Exceptions to Gender Rules for French Nouns

In French, nouns are usually either masculine or feminine. However, there are some exceptions that can be tricky for learners. Here are some important exceptions to remember:

1. Nouns That End in -e

Most nouns that end in -e are feminine, but some are not. For example:

• Masculine: un problème (a problem), un système (a system).

2. Nouns That End in -age

Most nouns that end in -age are masculine. Here are some examples:

• Masculine: un village (a village), un fromage (a cheese).
• Exception: la plage (the beach) is feminine.

3. Nouns That End in -tion and -sion

These nouns are usually feminine:

• Feminine: une nation (a nation), une décision (a decision).

4. Nouns That End in -ment

Most nouns that end in -ment are masculine:

• Masculine: un gouvernement (a government), un bâtiment (a building).

5. Nouns with Special Forms

Some nouns don’t follow the usual patterns:

• Masculine: un œil (an eye), un ciel (a sky).
• Feminine: une main (a hand), une voix (a voice).

6. Certain Jobs and Roles

Some professions can change meaning depending on gender:

• Masculine: un médecin (a doctor).
• Feminine: une médecin (a female doctor). This is not very common, but it is used.

7. Compound Words and Foreign Words

Some compound nouns or words from other languages don’t follow the regular rules:

• Masculine: un shampooing (a shampoo), un parking (a parking lot).

In Summary

Knowing these exceptions is important for learning about French nouns and their genders. Keep practicing these exceptions with examples and exercises. With time, you’ll get better at using the articles (le, la, un, une) correctly!