Une And Un in French: Tips and Guide

Do you know what is un and une in French?

It can be challenging for native English speakers to grasp the idea that French nouns have a gender. Add to that the widespread misconception that the gender of each word has to be memorized in order to be used correctly because there are no rules to guide you in this regard.

Une And Un in French: Tips and Guide

The French Indefinite Articles “un” and “une”

When referring to a person, place, or thing in English, we often use an indefinite article, such as a or an. When referring to female nouns in French, the singular indefinite article is une, whereas when referring to male nouns, it is un.

There is also a plural form of the indefinite article that can be used with either masculine or feminine nouns, and that form is des.

When learning French, it is absolutely necessary to master the use of the indefinite articles (un, une, des). In fact, they are used in virtually every single sentence. This is one of the first things to learn and become proficient at when starting out in learning French.

You need to be aware of whether the subsequent noun is feminine or masculine to correctly use them in the appropriate context. Check out this guide for a few easy-to-understand rules when using un and une, as well as des.

1. The French Indefinite Article “un”

The article “un” is exclusively used with male nouns. The pronunciation will shift ever-so-slightly depending on whether the noun begins with a consonant or a vowel, as well as whether it begins with a muet or an aspiré version of the letter H.

A few examples of the situation where the noun begins with a consonant are as follows:

• Un garçon – A boy
• Un chat – A cat
• Un cactus – A cactus

Here are some instances of nouns that begin with a H aspiré (which functions as a consonant):

• Un hibou – An owl
• Un hamburger – A hamburger
• Un hérisson – A hedgehog

We don’t use a liaison* between the article and the noun because H is a consonant.

When the noun begins with a vowel or a H muet (which acts as a vowel):

• Un appartement – An apartment
• Un ordinateur – A computer
• Un hélicoptère – A helicopter

In this instance, you may insert a liaison between the noun that begins with a N sound and the article.

• Un Nappartement – An apartment
• Un Nordinateur – A computer
• Un Nhélicoptère – A helicopter

Liaison is the practice of connecting the final letter of one word (which is normally not heard) to the beginning of the next word in French. This only happens when the second word begins with a vowel sound.

2.The French Indefinite Article “une”

Since its pronunciation is consistent throughout, the French indefinite article “une” is much simpler to articulate than “un.” We usually pronounce the letter U separately, followed by the letter N, however we leave out the last E in the pronunciation.

When you want to use “une” in French, the only thing you need to keep in mind is that it is only ever used with feminine nouns.

Here’s a few French phrases that begin with “une”:

• Une femme – a woman
• Une fille – a girl
• Une maison – a house
• Une voiture – a car
• Une pomme – an apple
• Une orange – an orange

3. The French Indefinite Article Des

When preceding a plural noun, “des” is the proper form to use.

It is possible to translate it into English as “some” or not include it at all because it conveys an amount that is not known. Nevertheless, the definite article is required in French:

• des filles – some girls
• des garçons – some boys
• Des chiens – some dogs
• Des chats – some cats
• Des maisons – some houses
• Des voitures – some girls

4. A few things to remember:

• In French, unlike English, all nouns are either masculine or feminine.
• It is worth noting that un and une also signifies one: une maison means both “a house” and “one house.*
  
  Want to learn more French phrases? Check out our language guides below:

• French E With Accent (Rules And Tips)
• The Five Accent Marks In French
• Basic French Words And Phrases
• La and Le in French: Tips and Guide