French: masculine and feminine: “thing”

Self-tutoring about French: the tutor observes a peculiarity.

In French, a “thing” is feminine – une chose. Once you get more specific, however, the gender of that “thing” can turn out to be masculine or feminine.

Quelle chose a-t-il utilisé à ouvrir la lettre? (“What thing did he use to open the letter?”)

Un couteau. (“A knife.”)

The “thing” (chose) starts out feminine, because chose is. Once we learn the thing is a knife (un couteau), it’s masculine.

Source:

reverso.net