Nouns and their gender

What is the goal of this chapter?

• To say a job in French in the correct gender (masculine / feminine).
• To choose the right article: un, une, le, la, l’.
• To recognize when the job word changes and when it stays the same.

After this, you should be able to think: “Is this person a man or a woman?” → then choose the correct form automatically.

Step 1 – There is no neutral gender in French

• In English you can say: a lawyer, a doctor for any person.
• In French, every person has a masculine or feminine form.

So you always ask yourself:

• Man? → use the masculine job + masculine article.
• Woman? → use the feminine job + feminine article.

Step 2 – Basic patterns to form the feminine

Many job names follow regular patterns. This means you can often predict the feminine form.

Practical tip:

• When you see a new job word, immediately ask: “What is its other gender?”
• Check if it fits one of the patterns above.

Step 3 – Jobs that do not change their form

Some job names are the same word for men and women. The article then tells you the gender.

Focus point:

• Do not “invent” a feminine like médecine for a female doctor. The job word is still médecin.
• Just change the article: un → une.

Step 4 – Choosing the right article (un, une, le, la, l’)

There are two decisions:

1. Indefinite or definite?
2. Masculine or feminine?

Key idea:

• un / une tell you both: “a” and the gender.
• le / la / l’ tell you “the” and (often) the gender.

Step 5 – Special case: l’ before vowels and mute h

French avoids two vowels touching. So:

• le or la + word starting with a vowel or mute h → becomes l’.

Important:

• l’ does not show the gender by itself.
• To know the gender you must know the noun: e.g. acteur is masculine, avocate is feminine.

Step 6 – Completely different masculine / feminine forms

A few job names change completely from masculine to feminine.

These must simply be memorised as pairs, like vocabulary items.

• When you learn un acteur, immediately learn: une actrice.

Step 7 – Typical sentence patterns with jobs

Two very frequent patterns:

1. je suis + job (without article)

   • Je suis avocat. = I am a lawyer (man).
   • Je suis avocate. = I am a lawyer (woman).
   • Il est médecin. / Elle est médecin.

   With être (to be) + job, French normally does not use un/une.

2. c’est + article + job

   • C’est un avocat. = He is a lawyer.
   • C’est une avocate. = She is a lawyer.

Quick contrast:

• Je suis médecin. (no article)
• C’est une médecin. (with article)

Step 8 – Step‑by‑step checklist when you speak

1. Identify the person.
   • Man or woman? (If unknown or not important, most textbooks use the masculine.)
2. Choose the job word.
   • Does it follow a pattern? (+e, -enne, -ère)
   • Is it in the “no change” group? (médecin, journaliste)
   • Is it an irregular pair? (acteur / actrice)
3. Decide the structure.
   • je suis / il est / elle est + job (no article)
   • or c’est + un/une + job (with article)
4. Pick the article if you use one.
   • un / une for “a”.
   • le / la / l’ for “the”.
   • Remember l’ before vowels and mute h.

Self‑check – Can you do this now?

• Can you say, without thinking too long:
  • “I am a (female) baker.” → Je suis boulangère.
  • “He is a journalist.” → Il est journaliste.
  • “She is a doctor.” → Elle est médecin.
  • “That’s a famous actress.” → C’est une actrice célèbre.
• Can you explain to yourself:
  • Why we say une avocate and not une avocat?
  • Why we write l’avocat and not le avocat?
  • Why journaliste stays the same, but un/une changes?

If you can answer these questions clearly, you are ready to use these forms in conversation.