French gender exceptions: pronouns ‘your,’ ‘our’ and ‘their’
If you haven’t done so already, take a quick look at the lessons on gender in French grammar and gendered French pronouns.
Most pronouns are gendered to match the nouns they accompany or replace. There are a few, however, that remain the same for nouns of either gender (hooray!), and change only in plural form.
votre (masc. or fem. sing. formal)
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- e.g. - votre stylo (m.) [your pen]
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- e.g. - votre chaise (f.) [your chair]
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vos (m. or f. plural formal)
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- e.g. - vos idées (f. pl.) [your ideas]
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- e.g. - vos crayons (m. pl.) [your pencils]
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NOTE: votre and vos are used when addressing someone in a formal situation OR when addressing more than one person. See previous lesson for rules on ‘your’ (informal).
notre (m. or f. sing.)
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- e.g. - notre stylo (m.) [our pen]
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- e.g. - notre chaise (f.) [our chair]
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nos (m. or f. plural)
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- e.g. - nos idées (f. pl.) [our ideas]
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- e.g. - nos crayons (m. pl.) [our pencils]
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leur (m. or f. sing.)
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- e.g. - leur stylo (m.) [their pen]
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- e.g. - leur chaise (f.) [their chair]
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leurs (m. or f. plur.)
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- e.g. - leurs idées (f. pl.) [their ideas]
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- e.g. - leurs crayons (m. pl.) [their pencils]
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Related Posts:
- Introduction to masculine and feminine in French
- Gendered pronouns: ‘my, ‘your,’ ‘his,’ and ‘her’
- ‘Le’ and ‘la’ with ‘de’ and ‘à’
Anne has studied and spoken French for over a decade and has lived in both France and Francophone Cameroon. She strives to write lessons that reflect her real experiences and represent the way people really speak.
