There are certain nouns referring to human beings which, although of one gender only, can apply to individuals of either sex (also called nouns of common gender):
une connaissance
(an acquaintance -man or woman)
une personne (a person -man or woman)
une recrue (a recruit -man or woman)
une sentinelle (a sentry -man or woman)
un témoin (a witness -man or woman)
une victime (a victim -man or woman)
Certain nouns designating a profession or a status traditionally held by men have no feminine equivalent:
l'auteur
(author)
le bourreau (the executioner)
le chef (chief, boss)
l'écrivain (writer)
le guide (guide)
l'ingénieur (engineer)
le ministre (minister)
le peintre (painter)
le professeur (professor)
le successeur (successor)
le tyran (tyrant)
Note: there are two ways to indicate that the noun refers to a woman: by using the word femme (woman) or dame (lady):
J'ai visité une femme
docteur. (I visited a lady doctor.)
Cette dame est un tyran. (This lady is a
tyrant.)
Nouns referring to some living creatures (singular or plural) can refer to beings of one sex or to any member of the species, regardless of sex:
les souris [fem.]
(mice [of either sex])
les moutons [masc.] (rams/sheep [of either
sex])
les poissons [masc.] (fish [of either
sex])
les mouches [fem.] (flies [of either sex])
les éléphants [masc.] (elephants [of either
sex])
les hommes [masc.] (men and women/humankind)
Other nouns keep the same spelling but have a different meaning depending on the gender:
un aide (male
assistant), une aide (help)
le critique (critic), la
critique (criticism)
le garde (guard person), la
garde (protection)
le guide (guide person), la
guide (rein)
le livre (book), la livre
(pound)
le manche (handle), la manche
(sleeve)
le moule (mold), la moule
(mussel)
le manoeuvre (manual laborer), la
manoeuvre (maneuver)
le page (page-boy), la page
(page)
le pendule (pendulum), la
pendule (wall clock)
le poste (post), la poste (post
office)
le physique (physique), la
physique (physics)
le radio (radio operator), la
radio (radio)
le tour (turn), la tour
(tower)
le vase (vase), la vase
(silt)
le voile (veil), la voile
(sail)
See Also: