Le ou la? French Nouns Whose Meaning Changes With Gender
French has a handful of nouns that live a double life. The same word means one thing in the masculine and something completely different in the feminine. Some of the pairs are logical enough once you know them. Others are delightfully arbitrary. Either way, they are worth knowing.
| Masculin | Féminin | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Form | Meaning | Form | Meaning |
| un aide | a helper, an assistant | une aide | help, assistance |
| le chèvre | goat's cheese | la chèvre | the goat |
| le crêpe | crêpe fabric | la crêpe | the pancake |
| le critique | the critic (person) | la critique | criticism, a review |
| l'enseigne | sub-lieutenant, ensign (officer) | l'enseigne | a shop sign, a flag |
| le faune | a faun (mythological) | la faune | wildlife, fauna |
| le garde | a guard, a keeper | la garde | custody, guard duty |
| le guide | a guide (person), a guidebook | la guide | a rein |
| le livre | the book | la livre | the pound (weight or currency) |
| le manche | the handle (of a broom, knife, etc.) | la manche | a sleeve; la Manche |
| le mémoire | a dissertation, a memo | la mémoire | memory |
| le merci | a thank-you | la merci | mercy |
| le mode | method, way; grammatical mood | la mode | fashion |
| le mort | a dead man | la mort | death |
| le moule | a mould, a baking tin | la moule | a mussel |
| le mousse | a cabin boy | la mousse | foam, moss, mousse |
| le page | a page-boy | la page | a page in a book |
| le pendule | a pendulum | la pendule | a clock |
| le physique | physique, physical appearance | la physique | physics |
| le poêle | a stove | la poêle | a frying pan |
| le politique | a politician | la politique | politics, policy |
| le poste | a job, a TV or radio set, a phone extension | la poste | the post office, the postal service |
| le rose | the colour pink | la rose | a rose |
| le somme | a nap | la somme | a sum, an amount |
| le tour | a turn, a walk, a trick, a lathe | la tour | a tower |
| le vague | vagueness | la vague | a wave |
| le vapeur | a steamship | la vapeur | steam, vapour |
| le vase | a vase | la vase | silt, mud |
| le voile | a veil | la voile | sailing, a sail |
If this post does one thing, let it be this: it makes the case for always learning a French noun together with its article rather than in isolation. “Livre” tells you nothing. “Le livre” and “la livre” tell you everything.
Ready to practise? → Le ou la ? French Nouns That Change Meaning With Gender: Practice Exercises