Is « bateau » masculine or feminine?

« bateau » is masculine. You say le bateau.

Article forms

With the definite article le bateau
With the indefinite article un bateau
With the partitive article du bateau

Plural

The plural is bateaux (les bateaux). A noun keeps its gender in the plural; only the article stops showing it.

Why the gender

bateau ends in -eau. Nouns ending in -eau are usually masculine, so bateau follows the pattern. The full rules by ending cover every common suffix.

Related words

Other common nouns that end the same way:

Common questions

Is « bateau » masculine or feminine?

« bateau » is masculine. You say le bateau.

Is it « la bateau » or « le bateau »?

It is « le bateau ». « la bateau » is incorrect.


Check another word, or read the complete guide to French noun gender.