Certain endings indicate that normally the noun is feminine:
-ance, -anse,
-ence, -ense:
la
chance (chance), la danse (dance),
la patience (patience), la
défense (defense)
-aine:
la semaine (week), la chaîne
(chain)
Suffixes:
-ade, -aie, -aille, -aine, -aison,
-ande, -ee, -ence, -esse, -eur, -ille, -ion, -ison, -tion,
-ure:
la semaine (the week), la
jeunesse (youth), la famille (the
family), la sensation (the sensation),
la torture (torture), etc.
Names of disciplines are also feminine:
la botanique (botany), la grammaire (grammar)
Le droit (law) is an exception.
See Also: