# FR: gender of English words used in French



## Docbike

Bonjour

My French teacher mentioned that all English words used in French (football, week-end, parking etc) are masculine. This seems a very useful rule, but are there any exceptions? Thank you in advance.


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## [Marc]

I can't think of any, so far...


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## marget

La high school is one.


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## Conchita57

"La junk food" is another one (though I don't think I'd use the term when speaking French).


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## [Marc]

I've never hear anybody using "junk food" in french...


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## [Marc]

highschool = lycée, we don't use that word either, generally... (I've never heard it, at least)


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## Docbike

So, "L'Arsenal a vaincu/battu Le Man United hier" is OK?


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## [Marc]

what's Man United ?


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## Docbike

Sorry Manchester United, a little-known English football team.


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## [Marc]

OK ! I've heard of it, indeed . It depends on the context, then, because it can be used as a persone, too. It si used that way quite often, actually... And I don't know for sport team if they are necessarily masculine. At least, it's not true for some german and italian teams...


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## bibos

For english football teams we dont say "Le" or "La" before the name.

"Arsenal a battu Manchester United"
"Liverpool a battu Chelsea"

(just examples )


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## Docbike

Thanks for your help, but how can a football team represent a person?


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## Docbike

Thank you, Bibos, very clear


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## Stefan Ivanovich

C'est vrai qu'il faut bien chercher pour trouver en français des substantifs féminins copiés de l'anglais

Deux propositions d'ajout dans notre gibecière:
La Sarko-*mania*, la Ségo-mania
(sens et forme proches de _manie_, qui est féminin)
La *science-fiction *
(les mots français qui reviennent par l'anglais conservent en général leur genre; ici _science_ et _fiction_ sont deux substantifs français féminins)


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