Is « château » masculine or feminine?

« château » is masculine. You say le château.

Article forms

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

Plural

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

Why the gender

château ends in -eau. Nouns ending in -eau are usually masculine, so château 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 « château » masculine or feminine?

« château » is masculine. You say le château.

Is it « la château » or « le château »?

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


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