Here's a breakdown to help you understand:
1. Nouns:
* Generic Nouns: In general, you'll use the masculine form of a noun to refer to a person, regardless of their gender, unless the noun is explicitly feminine (like *la femme* - the woman). For example: *un ami* (a friend), *un étudiant* (a student), *un professeur* (a teacher).
* Specific Nouns: If you are referring to a specific boy, use the masculine form of the noun: *le garçon* (the boy).
* Feminine Nouns: If the noun is specifically feminine, use the feminine form: *la fille* (the girl), *la sœur* (the sister).
2. Adjectives:
* Agreement: Adjectives in French agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. So, if you are describing a boy, you will use the masculine form of the adjective. Example: *un garçon beau* (a handsome boy), *des amis gentils* (kind friends).
* Exceptions: Some adjectives have a different form for masculine and feminine (e.g., *beau* - beautiful (masculine), *belle* - beautiful (feminine)).
3. Pronouns:
* Personal Pronouns: Use the masculine pronoun *il* (he) or *lui* (him) to refer to a boy.
* Possessive Adjectives: The possessive adjectives *son* (his), *ses* (his/her) can be used to refer to a boy or a girl, but they are usually ambiguous. If you want to avoid ambiguity, you can use *sa* (his/her) for a male and *son* (his) for a female.
4. Context Matters:
* The best way to know which form to use is to consider the specific context of the writing and the intent. For example, if you are referring to a boy in a general sense, you can use the masculine form. But if you are specifically talking about a named boy, you should use the masculine form of the noun and the appropriate pronouns.
Example:
"J'ai rencontré un garçon très gentil hier. Il était grand et avait les yeux bleus." (I met a very nice boy yesterday. He was tall and had blue eyes.)
In this example, the use of *un garçon*, *il* and the masculine form of the adjectives *gentil*, *grand* and *bleus* clearly indicates that the subject is a boy.
Remember: Always pay attention to the gender of the nouns and adjectives in French to ensure your writing is grammatically correct.