Richard Good
If you have problems remembering whether words are masculine or feminine, then this is for you: a dictionary of French noun genders.
We’ve all been there: in mid-sentence, unable to recall whether a word is masculine or feminine..
Well now we will remember. Gender is grammatical: it’s linked to the grammatical origins of the word, not the object itself. (That’s why the same object can be both masculine and feminine, a bicycle for example: un vélo, une bicyclette.)
And the clues to that gender can be found in the word ending. Almost all nouns ending in l are masculine for example. Remember that rule and you’ll never hesitate again over le sel, l’accueil, le soleil…
You can learn the rules using this dictionary of noun genders. When you look up a word, you don’t only get the gender, you also get the applicable rule. You can give it a try by clicking on this link:
DICTIONARY OF FRENCH NOUN GENDERS
If you find it useful, make a copy of the spreadsheet and download it to your smartphone for easy access.
It’s still going to need an investment of about 20 hours to get it cracked. You need to know how words are spelt; learn the exceptions; and learn individually nouns that don’t follow any rules at all (about one in ten). But work on placing those rules in your mind – and you’ll have a path to the right answer next time you come unstuck.
Ultimately, we remember the gender of nouns by using them over time. It’s repetition that makes correct usage automatic, helped by the muscle memory of our mouths. Organic absorption remains the target – and exercises such as practicing dictation and reading out loud are perfect for this.
But using this dictionary might help you as a bridge to that goal.
It was built thanks to the amazing Open Lexicon
Instructions
- Make a personal copy of the spreadsheet and download it to your smartphone
- When you get stuck on a word, look it up in the yellow box.
- Note the rule that applies and the list of exceptions.
- Next time you’re stuck on a word – think about its ending. Is there a rule that applies? Is it on an exception list?
- Fix a place for it in your mental map – and next time round you’ll find it there.
