Tricky genders in French

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> Other French exercises on the same topic: Gender [Change theme]
> Similar tests: - Feminine nouns - Nouns gender - FLE-Family and irregular feminine nouns - Féminin des mots en -é, -té ou -tié - Féminin des mots masculins en -eur - Féminin des mots terminés par c - Adjectifs masculins-féminins - Nouns : From masculine to feminine
> Double-click on words you don't understand

Tricky genders in French - French lesson

Tricky Genders in French: A Learner's Guide
In French, every noun is either masculine or feminine.
It sounds simple... but there are many traps!
Some words "sound" feminine because they end in -e, but they are actually masculine.
Others look masculine but are feminine.
And a few even change meaning depending on gender!
Let's explore these tricky cases.

You can double-click on a word to get its definition.

> Masculine (even if they "sound" feminine):
un pétale = a petal 🌸
un tentacule = a tentacle 🐙
un obèle = † (typography symbol)
un astérisque = an asterisk ✱
un météore = a meteor ☄️
un équinoxe = an equinox 🌍
un apogée = an apogee, peak
un intervalle = an interval
un symbole = a symbol
un problème = a problem
un système = a system
un musée = a museum
un lycée = a high school
un collège = a middle school
un silence = silence
un espace = space
un âge = an age
un avantage = an advantage
un message = a message
un orage = a storm
un stade = a stadium / stage
un doute = a doubt
un squelette = a skeleton
un mérite = merit
un vocabulaire = vocabulary
un axe = an axis
un hospice = a hospice
un épilogue = an epilogue
un programme = a program
un domaine = a field, domain
un organisme = an organism
un épisode = an episode

> Feminine (even if they "sound" masculine):
une eau = water
une photo = a photo (short for photographie)
une moto = a motorbike (short for motocyclette)
une radio = a radio (short for radiophonie)
une fin = an end
une voix = a voice
une fois = a time (as in "one time")
une dent = a tooth
une faim = hunger
une peau = skin
une météo = weather (short for météorologie)
une clef / clé = a key
une main = a hand
une couleur = a color
une mer = sea
une huile = oil
une hygiène = hygiene
une origine = origin
une interview = an interview (borrowed from English, but feminine in French!)

> Special Cases (gender changes meaning):
le livre = book 📖 / la livre = pound (weight or currency) 💰
le manche = handle (of an object) / la manche = sleeve or a game round
le poste = a job / radio set / la poste = the postal service
le mémoire = a thesis / dissertation / la mémoire = memory (ability to remember)
le critique = the critic (person) / la critique = the critique, criticism (action)
le voile = veil, covering / la voile = sail (of a boat)

> Learning Tips:
Always learn a word with its article (un or une).
- Don't just learn pétale, but un pétale.
- Don't just learn photo, but une photo.
Create short sentences to fix them in memory.
- « J'ai cueilli un pétale. » = I picked a petal.
- « Elle a pris une photo. » = She took a photo.

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1. pétale Each of the colored parts that form the corolla of a flower.

2. orbite The bony cavity where the eye is located; or the path of a celestial body around another

3. ancre A heavy object attached to a chain to keep a boat in place on the sea bottom.

4. argent A precious shiny white metal; by extension, money or wealth.

5. patère A hook fixed to the wall to hang clothes or objects.

6. oriflamme A brightly colored banner or flag that waves in the wind.

7. omoplate A flat bone in the back located behind the shoulder (shoulder blade).

8. tentacule A long and flexible arm of certain sea animals.

9. ail A bulbous plant used as a seasoning in cooking (garlic).

10. oasis A fertile area in the desert where water and vegetation are found.

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