Mastering Masculine and Feminine Forms of Adjectives and Professions in French
Level: DELF A1
Introduction
French grammar is rich and structured, and one of the essential aspects to master is the transformation of masculine adjectives and profession nouns into their feminine counterparts. This guide will help you understand the key rules and exceptions so you can use them correctly in conversation and writing.
Rules for Forming the Feminine
1. No Change if the Masculine Form Ends in -e
If an adjective or noun already ends in -e in the masculine form, the feminine form remains the same.
- jeune → jeune (young)
- rouge → rouge (red)
2. Adding -e to Masculine Forms Ending in -d, -s, -t, -al, -i
For words ending in these consonants, simply add -e to form the feminine.
- grand → grande (tall)
- français → française (French)
- petit → petite (small)
- royal → royale (royal)
- poli → polie (polite)
3. Adding -le for Words Ending in -el
- cruel → cruelle (cruel)
4. Adding -ne for Words Ending in -en or -on
- ancien → ancienne (old/former)
- mignon → mignonne (cute)
5. Adding -te for Words Ending in -et (Except Some Change to -ète)
- net → nette (clean)
- complet → complète (complete)
6. Adding -le for Words Ending in -il
- gentil → gentille (kind)
7. Adding -he for Words Ending in -c
- blanc → blanche (white)
8. Changing -er to -ère
- cher → chère (expensive/dear)
9. Changing -f to -ve
- neuf → neuve (new)
10. Changing -eur, -eux to -euse (Some Exceptions Simply Add -e)
- travailleur → travailleuse (hardworking)
- heureux → heureuse (happy)
- meilleur → meilleure (better)
11. Changing -teur to -trice (Some Exceptions Exist)
- acteur → actrice (actor/actress)
- chanteur → chanteuse (singer)
| Rule | Masculine Form | Feminine Form | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. If the masculine form ends with -e, the feminine remains unchanged | -e | -e | jeune → jeune (young) |
| 2. Add -e if the masculine form ends in -d, -s, -t, -al, -i | -d → -de -s → -se -t → -te -al → -ale -i → -ie | grand → grande (tall) français → française (French) petit → petite (small) royal → royale (royal) poli → polie (polite) | |
| 3. Add -le if the masculine form ends with -el | -el → -elle | cruel → cruelle (cruel) | |
| 4. Add -ne if the masculine form ends with -en or -on | -en → -enne -on → -onne | ancien → ancienne (old/former) mignon → mignonne (cute) | |
| 5. Add -te if the masculine form ends with -et, except some words change to -ète | -et → -ette -et → -ète | net → nette (clean) complet → complète (complete) | |
| 6. Add -le if the masculine form ends with -il | -il → -ille | gentil → gentille (kind) | |
| 7. Add -he if the masculine form ends with -c | -c → -che | blanc → blanche (white) | |
| 8. Change -er to -ère | -er → -ère | cher → chère (expensive/dear) | |
| 9. Change -f to -ve | -f → -ve | neuf → neuve (new) | |
| 10. Change -eur and -eux to -euse, except some words ending in -eur simply add -e | -eur → -euse -eux → -euse -eur → -eure | travailleur → travailleuse (hardworking) heureux → heureuse (happy) meilleur → meilleure (better) | |
| 11. Change -teur to -trice, except some words | -teur → -trice -teur → -teuse (exception) | acteur → actrice (actor/actress) chanteur → chanteuse (singer) |
Exceptions and Special Cases
While most words follow these rules, there are some exceptions and unique cases to remember.
1. Irregular Adjective Forms
- beau → belle (handsome/beautiful)
- vieux → vieille (old)
- nouveau → nouvelle (new)
- fou → folle (crazy)
- long → longue (long)
2. Some Professions Have No Feminine Form
Certain job titles remain unchanged regardless of gender.
- un médecin → une médecin (doctor)
- un professeur → une professeur (professor)
- un ingénieur → une ingénieure (engineer)
- un écrivain → une écrivaine (writer)
3. Some Words Have a Different Feminine Form
- homme → femme (man → woman)
- roi → reine (king → queen)
- garçon → fille (boy → girl)
- mari → femme (husband → wife)
Final Thoughts
Mastering masculine and feminine forms in French is essential for fluency. By understanding these rules and exceptions, you will improve both your spoken and written French. Keep practicing, and soon these transformations will become second nature!
Do you have any favorite words with interesting gender changes? Let us know in the comments!
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💙 Vocabulary Categories for DELF A1
💙 Table of Contents: French Grammar
