le maire - mayor
la mer - sea
la mère - mother
le mal - evil
le mâle - male
la malle - trunk
le manche - handle
la manche - sleeve
la Manche - English Channel
le manœuvre - laborer
la manœuvre - maneuver, operation
le manille - Manila cigar, Manila hat
la manille - (card game) manille; Manille shackle
le manque - lack, shortage, fault
à la manque - (familiar) crummy, second-rate
le mari - husband
la mari - marijuana (apocope of la marijuana)
Marie - feminine name
le martyr - male martyr
le martyre - martyrdom, agony
la martyre - female martyr
le Maure - Moor
le mors - bit (horse-riding)
le mort - dead body
la mort - death
le mauve - mauve
la mauve - mallow plant
le mec (informal) - guy, bloke
la Mecque - Mecca
le mégot - cigarette butt
la mégot - cigarette
le mémoire - memo, report, memoirs
la mémoire - memory
le merci - thanks
la merci - mercy
le mi - mi (musical note E)
la mie - soft part of bread
le mi-temps - (work) part-time
la mi-temps - (sports) half, half-time
le micro-onde - microwave oven
la micro-onde - microwave (electromagnetic radiation)
le mite - moth
la mythe - myth
le mode - method, way, mood
la mode - fashion
le moral - morale
la morale - moral (of a story), morals
le mou - softness
la moue - pout
le moule - mold
la moule - mussel
le mousse - ship's boy (apprentice)
la mousse - moss, froth, foam, mousse
le mur - wall
la mûre - blackberry
le nocturne - night hunter (bird), nocturn (religion), nocturne (music, art)
la nocturne - late night store opening, sports match, meeting
un œuvre - body of work
une œuvre - piece of work, task
un office - office, bureau
une office - pantry
un ombre - grayling (fish)
une ombre - shade, shadow
orange (m) - orange (color)
une orange - orange (fruit)
le page - page boy
la page - page (of a book)
le pair - peer
le père - father
la paire - pair
Pâques (m) - Easter
la pâque - Passover
les Pâques (f) - Easter
le parallèle - parallel (figurative)
la parallèle - parallel line
le pendule - pendulum
la pendule - clock
personne (m) - (negative pronoun) no one
la personne - person
le pet - (familiar) fart
la paie - pay
la paix - peace
le physique - physique, face
la physique - physics
le plastique - plastic
la plastique - modeling arts, body shape
le platine - platinum
la platine - turntable, deck, strip of metal
le poche - paperback book
la poche - pocket, pouch
le poêle - stove
la poêle - frying pan
le poids - weight
le pois - pea, dot
la poix - pitch, tar
le poignet - wrist, (shirt) cuff
la poignée - handful, fistful; handle
le poison - poison, (informal) unpleasant man or boy
la poison - (informal) unpleasant woman or girl
le politique - politician
la politique - politics, policy
le ponte - (informal) big shot
la ponte - laying eggs, clutch of eggs
le poste - job, post, tv/radio set
la poste - post office, mail/post
le pot - jar, pot, tin, can
la peau - skin
le pub - pub/bar
la pub - ad (apocope of publicité)
le pupille - male ward
la pupille - pupil (eye), female ward
le rade (slang) - bar, bistro
la rade - harbor
le radio - radio operator
la radio - radio, X ray
le rai - spoke (wheel)
la raie - line, furrow, scratch (fish) skate, ray
le réclame - (falconry) the cry to recall the bird
la réclame - publicity; en réclame - on sale
le relâche - rest, respite, break**
la relâche - rest, respite, break**, port of call
**For these meanings, relâche can be masculine or feminine.
le renne - reindeer
la reine - queen
la rêne - rein
le rêve - dream
la rave - rave party (but not rave meaning "turnip," which is pronounced differently)
le rose - pink (color)
la rose - rose (flower)
le roux - red, redhead, roux (soup base)
la roue - wheel
le secrétaire - male secretary, writing desk, secretary
la secrétaire - female secretary
le sel - salt
la selle - saddle
le soi - self, id
la soie - silk
le sol - ground, floor, soil
la sole - sole (fish)
le solde - balance (account), sale
la solde - pay
le somme - snooze, nap
la somme - sum, amount
le souris - smile (archaic)
la souris - mouse
le tic - tic, twitch
la tique - tick
le tour - tour, turn, trick
la tour - tower, rook (chess)
le tout - whole
la toux - cough
le trompette - trumpeter
la trompette - trumpet
le vague - vagueness
la vague - wave
le vapeur - steamer
la vapeur - steam, haze, vapor
le vase - vase
la vase - silt, mud
le vigile - night watchman
la vigile - vigil
le visa - visa (to enter a country)
la visa - Visa (credit card)
le voile - veil
la voile - sail
Quiz on dual-gender nouns
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Introduction to French nouns and gender
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