In French, nouns are usually either masculine (boy-related) or feminine (girl-related). This changes the words we use in front of them, called articles.

What are Articles?

• Definite Articles:
  These are used for specific things.

  • le is for masculine nouns. (Like "le chien," meaning "the dog.")
  • la is for feminine nouns. (Like "la voiture," meaning "the car.")

• Indefinite Articles:
  These are used for general things.

  • un is for masculine nouns. (Like "un livre," meaning "a book.")
  • une is for feminine nouns. (Like "une table," meaning "a table.")

Common Exceptions to the Gender Rules

1. Nouns Ending in -e
   Most nouns that end with an "e" are feminine, but some are still masculine. Here are a few examples:

   • le problème (the problem)
   • le système (the system)

2. Nouns for People
   Some nouns that look feminine can actually be masculine when we're talking about men:

   • un élève (a male student)
   • un auteur (an author, this can be for anyone)

3. Compound Nouns
   These are nouns made up of more than one word, and they don’t always follow the usual rules:

   • un porte-monnaie (a wallet — masculine)
   • une salle de classe (a classroom — feminine)

By knowing these exceptions, you can better understand how to use gender in French!