French Reference Grammar - Nouns, articles and adjectives

All nouns in French are either masculine or feminine. In some other languages, including English, nouns can also be neuter. 

In English the situation has more or less resolved itself into the use of the masculine for male humans or animals, feminine for female humans or animals, and neuter for objects or things. But things are not quite as simple as they seem. For example, in English we readily say: 

'Look at that child. It’s going to run across the road.'

'The ship is on time. She will arrive at noon.' 

In French, nouns which refer to objects or things are either masculine or feminine. 

Nouns which refer to male humans or animals are, as in English, masculine; nouns which refer to female humans or animals are feminine.

Some exceptions

• Even though a teacher may be a woman, the correct term is 'le professeur'. There is some debate about whether or not a female doctor should be referred to as 'Madame le médecin'. If a woman is elected mayor ('mayoress'?), the traditional form of address is 'Madame le Maire'. Many nouns denoting occupations or characteristics originally associated with men are still masculine even when applied to women, though, as you might expect, some sections of modern French society are not happy with that situation. 
• Note: when referring to the gender of nouns, the correct grammatical terms must be used. They are masculine and feminine. It is not correct to refer to nouns as male and female, which are terms from biology, botany and zoology, not grammar.

Are there any rules?

It can be observed that there are certain rules, but it is not necessary to develop the rules fully at this stage. 

Some, simply stated, are: 

• nouns ending in -s, -x or -z in the singular do not change in the plural 
• nouns ending in -al in the singular change to -aux in the plural 
• nouns ending in -au, -eau or -eu in the singular take an 'x' in the plural.

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