Me during my French exam wondering what is the gender of a washing machine

ByFast French

Do you feel like the little girl in this meme? Never knowing the gender of a noun in French? There is in fact a logical reason for the gender of a washing machine in French.

A washing machine is a “lave-linge” in French. That word is made up of two individual words: “lave” which comes from “laver” – the verb meaning “to wash.” And “linge” meaning “linen” or “laundry.” So a “lave-linge” is literally a “wash-linen.” Or in English, a washing machine.

The structure of this word is verb-noun. “Lave” is a verb and “linge” is a noun. When you have French words made up of a verb and a noun, they are masculine in gender, not feminine. So it is “le lave-linge” (the washing machine) or “un lave-linge” (a washing machine).

Other examples of this kind of word are “le lave-vaisselle” (the “wash-dishes” or dishwasher), “le porte-monnaie” (the “carry-change” or wallet) and “le pare-brise” (the “shield-breeze” or windshield).

These compound words are all masculine, even if they CONTAIN a feminine noun. Eg “la vaiselle” the dishes is a feminine noun. So too is “la monnaie” the change, or “la brise,” the breeze. The presence of a feminine noun doesn’t change the fact that the compound word is masculine.

Can you guess what “un pince-nez” does or looks like? Hint: it’s a 19th century style of eyeglasses.

Don’t miss out on new posts – subscribe now!

Don’t miss new articles!

Get 1 email a week with new articles about French

We don’t spam! Read more in our privacy policy

Similar Posts

  • Possession

    ByFast French

    Indicating Ownership or Possession in French Using “à moi,” “à toi,” “à lui,” “à elle,” “à nous,” “à vous,” “à eux,” and “à elles” and How They Differ from Possessive Pronouns In French, indicating ownership or possession can be done in various ways, two of which include using the phrases “à moi,” “à toi,” “à…

  • exiger

    ByFast French

    The French verb “exiger” means “to demand,” “to require,” or “to insist upon.” It comes from the Latin verb “exigere,” which means “to drive out” or “to demand.” Examples: Conjugation Présent j’exigetu exigesil exigenous exigeonsvous exigezils exigent Passé composé j’ai exigétu as exigéil a exigénous avons exigévous avez exigéils ont exigé

  • Verb: devoir

    ByFast French

    1. To Have To – Expressing Necessity and Obligation: The primary meaning of “devoir” is to express necessity and obligation, akin to “to have to” or “must” in English. It emphasizes the requirement to perform an action or fulfill a duty. Examples: Conjugations: 2. Ought To – Expressing Moral or Social Expectations: “Devoir” also conveys…

  • Verb: réussir

    ByFast French

    The French verb “réussir” means “to succeed,” but it can also mean “to achieve,” “to carry off (something) successfully,” “to win,” or “to pass (an exam).” Etymology: The word “réussir” was borrowed in the early 16th century from the Italian verb “riuscire,” meaning “to re-issue” or “to go out again.” The Italian “riuscire,” is made up…

  • il me reste

    ByFast French

    The French verb “rester” means “to stay” or “to remain” in English. But “rester” can be used with indirect object pronouns to mean “to have left.” This is an impersonal construction. In an impersonal construction, the “il” in “il me reste” means “it,” rather than “he.” The literal translation of “il me reste” is “it…

  • Irregular verbs overview

    ByFast French

    Regular vs. Irregular Verbs: A Brief Overview In French, as in many other languages, verbs are categorised as either regular or irregular based on their conjugation patterns. Conjugation refers to how a verb changes in form to match different subjects, tenses, and moods. Regular verbs follow predictable patterns, making them relatively easy to conjugate once…