Ch 4 · Lesson 16French · Chapter 4 · Lesson 16 · Grammar primer
Mon amie: ma becomes mon before a vowel
, , : before a feminine noun starting with a vowel, ma, and borrow the masculine form. The noun stays feminine.
The short version
is still feminine
Sophie .
Why?Hide
Before a feminine noun starting with a vowel or silent h, ma, and swap to , ton and son: , , . The noun does not change gender; French is only bridging two vowels. Slip an adjective in front and the feminine comes back: .
The mon-before-vowel rule
Before a feminine noun that starts with a vowel or a silent h, becomes (and , become ton, son). The noun stays feminine; French only wants to avoid two vowels side by side.
| Not French | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| my (female) friend | |
| your school | |
| his / her story | |
| my idea |
The noun is still feminine, so its adjectives still agree: . (My friend is small.) Put an adjective that starts with a consonant in front and comes back: (my new school).
You can hear the link: is said "-na-mee", the n running into the vowel. The plurals do it with a z sound: ("may-za-mee"), .
Going further: The full table and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.
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