Is « rail » masculine or feminine?

« rail » is masculine. You say le rail.

Article forms

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

Plural

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

Why the gender

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

« rail » is masculine. You say le rail.

Is it « la rail » or « le rail »?

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


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