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Nouns
Unlike English, French nouns have a gender: they are either
masculine (le) or feminine
(la). Therefore words for the and a(n)
must agree with the noun they accompany - whether masculine, feminine
or plural:
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masc.
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fem.
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plural
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the
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le chat
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la rue
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les chats,
les rues
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a, an
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un chat
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une rue
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des chats,
des rues
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If the noun begins with a vowel (a, e, i, o or u) or an unsounded
h, le and
la shorten to
l', i.e.
l'avion (m),
l'école (f),
l'hôtel (m).
note: le and
les used after the prepositions
à (to, at) and de (any, some, of) contract as
follows:
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à
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+ le
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= au
(au cinéma but
à
la
gare)
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à
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+ les
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= aux
(aux magasins - (m) and (f))
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de
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+ le
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= du
(du pain but
de
la
confiture)
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de
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+ les
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= des
(des
pommes - (m) and (f))
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There are some broad rules as to noun endings which indicate
whether they are masculine or feminine:
Generally masculine endings:
-er,
-ier, -eau,
-t, -c,
-age,
-ail, -oir,
-é,
-on, -acle,
-ège,
-ème,
-o, -ou.
Generally feminine endings:
-euse,
-trice,
-ère,
-ière,
-elle,
-te,
-tte, -de,
-che, -age,
-aille,
-oire,
-ée,
-té,
-tié,
-onne,
-aison,
-ion,
-esse,
-ie, -ine,
-une,
-ure,
-ance,
-anse,
-ence,
-ense.
nouns - plurals
The general rule is to add an s to the singular:
Exceptions occur with the following noun endings:
-eau, -eu,
-al
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le
bateau *
les
bateaux
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le
neveu *
les
neveux
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le
cheval *
les
chevaux
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Nouns ending in s, x, or z do not change in the plural.
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le dos *
les dos
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le prix *
les prix
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le nez *
les nez
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