One of the main differences between English and French is that the French language has genders. In French, there are masculine nouns and feminine nouns. Sometimes nouns are either feminine or masculine and sometimes masculine nouns have their feminine form. To find the feminine of a noun, you generally add “e” at the end of the masculine noun. But this rule doesn’t apply to a lot of nouns.
In this lesson, we will study compound nouns and how we determine their gender according to the words that compose them.
Examples:
When the first part of a compound noun is an adverb: When the first part of a compound noun is an adverb (après, arrière, avant, sous...) the compound noun takes the gender of the second part of the compound noun.
For example, we say: un avant-bras because bras is a masculine noun. More examples:
For example un arc-en-ciel: un arc is a masculine noun so the compound noun arc-en-ciel is masculine too.
More examples:
For example: Une laveuse-sécheuse is composed of two feminine nouns une laveuse and une sécheuse are feminine nouns so laveuse-sécheuse is also feminine.
Other examples:
For example: We say un tennisman and une tenniswoman
More examples:
Remember: Most compound nouns in French are hyphenated.
In this lesson, we will study compound nouns and how we determine their gender according to the words that compose them.
When the first part of the compound noun is a verb
When the first part of the compound noun is a verb, the compound noun is usually masculine.Examples:
| un abat-jour un amuse-gueule un arrache-clou un bouche-trou un cache-nez un casse-cou un casse-croûte un casse-tête un compte-gouttes un coupe-faim un coupe-ongle un croque-monsieur un emporte-pièce un essuie-glace | un garde-côte un gratte-ciel un lave-vaisselle le lèche-vitrine un ouvre-boîte un passe-partout un pèse-personne un porte-avions un porte-clef un sèche-cheveux un sèche-linge un taille-crayon un tire-bouchon un va-et-vient |
When the first part of a compound noun is an adverb: When the first part of a compound noun is an adverb (après, arrière, avant, sous...) the compound noun takes the gender of the second part of the compound noun.
For example, we say: un avant-bras because bras is a masculine noun. More examples:
| un avant-goût une avant-première un avant-projet un après-rasage un après-shampooing une arrière-boutique un arrière-goût une arrière-pensée un arrière-plan | une sous-couche un sous-lieutenant un sous-marin une sous-nutrition un sous-produit un sous-sol un sous-titre un sous-vêtement |
When the first part of a compound noun is a masculine noun
When the first part of a compound noun is a masculine noun, the compound noun is usually masculine too.For example un arc-en-ciel: un arc is a masculine noun so the compound noun arc-en-ciel is masculine too.
More examples:
| un appui-bras un bateau-mouche un drap-housse un portrait-robot un soutien-gorge |
When the Compound noun is composed of two feminine nouns
When the compound noun is composed of two feminine nouns, compound nouns are usually feminine.For example: Une laveuse-sécheuse is composed of two feminine nouns une laveuse and une sécheuse are feminine nouns so laveuse-sécheuse is also feminine.
Other examples:
| une moissonneuse-batteuse une porte-fenêtre |
When a Compound noun is composed of English words representing men and women
In the case of compound nouns which are formed of English words representing men and women, the natural gender takes over the grammatical gender.For example: We say un tennisman and une tenniswoman
More examples:
| un cow-boy / une cow-girl un businessman / une businesswoman |