French Lessons Day 6-" l', Le, et La"

Well, just when you think you know something-you don't. This is seemingly happening a lot in my studies of French and I don't find it the least bit discouraging but I certainly know how ELL in my class feel during verb tense and word form lessons.

These are all articles that translate into "the". The differences are in the masculinity and femininity of different nouns.

When the following noun begins with a vowel, le or la becomes l'.

HOWEVER, when the word begins with an "h" it also drops the "e", "es" or "a" as well.

Now I want to know, when do I know if a noun is Fem. or Mas.?

Apparently some words, are always that gender (regardless of the context). For example in crime reports, a victim is "victime" and person is "personne" based on the lessons and experience with the language thus far, one understands that they are feminine. Based on the experience so far as well, one would think to change them to masculine form if the "personne" or "victime" were a man. This is an incorrect assumption though. These words remain as is (in feminine form). Why? Its just the way it is-or as the French say, "C'est La Vie!"

Well, a good teacher will always find a way to make the materials resonate best with their students. In some cases-its impossible. Students would need to develop a way to identify which nouns are mas. or fem. on their own-and even STILL in the 21st century, they have proven unsuccessful.

This is the closest attempt at identifying the gender of a noun...using the endings-Note: the percentages are "in 90% of words with these endings, they are mas./fem..."

Typically masculine noun endings (+90%)

• -an, -and, -ant, -ent, -in, -int, -om, -ond, -ont, -on (but not after s/c¸)
• -eau, -au, -aud, -aut, -o, -os, -ot
• -ai, -ais, -ait, -es, -et
• -ou, -out, -out, -oux
• -i, -il, -it, -is, -y
• -at, -as, -ois, -oit
• • -u, -us, -ut, -eu
• -er, -é after C (C=t)
• -age, -ege, – ème, -ome, -aume, -isme
• -as, -is, -os, -us, -ex
• -it, -est
• -al, -el, -il, -ol, -eul, -all
• -if, -ef
•  -ac, -ic, -oc, -uc
• -am, -um, -en
• -air, -er, -erf, -ert, -ar, -arc, -ars, -art, -our, -ours, -or, -ord, -ors, -ort, -ir, -oir, -eur
  (if animate)
• -ail, -eil, -euil, -ueil
• -ing

Typically feminine noun endings (+90%)

•  -aie, -oue, -eue, -ion, -te, – ée, -ie, -ue
• -asse, -ace, -esse, -ece, -aisse, -isse/-ice, -ousse, -ance, -anse, -ence, -once
•  -enne, -onne, -une, -ine, -aine, -eine, -erne
• -ande, -ende, -onde, -ade, -ude, -arde, -orde
• -euse, -ouse, -ase, -aise, -ese, -oise, -ise, -yse, -ose, -use
•  -ache, -iche, -eche, -oche, -uche, -ouche, -anche
• -ave, -eve, -ive
•  -iere, -ure, -eure
• -ette, -ete, – ête, -atte, -otte, -oute, -orte, -ante, -ente, -inte, -onte
• -alle, -elle, -ille, -olle
• -aille, -eille, -ouille
• -appe, -ampe, -ombe
• • -igue