Question

15 points: How can you tell the difference between feminine words and masculine words in French?

Answer 1

Bonjour !!

Unfortunately there're no specific rules. Even though it's my native languauge some words aren't so easy as :

oasis = ???un oasis or une oasis ?? well, it's une oasis, and there's no 'e' at the end !!

People often think that when you've got an 'e' at the very end, it should be feminine ..... But 'musée' is masculine = un musée...... but, a chimney = une cheminée

So you will find on the net typically masculine noun endings or typically feminine endings, but as we say in French = Les exceptions confirment la règle" (exceptions prove the rules).

That's why in France, at school and high school, we often have "dictée" (une dictée) french dictation......

There are no specific rules to tell the difference between feminine and masculine words unfortunately !!!...

Sorry not to be as helpful as I'd like to be :)

Answer 2

One of the most important differences between French and English is how gender is used. You more or less have to memorize the gender of each noun, although you can often (but not always) tell whether a word is masculine or feminine by looking at its ending. Masculine nouns often have these end in

asme

é

eau

et

ien

isme

in

nt

oir

Feminine nouns often have these endings:

ade

aison

ance

ande

ence

ise

son

té

tié

ture

ude

hope this helps