How can you tell if a word is masculine?

You can't tell if a word is masculine based on its spelling or sound alone. Gender in languages is a grammatical concept, not a semantic one.

Here's why:

* Gender is a grammatical feature: Languages like French, Spanish, German, and many others assign genders to nouns. These genders are arbitrary and don't always reflect the actual sex of the thing being referred to. For example, in French, "table" is feminine ("la table"), while "chair" is masculine ("le chaise").

* Gender is not inherent: There's no inherent "masculinity" or "femininity" in a word's meaning. The gender of a noun is determined by the language's grammar, not by the word's definition.

* Gender is often inconsistent: Even within the same language, there might not be a consistent way to tell the gender of a word. There are often exceptions to any "rules" you might try to apply.

To determine the gender of a word in a language with grammatical gender, you need to:

1. Learn the language: This involves understanding the grammar rules, common patterns, and exceptions.

2. Consult a dictionary or grammar book: Dictionaries often list the gender of a noun next to its definition.

Remember: Gender in language is a complex system that can't be understood simply by looking at the word itself. You need to delve into the specific rules and conventions of the language in question.