1. Identifying the Gender:
* Masculine: Use "le" before a masculine noun.
* Feminine: Use "la" before a feminine noun.
2. Identifying Gender Clues:
* Article: The definite article "le" or "la" already tells you the gender.
* Noun endings: Some endings usually indicate gender:
* -e, -tion, -té, -eur, -esse: Usually feminine
* -age, -isme, -ment, -oir, -eur: Usually masculine
* Gender-specific words: Some words are inherently masculine or feminine, regardless of their endings (e.g., "le soleil" - sun is masculine, "la lune" - moon is feminine).
* Dictionaries: If you're unsure, look up the noun in a French dictionary.
3. Exceptions:
* Some nouns are irregular and have a different gender than expected.
* Some words have both masculine and feminine forms, depending on their meaning (e.g., "le/la personne" - the person).
Examples:
* Le livre (masculine) - the book
* La table (feminine) - the table
* Le garçon (masculine) - the boy
* La fille (feminine) - the girl
Practice:
The best way to learn this is through practice. Read and listen to French as much as possible. Pay attention to how native speakers use "le" and "la" in context.