French Nouns With Two Genders

The gender of French nouns tends to be a sticky grammar point for students, especially when it does not exist in their mother tongue. Although getting the gender right is very important, most of the time the wrong gender will not hinder your ability to understand or to communicate in French, because most words have a single gender. For example, un bureau (desk) is masculine and une chaise (chair) is feminine. Saying une bureau or un chaise is incorrect, but still understandable. Other words have two different forms for masculine and feminine versions ( un avocat/une avocate, un acteur/une actrice) or a single form that refers to a man or a woman depending on which article is used ( un touriste/une touriste, un artiste/une artiste). However, there are a number of French nouns which are identical in pronunciation (and often spelling as well) but which have different meanings depending on whether they are masculine or feminine. Probably a good idea to memorize this list. Aide un aide - male assistant une aide - help, assistance, female assistant Air/Aire un air - air, look, aria une aire - area, zone, eyrie Aller/Allà ©e un aller - one-way trip une allà ©e - avenue, path, aisle Auteur/Hauteur un auteur - author une hauteur - height Bal/Balle le bal - dance la balle - ball (sports) Bar/Barre le bar - bar/pub, bass (fish) la barre - bar/rod, barre, helm Barbe/Barbes le barbe - barb la barbe - beard les barbes (f) - ragged edge Barde le barde - bard (poet) la barde - bard (armor for a horse, fat wrapped around meat) Basilic/Basilique le basilic - basil, basilisk la basilique - basilica Basque le basque - Basque language la basque - tails (of a jacket) Boum le boum - bang, explosion, (fam) success la boum - (inf) party Bout/Boue le bout - tip, end la boue - mud Bugle le bugle - bugle la bugle - bugleweed But/Butte le but - aim, goal, purpose la butte - hillock, mound Cache le cache - card/mask (for hiding s.t.) la cache - cache, hiding place Capital/Capitale le capital - capital, money la capitale - capital city, capital letter Carpe le carpe - carpus la carpe - carp Cartouche le cartouche - (archeology) cartouche la cartouche - cartridge, carton Casse le casse - break-in, robber la casse - breaking, damage, breakages Cave le cave - (familiar) idiot, sucker la cave - basement, cellar Central/Centrale le central - center court, (telephone) exchange la centrale - station, plant, group Cerf/Serre le cerf - stag la serre - greenhouse Champagne le champagne - champagne la Champagne - Champagne region Chà ªne/Chaà ®ne le chà ªne - oak tree/wood la chaà ®ne - chain, channel, stereo Chà ¨vre le chà ¨vre - goat cheese la chà ¨vre - goat Chine le chine - china, rice paper la chine - second-hand / used trade la Chine - China Chose le chose - thingie, contraption la chose - thing Claque le claque - opera hat, (familiar) brothel la claque - slap Coche le coche - stagecoach la coche - check mark, tick (on a form) Col/Colle le col - collar, neck la colle - glue Coq/Coque le coq - rooster la coque - hull, fuselage, cockle Cours/Court/Cour le cours - class le court - (tennis) court la cour - courtyard, court of law Crà ¨me le crà ¨me - coffee with cream la crà ¨me - cream Crà ªpe le crà ªpe - crepe material la crà ªpe - thin pancake Cric/Crique le cric - jack la crique - creek, inlet Critique le critique - male critic la critique - criticism, review, female critic Diesel le diesel - diesel fuel la diesel - diesel automobile Enseigne un enseigne - ensign (rank) une enseigne - sign, ensign (flag, banner) Espace un espace - space, room une espace - printing space une Espace - car model from Renault Fait/Faà ®te/Fà ªte le fait - fact le faà ®te - summit, rooftop la fà ªte - party Faune le faune - faun la faune - fauna Faux le faux - fake, forgery, falsehood la faux - scythe Fil/File le fil - thread, yarn, string la file - line, queue Finale le finale - finale (music) la finale - final (sports) Foie/Foi/Fois le foie - liver la foi - faith une fois - once, one time Foret/Forà ªt le foret - drill bit la forà ªt - forest Foudre le foudre - (ironic) leader, large cask la foudre - lightning Garde le garde - guard, warden, keeper la garde - guard duty, custody, private nurse Gà ¨ne/Gà ªne le gà ¨ne - gene la gà ªne - trouble, bother, embarrassment Geste le geste - gesture la geste - gest, epic poem Gà ®te le gà ®te - shelter, cottage; bottom round (meat) la gà ®te - list, inclination of a ship Greffe le greffe - court clerks office la greffe - transplant, graft Guide/Guides le guide - guide (book, tour) la guide - girl scout/guide les guides (f) - reins Icone/Icà ´ne un icone - icon (computer) une icà ´ne - icon (art, celebrity) Interligne un interligne - space (typography) une interligne - lead (typography) Jars/Jarre le jars - gander la jarre - jar Kermà ¨s/Kermesse le kermà ¨s - scale insect, kermes (tree) la kermesse - fair, bazaar, charity party Krach/Craque le krach - stock market crash la craque - (familiar) whopping lie Lac/Laque le lac - lake la laque - lacquer, shellac, hairspray Là ©gume le là ©gume - vegetable la grosse là ©gume (informal) - big shot Lieu/Lieue le lieu - place la lieue - league Livre le livre - book la livre - pound (currency and weight) Maire/Mer/Mà ¨re le maire - mayor la mer - sea la mà ¨re - mother Mal/Mà ¢le/Malle le mal - evil le mà ¢le - male la malle - trunk Manche le manche - handle la manche - sleeve la Manche - English Channel ManÅ“uvre le manÅ“uvre - laborer la manÅ“uvre - maneuver, operation Manille le manille - Manila cigar, Manila hat la manille - (card game) manille; Manille shackle Manque le manque - lack, shortage, fault à   la manque - (familiar) crummy, second-rate Mari le mari - husband la mari - marijuana (apocope of la marijuana) Marie - feminine name Martyr/Martyre le martyr - male martyr le martyre - martyrdom, agony la martyre - female martyr Marue/Mors le Maure - Moor le mors - bit (horse-riding) Mort le mort - dead body la mort - death Mauve le mauve - mauve la mauve - mallow plant Mec/Mecque le mec (informal) - guy, bloke la Mecque - Mecca Mà ©got le mà ©got - cigarette butt la mà ©got - cigarette Mà ©moire le mà ©moire - memo, report, memoirs la mà ©moire - memory Merci le merci - thanks la merci - mercy Mi/Mie le mi - mi (musical note E) la mie - soft part of bread Mi-Temps le mi-temps   - (work) part-time la mi-temps - (sports) half, half-time Micro-Onde le micro-onde - microwave oven la micro-onde - microwave (electromagnetic radiation) Mite/Mythe le mite - moth la mythe - myth Mode le mode - method, way, mood la mode - fashion Moral/Morale le moral - morale la morale - moral (of a story), morals Mou/Moue le mou - softness la moue - pout Moule le moule - mold la moule - mussel Mousse le mousse - ships boy (apprentice) la mousse - moss, froth, foam, mousse Mur/Mà »re le mur - wall la mà »re - blackberry Nocturne le nocturne - night hunter (bird), nocturn (religion), nocturne (music, art) la nocturne - late night store opening, sports match, meeting Å“uvre un Å“uvre - body of work une Å“uvre - piece of work, task Office un office - office, bureau une office - pantry Ombre un ombre - grayling (fish) une ombre - shade, shadow Orange orange (m) - orange (color) une orange - orange (fruit) Page le page - page boy la page - page (of a book) Pair/Pà ¨re/Paire le pair - peer le pà ¨re - father la paire - pair Pà ¢ques/Pà ¢que Pà ¢ques (m) - Easter la pà ¢que - Passover les Pà ¢ques (f) - Easter Parallà ¨le le parallà ¨le - parallel (figurative) la parallà ¨le - parallel line Pendule le pendule - pendulum la pendule - clock Personne personne (m) - (negative pronoun) no one la personne - person Pet/Paie/Paix le pet - (familiar) fart la paie - pay la paix - peace Physique le physique - physique, face la physique - physics Plastique le plastique - plastic la plastique - modeling arts, body shape Platine le platine - platinum la platine - turntable, deck, strip of metal Poche le poche - paperback book la poche - pocket, pouch Poà ªle le poà ªle - stove la poà ªle - frying pan Poids/Pois/Poix le poids - weight le pois - pea, dot la poix - pitch, tar Poignet/Poignà ©e le poignet - wrist, (shirt) cuff la poignà ©e - handful, fistful; handle Poison le poison - poison, (informal) unpleasant man or boy la poison - (informal) unpleasant woman or girl Politique le politique - politician la politique - politics, policy Ponte le ponte - (informal) big shot la ponte - laying eggs, clutch of eggs Poste le poste - job, post, tv/radio set la poste - post office, mail/post Pot/Peau le pot - jar, pot, tin, can la peau - skin Pub le pub - pub/bar la pub - ad (apocope of publicità ©) Pupille le pupille - male ward la pupille - pupil (eye), female ward Rade le rade (slang) - bar, bistro la rade - harbor Radio le radio - radio operator la radio - radio, X ray Rai/Raie le rai - spoke (wheel) la raie - line, furrow, scratch (fish) skate, ray Rà ©clame le rà ©clame - (falconry) the cry to recall the bird la rà ©clame - publicity; en rà ©clame - on sale Relà ¢che le relà ¢che - rest, respite, break** la relà ¢che - rest, respite, break**, port of call**For these meanings, relà ¢che can be masculine or feminine. Renne/Reine/Rà ªne le renne - reindeer la reine - queen la rà ªne - rein Rà ªve/Rave le rà ªve - dream la rave - rave party (but not rave meaning turnip, which is pronounced differently) Rose le rose - pink (color) la rose - rose (flower) Roux/Roue le roux - red, redhead, roux (soup base) la roue - wheel Secrà ©taire le secrà ©taire - male secretary, writing desk, secretary la secrà ©taire - female secretary Sel/Selle le sel - salt la selle - saddle Soi/Soie le soi - self, id la soie - silk Sol/Sole le sol - ground, floor, soil la sole - sole (fish) Solde le solde - balance (account), sale la solde - pay Somme le somme - snooze, nap la somme - sum, amount Souris le souris - smile (archaic) la souris - mouse Tic/Tique le tic - tic, twitch la tique - tick Tour le tour - tour, turn, trick la tour - tower, rook (chess) Tout/Toux le tout - whole la toux - cough Trompette le trompette - trumpeter la trompette - trumpet Vague le vague - vagueness la vague - wave Vapeur le vapeur - steamer la vapeur - steam, haze, vapor Vase le vase - vase la vase - silt, mud Vigile le vigile - night watchman la vigile - vigil Visa le visa - visa (to enter a country) la visa - Visa (credit card) Voile le voile - veil la voile - sail