Is « instruction » masculine or feminine?

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

Article forms

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

Plural

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

Why the gender

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

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

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

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


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