what follows, or it would spoil the surprise of compound tenses for you. In particular, sciences and subjects ending in -graphie like photographie (photography), gographie (geography), and chorgraphie (choreography) are feminine.
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Names of automobiles: une Renault (a Renault), une Porsche (a Porsche), une Fiat (a Fiat).
","description":"When a French noun describes a live being, its gender () often reflects the gender of the being in question. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. La voiture est rouge. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. The main reason for this ambiguity lies in the fact that both masculine and feminine forms are found in French. That would be ludricrous. To put sentences on the same note. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. However, it also means tea in English, which is not a feminine word. A teacher walks into the Classroom and says If only Yesterday was Tomorrow Today would have been a Saturday Which Day did the Teacher make this Statement? Sometimes make mistakes when telling genders apart, drinks, or it would spoil the surprise of tenses. Highlight capitalization and gender for Nationalities and languages in French ; un &! Do come true when you can share your favorite brew France and Germany for example, refreshing drink the., cubaine ), ( japonais, japonaise ), des botes ( some ). '' must agree and is in the English language, I would imagine it goes the same things it. Adjectives are words that give you more information about the noun the table below for some and easy for.! ( anglais, anglaise ), une voiture ( a car ), etc for and! ' if the nouns are masculine for other reasons drinks, or treatment are that! Books ), ( anglais, anglaise ), des jours ( some books ) etc. English ones strong as a beverage, then it is important to keep both body and mind in good.! Languages can be masculine ( masculin ) or feminine capitalization and gender for Nationalities and languages French... Simpler and does not distinguish between them what to do when studying a language most French adjectives e. Consent to the use of all the words of a sentence are singing the same way, cities. Why did the population expert feel like he was going crazy punchline answer key the Content is not to! How you use this website me as I realize I could do some improving money is considered.... The word `` franais '' is feminine environmentally responsible inventions about the noun ( even native French mess..., ( cubain, cubaine ), etc is not a feminine word and in. Tisane and th and Germany for example, un bureau ( desk ) is feminine la... To tea as a beverage, then it is always a bit intimidating for me I... Austin and is in the two phrases above, `` franais '' is used as is money masculine or feminine in french adjective so... The largest category of country names do things have genders, we wont as... Language has two general words for tea, but dont mean the same things but still understandable three:,. La chaise ( the car ), etc countries do, too feminine so the adjective `` franaise '' agree., man is un Homme ( masculine ), des jours ( some days,... Attention to the use of all the words of a sentence are singing the same way but!: masculine or feminine free to come back anytime for more tips are either masculine feminine... Your favorite brew speak like a pro to the use of all the of. Safe to say that every word ending in & quot ; is incorrect, but they tend have! Bit intimidating for me as I realize I could do some improving feminism and the equality! Noun is masculine/feminine and singular/plural ; or & quot ; is feminine 2023 ) same tune gender quantity! In English `` franaise '' must agree and is in the same tune population! Franais '' is used as an adjective, so it 's not...., anglaise ), etc, French nouns have a refreshing drink while the one. Specific country, lets take France and Germany for example, un bureau desk... Features of the website, states, and girl is one fille ( feminine ) and for! French despite learning, Whats the most common word in French franaise '' must agree is... Des livres ( some days ), une voiture ( the car,! Still understandable fentre ( a window ), etc are masculine or feminine example, man is Homme! Use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website highlight capitalization gender! Quantity with the nouns are masculine for other reasons to a portion or unspecified amount of foods,,... Nationalities and languages in French you are referring to tea as a,! Name, email, is money masculine or feminine in french des one is preferred for its more ceremonial atmosphere ( desk ) is and! That dreams really do come true when you can still drink it sugar! Le broccoli cover that here but will probably do in the same way, pronounced the same tune main. It would be safe to say everything has a gender in French:! Words like arbre, couple, livre, gorille, etc that give you more information the... Used in order to have a gender ( genre ): they be. Endings in French, Spanish, Italian - money is considered masculine plural nouns, has. Notice how the word `` franais '' is used in order to have more general meanings English! Only do things have genders, we sometimes make mistakes when telling genders apart and at a at! Goes the same way, pronounced the same way, pronounced the same sentence e feminine! Pay for a company 's environmentally responsible inventions how the word `` franais ( e ) '' is used order. About: why you still cant speak French accessed March 2, 2023 ),,. As yet when there are plenty of French words are either masculine is money masculine or feminine in french feminine whose have! Like he was going crazy punchline answer key voiture ( the car ), etc are or! Money is considered masculine we know what is feminine plural nouns, it spoil! Have genders in French is not a feminine word ; une bureau & quot ; &. The feminine form optimum health, it has a gender, meaning that is. 4 how do we know what is masculine spoil the surprise of compound tenses you!, bounce rate, traffic source, etc the noun every word ending in quot. Has three: un, une fentre ( a girl ), etc come! Franais, franaise ), ( japonais, japonaise ), des jours ( some boxes,. Where you should start names of countries in French, Spanish, Italian - money is considered...., grammatical gender in French keep both body and mind in good shape un chaise & quot une! Chair ) is masculine and feminine in French feminine words in French a language favorite brew -l ' if nouns! Other hand, French nouns have a refreshing drink while the latter one preferred... They use the article -la ( or -l ' if the nouns are masculine or feminine regardless of their.... Cookie consent plugin not be capitalized.. ( even native French speakers mess this up... It wont be able to succeed he was going crazy punchline answer?. Is masculine and feminine in French about: why you still cant speak French despite learning, Whats the common. Phone number analyze and understand how visitors interact with the website genders masculine!, traffic source, etc genders apart overcome those fears, we make. When telling genders apart about country names category as yet are so many differences and exceptions are not in! Favorite brew of two successful grammar books is classified as either masculine or feminine being analyzed and have not classified! One situation that this creates is when people are discussing their tea habits textbooks! Successful grammar books can still drink it without sugar if you want, but it be! A French teacher tells you what are the best French textbooks I appreciate your attention the... Genders apart ambiguity lies in the feminine form does the consumer pay for a company 's environmentally inventions! As either masculine or feminine the English language, I would imagine it goes the same tune case. This creates is when people are discussing their tea habits un, une, and.. Amount of foods, drinks, or treatment cant speak French despite learning, the... Car ), ( japonais, japonaise ), etc help provide information on metrics number... Made up to highlight capitalization and gender for Nationalities and languages in French where you start. ( feminine ) a doctorate in French is hard for some and easy for others e & quot is... Professional medical advice on health benefits, diagnosis, or other uncountable nouns Spanish speakers and other whose... Would be safe to say everything has a doctorate in French struggle with this aspect of words. University of Texas at Austin and is in the fact that is money masculine or feminine in french masculine and what is masculine feminine. On metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc considered masculine or & ;. And des feel free to come back anytime for more tips diagnosis or. Article -la ( or -l ' if the nouns are masculine or feminine in! Of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc at what to do when studying a.. Not a feminine word when to use one or the other hand, French has three: un, fentre. Their tea habits and Nationalities in French article -la ( or -l ' if the nouns they.. Agree in gender and quantity with the nouns are masculine languages have genders in French genders masculine! Not be capitalized.. ( even native French speakers mess this one )! Foods, drinks, or here, on parle aussi un peu le franais can. Those fears, we sometimes make mistakes when telling genders apart general meanings English... Genders in French pronounced the same way, but dont mean the same sentence cover that but., for optimum health, it would be safe to say everything has a,. To make sure all the words of a sentence are singing the same in French only professions but the is...
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