Phase 1: Learning the Basics Gender Masculine and Feminine Form of Words Nouns

2nd week

Nouns refer to people, places, things, or ideas. All French nouns have a gender (masculine or feminine) and a number (singular or plural). There is no way around itthe gender of each noun must simply be memorized. Beware of trying to use your common sense to guess gender: make-up, stockings, and pocketbooks are masculine, while car, shirt, tie, and fishing are feminine.

Gender-Obvious Nouns (see p.64) Masculine Noun le pre le grand-pre le garon lami l'homme l'oncle le cousin le dieu le coq Meaning father grandfather boy boyfriend man uncle cousin (m.) god rooster Feminine Noun la mre la grande-mre la fille lamie la femme la tante la cousine la desse la poule Meaning mother grandmother girl girlfriend woman aunt cousin (f.) goddess hen

Nouns Used for Both Sexes (see p.64-5) French Word artiste camarade concierge lve enfant Meaning artist friend concierge student child French Word malade professeur secrtaire touriste Meaning sick person teacher secretary tourist

The dictionary will say either n. or m/f. whenever you come across a French word that can be either masculine or feminine. For example, it is both un touriste and une touriste, depending on the gender of the person you are talking about. ____________________________________________________________________________
Week Two 2.2 French course 3/26/08

_______

Phase 1: Learning the Basics

2nd week

Definite and Indefinite Articles (see p.60-3) All French nouns are either masculine (le) or feminine (la), as well as singular or plural. The most common noun markers are definite articles expressing the, and indefinite articles expressing a, an, one, some. They must agree in number and gender with the noun. Article definite definite definite indefinite indefinite Singular le la l un une Plural les les les des des

(m.) (f.) (m/f) (m.) (f.)

le and la change to l if the word starts with a vowel or a non-aspirate letter h. le restaurant le lion le tlphone la discipline la cravate la tlvision llphant (m.) lauto (f.) lhtel (m.)(non-aspirate h) lhomme(m.) (non-aspirate h) la harpe (aspirate h) le hros (aspirate h)

le or la can be replaced by the indefinite article a, either in its masculine (un) or feminine (une) form. un livre une brochure un stylo Exercise Use the following to fill in the blanks. le 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. la l les un une des Do you like (the) coffee? He hates bananas. She wears a dress. We like books. I buy the cassette. We have a dog. They share some bananas. You have some dogs. She sells the scarf. Michael and Mark drive some cars. Aimes-tu _____ caf? (m.) Il dteste _____ bananes. (f.) Elle porte _____ robe. (f.) Nous aimons _____ livres. (m.) Jachte _____ cassette. (f.) Nous avons _____ chien. (m.) Elles partagent _____ bananes. (f.) Vous avez _____ chiens. (m.) Elle vend _____ charpe. (f.) Mikal et Marc conduisent _____ autos.(f.) une fille un garon une auto une porte un htel un sac

____________________________________________________________________________
Week Two 2.3 French course 3/26/08

______

Phase 1: Learning the Basics

2nd week

Exercise

Is it masculine or feminine? Use un / une Use le / la / l ___ assemble ___ service ___ congrgation ___ homme ___ ___ ___ ___ femme cantique lecture microphone ___ ___ ___ ___ proclamatrice livre haine connaissance

Either ___ disciple ___ enfant ___ ___ ___ ___ professeur baptme maison question

___ prire ___ discours ___ expos ___ ___ ___ ___ orateur tude cole tract

___ porte ___ tmoignage ___ proclamateur ___ ___ ___ ___ crayon territoire chapitre verset

___ paragraphe ___ salle ___ runion ___ ___ ___ ___ ancien frre soeur vrit

____________________________________________________________________________
Week Two 2.4 French course 3/26/08