French Nouns Starting With P

325 of the most common French nouns start with P: 152 masculine, 138 feminine, and 35 that take either gender. 8 break the usual rule for their ending, so those are the ones to memorize.

Noun	Gender	Meaning	Ending rule
le pacte	masculine		No rule
la pagaille	feminine		Follows `-aille`
le page / la page	both		No rule
la paie	feminine		Follows `-ie`
le paiement	masculine		Follows `-ment`
le paille / la paille	both		No rule
le pain	masculine		Follows `-in`
le pair	masculine		No rule
la paire	feminine		No rule
le panier	masculine		Follows `-ier`
la panique	feminine		No rule
la panne	feminine		No rule
le panneau	masculine		Follows `-eau`
le pansement	masculine		Follows `-ment`
le pantalon	masculine		No rule
le papa	masculine	dad	No rule
le pape	masculine		No rule
la paperasse	feminine		No rule
le papi	masculine		No rule
le papier	masculine	paper; (plural) identity papers	Follows `-ier`
le papillon	masculine		No rule
le papy	masculine		No rule
le paquet	masculine		No rule
le parachute	masculine		No rule
la parade	feminine		Follows `-ade`
le parage	masculine		Follows `-age`
le parapluie	masculine		Exception `-ie` is usually feminine
le parasite / la parasite	both		No rule
le parc	masculine		No rule
le pardon	masculine		No rule
le pareil	masculine		Follows `-eil`
le parent	masculine	parent; relative	No rule
le parfait	masculine		No rule
le parfum	masculine		No rule
le pari	masculine		No rule
le parking	masculine		Follows `-ing`
le parler	masculine		No rule
la parole	feminine	spoken word; promise; (plural) lyrics	No rule
le parrain	masculine		Follows `-in`
la part	feminine	share, portion	No rule
le partenaire / la partenaire	both		No rule
le parti	masculine		No rule
la particule	feminine		No rule
le particulier	masculine		Follows `-ier`
la partie	feminine	part; game, match	Follows `-ie`
le passage	masculine		Follows `-age`
le passager	masculine		No rule
le passe / la passe	both		No rule
le passé	masculine	the past	No rule
le passeport	masculine		No rule
le passereau	masculine		Follows `-eau`
la passion	feminine		Follows `-sion`
le pasteur / la pasteur	both		No rule
la patate	feminine		No rule
la pâte	feminine		No rule
le pâté	masculine		Exception `-té` is usually feminine
la patience	feminine		Follows `-ence`
le patient	masculine	patient	No rule
la patrie	feminine		Follows `-ie`
le patron	masculine	boss; sewing pattern	No rule
la patrouille	feminine		Follows `-ille`
la patte	feminine		No rule
la pause	feminine		No rule
le pauvre / la pauvre	both		No rule
la pauvreté	feminine		Follows `-té`
la paye	feminine		No rule
le paysage	masculine		Follows `-age`
le paysan	masculine		No rule
la peau	feminine		Exception `-eau` is usually masculine
le péché	masculine		No rule
la pêche	feminine		No rule
le pêcheur	masculine		No rule
le pédé	masculine		No rule
le peigne	masculine		No rule
la peine	feminine	sorrow; difficulty; penalty, sentence	No rule
le peintre / la peintre	both		No rule
la peinture	feminine		Follows `-ure`
la pelle	feminine		Follows `-elle`
la pelouse	feminine		No rule
la peluche	feminine		No rule
le penny	masculine		No rule
la pensée	feminine		Follows `-ée`
la pension	feminine		Follows `-sion`
le perdant	masculine		No rule
le père	masculine	father	No rule
la perfection	feminine		Follows `-tion`
la performance	feminine		Follows `-ance`
le péril	masculine		No rule
le périmètre	masculine		No rule
le période / la période	both		No rule
la perle	feminine		No rule
la permanence	feminine		Follows `-ence`
la permission	feminine		Follows `-sion`
la perruque	feminine		No rule
le personnage	masculine		Follows `-age`
la personnalité	feminine		Follows `-té`
la personne	feminine	person	No rule
le personnel	masculine		No rule
la perspective	feminine		No rule
la perte	feminine		No rule
la perturbation	feminine		Follows `-tion`
la peste	feminine		No rule
le pet	masculine		No rule
le pétard	masculine		No rule
le petit-déjeuner	masculine		No rule
le pétrin	masculine		Follows `-in`
le pétrole	masculine		No rule
le peuple	masculine		No rule
la peur	feminine	fear	No rule
le phare	masculine		No rule
la pharmacie	feminine		Follows `-ie`
la phase	feminine		No rule
le phénomène	masculine		No rule
la philosophie	feminine		Follows `-ie`
la photo	feminine	photo	Exception `-o` is usually masculine
le photographe / la photographe	both		No rule
la photographie	feminine		Follows `-ie`
la phrase	feminine		No rule
le physique / la physique	both		No rule
le piano	masculine		Follows `-o`
le pic	masculine		No rule
la pièce	feminine	room; piece; coin; play (theater)	No rule
le pied	masculine	foot	No rule
le piège	masculine		Follows `-ège`
la pierre	feminine		No rule
le pigeon	masculine		No rule
la pile	feminine		No rule
le pilote / la pilote	both		No rule
la pilule	feminine		No rule
le pince / la pince	both		No rule
le pingouin	masculine		Follows `-in`
le pion	masculine		No rule
la pipe	feminine		No rule
le pipi	masculine		No rule
le pique / la pique	both		No rule
le pique-nique	masculine		No rule
la piqûre	feminine		No rule
le pirate / la pirate	both		No rule
la piscine	feminine		No rule
la pisse	feminine		No rule
la piste	feminine		No rule
le pistolet	masculine		No rule
la pitié	feminine		Follows `-tié`
la pizza	feminine		No rule
le placard	masculine		No rule
la place	feminine	place; seat; town square; room, space	No rule
le plafond	masculine		No rule
la plage	feminine		Exception `-age` is usually masculine
la plaie	feminine		Follows `-ie`
la plainte	feminine		No rule
la plaisanterie	feminine		Follows `-ie`
le plaisir	masculine	pleasure	No rule
le plan	masculine	plan; map of a town; shot (in film)	No rule
la planche	feminine		No rule
le plancher	masculine		No rule
la planète	feminine		No rule
le planning	masculine		Follows `-ing`
la planque	feminine		No rule
la plante	feminine		No rule
la plaque	feminine		No rule
le plastique / la plastique	both		No rule
le plat	masculine		No rule
le plateau	masculine		Follows `-eau`
le plein	masculine		Follows `-in`
le pleur	masculine		No rule
le plomb	masculine		No rule
la plombe	feminine		No rule
le plombier	masculine		Follows `-ier`
la pluie	feminine		Follows `-ie`
le plume / la plume	both		No rule
le pneu	masculine		Follows `-eu`
le poche / la poche	both		No rule
le poème	masculine		Follows `-ème`
la poésie	feminine		Follows `-ie`
le poète / la poète	both		No rule
le pognon	masculine		No rule
le poignard	masculine		No rule
la poignée	feminine		Follows `-ée`
le poignet	masculine		No rule
le poil	masculine		No rule
le poing	masculine		Follows `-ing`
le point	masculine	point; dot; stitch	No rule
la pointe	feminine		No rule
le poison	masculine		Exception `-oison` is usually feminine
le poisson	masculine		No rule
la poitrine	feminine		No rule
le poker	masculine		No rule
le pôle	masculine		No rule
la police	feminine	police; (also) typeface, font	No rule
le policier	masculine		Follows `-ier`
le politicien	masculine		No rule
le politique / la politique	both		No rule
la pomme	feminine		No rule
la pompe	feminine		No rule
le pompier	masculine		Follows `-ier`
le poney	masculine		No rule
le pont	masculine		No rule
la population	feminine		Follows `-tion`
le porc	masculine		No rule
le porno	masculine		Follows `-o`
le port	masculine		No rule
le portail	masculine		Follows `-ail`
la porte	feminine	door	No rule
la portée	feminine		Follows `-ée`
le portefeuille	masculine		Exception `-ille` is usually feminine
le porteur	masculine		Follows `-teur`
le portier	masculine		Follows `-ier`
le portrait	masculine		No rule
la pose	feminine		No rule
la position	feminine		Follows `-tion`
la possession	feminine		Follows `-sion`
la possibilité	feminine		Follows `-té`
le poste / la poste	both	job, position; radio or TV set (m.); mail; post office (f.)	No rule
le pot	masculine		No rule
le pote	masculine	pal, buddy (informal)	No rule
le poteau	masculine		Follows `-eau`
le potentiel	masculine		No rule
la potion	feminine		Follows `-tion`
le pou	masculine		Follows `-ou`
la poubelle	feminine		Follows `-elle`
le pouce	masculine		No rule
la poudre	feminine		No rule
la poule	feminine		No rule
le poulet	masculine		No rule
le poumon	masculine		No rule
la poupée	feminine		Follows `-ée`
le pourboire	masculine		No rule
la poursuite	feminine		No rule
la pousse	feminine		No rule
la poussière	feminine		No rule
le poussin	masculine		Follows `-in`
le pouvoir	masculine	power	Follows `-oir`
la pratique	feminine		No rule
le pré	masculine		No rule
la précaution	feminine		Follows `-tion`
le précédent	masculine		No rule
la précision	feminine		Follows `-sion`
le prédateur	masculine		Follows `-teur`
la préférence	feminine		Follows `-ence`
le préfet	masculine		No rule
le prénom	masculine		No rule
la préparation	feminine		Follows `-tion`
la présence	feminine		Follows `-ence`
le présent	masculine		No rule
la présentation	feminine		Follows `-tion`
le préservatif	masculine		No rule
la présidence	feminine		Follows `-ence`
le président	masculine	president; chairman	No rule
la presse	feminine		Follows `-esse`
le pressentiment	masculine		Follows `-ment`
la pression	feminine		Follows `-sion`
le prêt	masculine		No rule
le prétexte / la prétexte	both		No rule
le prêtre	masculine		No rule
la preuve	feminine	proof, evidence	No rule
la prière	feminine		No rule
la prime	feminine		No rule
le prince	masculine	prince	No rule
le principal	masculine		Follows `-al`
le principe	masculine		No rule
la priorité	feminine		Follows `-té`
la prise	feminine		No rule
la prison	feminine	prison	No rule
le prisonnier	masculine		Follows `-ier`
le privé	masculine		No rule
le privilège	masculine		Follows `-ège`
le pro / la pro	both		No rule
la probabilité	feminine		Follows `-té`
la probation	feminine		Follows `-tion`
le problème	masculine	problem	Follows `-ème`
la procédure	feminine		Follows `-ure`
le prochain	masculine		Follows `-in`
le proche / la proche	both		No rule
le procureur / la procureur	both		No rule
le producteur	masculine		Follows `-teur`
la production	feminine		Follows `-tion`
le produit	masculine		No rule
le prof / la prof	both		No rule
le professeur / la professeur	both	teacher; professor	No rule
la profession	feminine		Follows `-sion`
le professionnel	masculine		No rule
le profil	masculine		No rule
le profit	masculine		No rule
la profondeur	feminine		No rule
le programme	masculine		No rule
la proie	feminine		Follows `-ie`
le projecteur	masculine		Follows `-teur`
la projection	feminine		Follows `-tion`
le projet	masculine	project; plan, draft	No rule
la promenade	feminine		Follows `-ade`
la promesse	feminine		Follows `-esse`
la promotion	feminine		Follows `-tion`
le prophète	masculine		No rule
la prophétie	feminine		Follows `-ie`
la proposition	feminine		Follows `-tion`
le propre	masculine		No rule
le propriétaire / la propriétaire	both		No rule
la propriété	feminine		Follows `-té`
le proprio / la proprio	both		No rule
le prostitué	masculine		No rule
la protection	feminine		Follows `-tion`
la protéine	feminine		No rule
le protocole	masculine		No rule
la province	feminine		No rule
la provision	feminine		Follows `-sion`
la proximité	feminine		Follows `-té`
le psy / la psy	both		No rule
le psychiatre / la psychiatre	both		No rule
la psychologie	feminine		Follows `-ie`
le psychologue / la psychologue	both		No rule
le psychopathe / la psychopathe	both		No rule
le pub / la pub	both		No rule
le public	masculine		No rule
la publicité	feminine		Follows `-té`
la puce	feminine		No rule
la puissance	feminine		Follows `-ance`
le pull	masculine		No rule
la punition	feminine		Follows `-tion`
le punk / la punk	both		No rule
la purée	feminine		Follows `-ée`
la putain	feminine	whore (vulgar); also a common swear word	Exception `-in` is usually masculine
la pute	feminine	whore (vulgar)	No rule
le puzzle	masculine		No rule
le pyjama	masculine		No rule
la pyramide	feminine		No rule

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The ending rules come from the gender rules by ending. Looking for a noun that is not listed? Look it up on the home page, or go back to the full A-to-Z index.