Accordbaleine
la baleine
whale
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How do you say baleine in French?
How do you pronounce baleine in French?
baleine is pronounced /la balɛn/ in French.
Example sentences
La baleine bleue est la plus grande créature vivante sur Terre.
The blue whale is the largest living creature on Earth.
Cette baleine majestueuse a migré vers les eaux froides du nord.
This majestic whale migrated toward the cold waters of the north.
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Why is it feminine?
Baleine is feminine because it derives from Latin *ballaena*, which was feminine in gender, a classification that carried forward into Old French and modern French. The Latin term itself likely came from Greek *phálaina*, also feminine, and this gender assignment probably reflected how Romans conceptualized the animal rather than following a phonetic pattern.
What is the French word for whale?
The French word for whale is la baleine — feminine.
Gender across languages
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