Is « gâteau » masculine or feminine?

« gâteau » is masculine. You say le gâteau.

Article forms

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

Plural

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

Why the gender

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

« gâteau » is masculine. You say le gâteau.

Is it « la gâteau » or « le gâteau »?

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


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