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

  • 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

  • avoid passive voice

    ByFast French

    English speakers often use the passive voice to focus on the receiver of an action rather than the doer. A passive sentence in English typically uses a form of “to be” plus a past participle, sometimes with “by + agent.” Examples: “The door was opened,” “The report was written by the team,” “He was given…

  • le pouvoir

    ByFast French

    The French masculine noun “le pouvoir” translates to “power” or “authority” in English. It comes from the French verb “pouvoir,” meaning “to be able,” or “can.” “Le pouvoir” has its roots in the Latin word “potere,” which means “to be able” or “to have the right.” This Latin term evolved into the Old French “povoir” before…

  • verb: craindre

    ByFast French

    Meanings of “Craindre”: The French verb “craindre” primarily translates to “to fear” or “to be afraid.” However, its meanings extend beyond mere fear, encompassing a spectrum of related emotions: Conjugation in Present and Passé Composé: “Craindre” belongs to the third group of French verbs, which are often irregular in their conjugations. Here is how “craindre”…

  • think

    ByFast French

    There are a few different ways to say “to think” in French. You can use verbs like “penser,” “songer,” “réfléchir,” “croire,” or “considérer.” penser Penser means “to think.” It is related to the English word “pensive,” someone who is thoughtful or in deep thought. It can be used with “à” to mean “to have in…