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Transformer masculin en féminin

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The main rules

The basic rule

We add a silent “e” at the end of the masculine noun to turn it into the feminine. You must as well change the masculine article always for its feminine version.

For example:
Un ami et une amie → A friend.
Un avocat et une avocate → A lawyer.

Note

If the masculine noun ends in a vowel, the feminine will be pronounced the same. If it ends in a consonant, the consonant is silent at the end of the masculine but not for the feminine.

For example:
Un avocat → “hun-ah-vo-ka” / Une avocate → “uhn-ah-vo-kat.”

When the masculine noun ends with an “e.”

When the masculine noun ends with an “e,” the masculine and the feminine nouns will be spelled and pronounced the same. You must change the masculine article for its feminine version. 

For example:
Un journaliste et une journaliste → A journalist.

When the masculine noun ends with an “é.”

When the masculine noun ends with an “é,” add a silent “e” to have the feminine. The masculine and the feminine will be pronounced the same. You must change the masculine article for its feminine version.

For example:
Un employé et une employée → An employee.

The exceptions

We have 10 irregular endings that don’t follow the main rules. If a masculine noun ends with one of the endings listed below and strictly those, follow this:

Masculine Feminine Example
El Elle Un criminel/une criminelle
En Enne Un lycéen/une lycéenne
Er Ère Un boucher/une bouchère
Et Ette Un muet/une muette
Eur Euse Un vendeur/une vendeuse
Ien Ienne Un chien/une chienne
Ier Ière Un écolier/une écolière
If Ive Un sportif/une sportive
On Onne Un lion/une lionne
Teur Trice Un directeur/une directrice

Note

There is not a big difference between “eur” and “teur” in the masculine form, but a big one for the feminine form “euse” and “trice”.

The irregular ones

Some nouns will have an irregular feminine form. Unfortunately, there are no rules to help you.

For example:
Un maître → Une maîtresse → A primary school teacher/ A master.
Un hôte → Une hôtesse → An host.
Un ingénieur → Une ingénieure → An engineer.
Un chanteur → Une chanteuse → A singer.

More in the books

Werther you are learning by yourself, with Anais and Co or if you are a FLE teacher find this lesson and many more in a beautiful book.

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