Generally Masculine Generally Feminine

Generally masculine Generally feminine

Nouns referring to male people. Nouns referring to female people.

A handful of nouns are masculine, whatever the gender of the person they refer to, e.g.: amateur, auteur, témoin, vainqueur, voyou plus certain job titles. These are feminine, whatever the gender of the person: personne, victime, recrue (recruit), connaissance (acquaintance).

Certain nouns referring to animals that can refer to only the male of the species. For example: étalon (stallion), cerf (stag), matou (tomcat). Certain nouns referring to animals that can refer to only the female of the species. For example: chatte (female cat), chienne (bitch), louve (she-wolf).

Masculine nouns that are 'generic' terms and can refer to either a male or female of the species. For example, le cheval can refer to either a male or female horse. Feminine nouns that are 'generic' terms and can refer to either male or female of the species. For example, la souris can refer to either a male or female mouse.

Names of towns. Other place names (departments, rivers, countries) not ending in -e. Place names ending in -e.

Common exceptions: le Mexique, le Combodge, le Rhône, le Finistère (French department), le Zimbabwe (-e pronounced). Common exception: la Franche-Comté (French department). Sometimes town names, especially if they look or sound feminine (e.g. Marseilles ending in -es), can be treated as feminine. This is quite rare, though.

Nouns ending in:

-age

-ment

-il, -ail, -eil, -ueil

-é (but not -té)

-eau and -ou

-ème, -ège

-i, -at, -et and -ot

-er

-oir

-isme

-ing

-ard

Words ending in other consonants (in the spelling).

Nouns ending in:

-tion, -sion and -son

-ure

-ude, -ade

-ée

-té

-ière

Consonant followed by -ie

-euse

-ance, -ence

Most other endings consisting of Vowel + Consonant + e: -ine, -ise, -alle, -elle, -esse, -ette etc

Nouns ending in -eur, generally derived from a verb, denoting people or machines carrying out an activity: aspirateur,...