French Gender Checker
Type any French noun — instantly see le or la, plural form, and a sentence example.
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Why French Noun Gender Is the Hardest Part of Learning French
French has two grammatical genders: masculine and feminine. Every single noun — from chien (dog) to liberté (freedom) — belongs to one of these two categories, and the gender determines which article you use (le / un vs la / une), how adjectives are spelled, and how past participles agree in compound tenses.
The brutal truth? There are no universal rules. A learner cannot look at the word livre (book — masculine) and livrée (livery — feminine) and automatically know. You have to learn each word's gender individually — or use a tool like this one to check instantly.
Patterns That Help (But Don't Always Work)
While there are no perfect rules, certain endings are strongly masculine or feminine:
Usually Masculine endings
- -age → le village, le fromage
- -ment → le gouvernement
- -eur → le moteur, le bonheur
- -isme → le tourisme
- -eau → le gâteau, le bateau
Usually Feminine endings
- -tion / -sion → la nation
- -ité / -té → la liberté
- -ure → la voiture, la culture
- -ence / -ance → la patience
- -ette → la fourchette
How to Use This Tool
Type any French noun into the search box — singular or plural, with or without an article. The checker will return:
- The gender (masculine / feminine / both)
- All four article forms: le/la, un/une, les, des
- A natural sentence example showing the word in context
- A memory tip to help you remember the gender
Words That Can Be Both
Some French nouns — called épicènes — can be masculine or feminine depending on who or what they refer to. For example: un/une élève (a student), un/une artiste (an artist). The tool flags these clearly so you're never caught off guard.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many French nouns are masculine vs feminine?
Studies of French vocabulary suggest that roughly 55–60% of common nouns are masculine and 40–45% are feminine. However, frequency of use matters more than raw count — many of the most common everyday words (maison, femme, voiture, fille) are feminine.
What happens to le/la before a vowel or silent h?
When a noun starts with a vowel or silent h, both le and la contract to l'. For example: l'arbre (the tree — masculine), l'école (the school — feminine), l'homme (the man — masculine). This tool automatically shows the elided form in the result card.
Why does gender matter so much in French?
Gender is a load-bearing part of French grammar. It affects adjective agreement (un chat noir / une chatte noire), past participle agreement in compound tenses (elle est allée), pronoun choice (il / elle / le / la), and possessive adjectives (son / sa). Getting gender wrong produces sentences that native speakers instantly notice.
What is an épicène noun?
An épicène (gender-neutral noun) is a noun whose form stays the same whether it refers to a man or a woman. The gender is indicated only by the article: un artiste (male artist) vs une artiste (female artist). Common épicènes include: élève, enfant, artiste, journaliste, adulte, collègue.
How do I remember French noun genders faster?
The most effective method is to always learn a noun with its article. Don't learn "chien" — learn "le chien". Color-coding flashcards (blue for masculine, pink for feminine) also creates a visual memory anchor. This tool provides a memory tip for each word to help the gender stick.
Are there reliable rules for guessing French gender from a word's ending?
Yes — with important caveats. Endings like -age, -ment, -eau, -eur, -isme are strongly masculine, while -tion, -ité, -ure, -ence, -ette are strongly feminine. However, these are tendencies, not rules. L'eau (water) ends in -eau but is feminine. Le musée (museum) ends in -ée but is masculine. Always verify with a checker — especially for high-frequency words.
What is the difference between du, de la, and de l'?
These are partitive articles — used when talking about an unspecified quantity of something. Du (= de + le) is used before masculine nouns: du pain (some bread). De la is used before feminine nouns: de la musique (some music). De l' is used before any noun starting with a vowel or silent h: de l'eau (some water). This tool shows the correct partitive form for every noun it looks up.
Does French noun gender ever change meaning?
Yes — some words completely change meaning depending on their gender. The most famous example: le livre = the book, but la livre = the pound (weight or sterling). Similarly, le tour = the tour/trip, while la tour = the tower. Le poste = the job/post, while la poste = the post office. These gender-dependent meaning shifts are one of the most advanced — and most confusing — aspects of French vocabulary.
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