Is « existence » masculine or feminine?

« existence » is feminine. You say l'existence.

Article forms

With the definite article l'existence
With the indefinite article une existence
With the partitive article de l'existence

Plural

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

Why the gender

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

« existence » is feminine. You say l'existence.

« l'existence » hides the gender. Is « existence » masculine or feminine?

It is feminine. The article shortens to « l'existence » for both genders, but you say une existence, not un existence, and adjectives take the feminine form.


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