What is a noun?

A noun is a part of speech that is used to identify a person, place, or thing.

In French, all nouns have a gender. They are either masculine or feminine.

Sometimes there are patterns to which nouns are masculine and which nouns are feminine, but that is not always the case. There is no easy way to determine a noun’s gender. You must memorize the gender of a noun when you learn it.

The easiest way to memorize a noun’s gender is to learn it with an article. There are 3 types of articles: Indefinite, Definite, and Partitive

There are 2 indefinite articles in English:

There are 2 indefinite articles in English: a/an

The indefinite article in English introduces the noun. The indefinite article that is used is determined by if the noun begins with a consonant or a vowel. (ex. a book, an apple)

The indefinite article in French introduces the noun as well, but the indefinite article that is used is determined by if the noun is masculine or feminine.

In French, the indefinite article has two forms: un and une

Whether it begins with a consonant or a vowel, -un is used with a masculine noun

Whether it begins with a consonant or a vowel, -un is used with a masculine noun - une is used with a feminine noun

Par exemple: - The word pen in French is “stylo” -It is a masculine word, so we would say “un stylo” - “un stylo” translates to “a pen”

un stylo - “stylo” is a masculine word, so we use the indefinite article “un”

Par exemple: - The word calculator in French is “calculatrice” -It is a feminine word, so we would say “une calculatrice” - “une calculatrice” translates to “a calculator”

une calculatrice - “calculatrice” is a feminine word, so we use the indefinite article “une”

Par exemple: - The word stapler in French is “agrafeuse” -It is a feminine word, so we would say “une agrafeuse” - “une agrafeuse” translates to “a stapler”

une agrafeuse - “agrafeuse” is a feminine word, so we use the indefinite article “une”

All words in French have a gender (masculine or feminine). Memorizing the appropriate indefinite article (un/une) for each word will help you remember which words are masculine and which words are feminine.

un homme une femme un arbre un film une télévision un téléphone

What is a definite article?

English has one definite article: the

The Definite Article in English introduces the noun in a specific way. It is not just a book. It is the book. That is why it is called a DEFINITE article. It is referring to something specific.

In French, the definite article (the) has four forms: le, la, l’, les

le is used with masculine nouns

la – with feminine nouns

Par exemple: - The word pen in French is “stylo” -It is a masculine word, so we would say “le stylo” - “le stylo” translates to “the pen”

So if I ask you for the meaning of the word pen in French with an indefinite article, you would write/say: un stylo But if I ask you for the meaning of the word pen in French with a definite article, you would write/say: le stylo

Par exemple: - The word calculator in French is “calculatrice” -It is a feminine word, so we would say “la calculatrice” - “la calculatrice” translates to “the calculator”

So if I ask you for the meaning of the word calculator in French with an indefinite article, you would write/say: une calculatrice But if I ask you for the meaning of the word calculator in French with a definite article, you would write/say: la calculatrice

Indefinite Article (a) – Definite Article (the) un crayon – le crayon un livre – le livre un dossier – le dossier un sac à dos – le sac à dos une gomme – la gomme une règle – la règle

Now let’s talk about the l’ The definite article - L’- is used with nouns that start with a vowel.

L’ is used with nouns that are masculine or feminine. HOWEVER, you still need to know if the noun is masculine or feminine.

L’Alphabet (m) L’Objectif (m)

Par exemple: - The word stapler in French is “agrafeuse”

Par exemple: - The word stapler in French is “agrafeuse” -If we want to use it with the definite article, since it starts with a vowel, we use the L’ “l’agrafeuse (f)” - “l’agrafeuse” translates to “the stapler”

Par exemple: - The word school in French is “école” -If we want to use it with the definite article, since it starts with a vowel, we use the L’ “l’école (f)” - “l’école” translates to “the school”

Par exemple: - The word computer in French is “ordinateur” -If we want to use it with the definite article, since it starts with a vowel, we use the L’ “l’ordinateur (m)” - “l’ordinateur” translates to “the computer”

The vowels in English are: A, E, I, O, U, and sometimes Y

The vowels in English are: A, E, I, O, U, and sometimes Y BUT The vowels in French are: A, E, I, O, U, and sometimes H

The French H “ h muet ” or an “ h aspiré ”

The French H There is no easy way to determine whether an H is muet or aspiré. It is just something that you will have to memorize with each word that you learn.

The French H L’ ONLY when it is an h muet Par exemple: l’hôtel (m) l’horloge (f)

The French H When a word starts with an “h aspiré”, you will use the definite articles le or la, depending on whether the noun is masculine or feminine.

The French H When a word starts with an “h aspiré”, you will use the definite articles le or la, depending on whether the noun is masculine or feminine. Par exemple le hockey la harpe

Le – definite article used for masculine words La – definite article used for feminine words L’ – definite article used for words that begin with a vowel (sometimes H) no matter what the gender is AND the last definite article form is “Les”

In French, the definite article “Les” is used only when a noun is plural.

In French, the definite article “Les” is used only when a noun is plural. Just like the definite article L’, the definite article “les” is used with nouns that are either masculine and feminine, but you still have to remember noun’s gender.

Some words in French, just like in English, are always plural, even if there is only one of it. Par exemple scissors - les ciseaux (m)

French Definite Articles (the): Le – masculine/singular (le stylo) La – feminine/singular (la feuille de papier) L’ – vowel/m or f/singular (l’agrafeuse (f)) Les – m or f/plural (les ciseaux)

Indefinite Articles a / an Definite Articles the Munle Funela VowelXl’ PluralXles