About Le or La
Le or La is a no-ads French game for children learning that every French noun has a gender. A word appears with a picture — chien, a dog — and two buttons: le and la. Your child chooses the right article. Right answer? Star! Wrong answer? A gentle wobble, and the game shows them the correct one — le chien — so they learn it.
Le or La is part of the Tadpole Games family. Where Spanish Words teaches Spanish vocabulary by ear, Le or La teaches one of the trickiest things about French: which everyday words are masculine (le) and which are feminine (la). Its Spanish twin, El or La, does the same for Spanish.
Why gender matters in French
In French, every noun is either masculine or feminine, and the article in front of it changes to match: le for masculine words, la for feminine ones. There is no simple rule that tells you which is which — le soleil (the sun) is masculine but la lune (the moon) is feminine. The only reliable way to learn a French noun is to learn it with its article, right from the start. Le or La turns that into a game.
Who Le or La is for
- Children starting French at school or at home — ages 5 and up.
- Bilingual or French-heritage families who want a light, playful way to reinforce gender.
- Anyone learning beginner French who wants to drill le vs la on everyday words until it feels automatic.
How it works
- A French noun appears with a picture and its English meaning.
- Your child taps the word to hear it read aloud in French (where the device has a French voice).
- They choose le or la.
- Right answer? The word fills in — le chien — a star is added, and a new word starts.
- Wrong answer? A gentle wobble, and the correct article is shown and read aloud, so the lesson sticks. No losing, no timer.
- New, less common words unlock as your child earns stars.
How to play with your child
- Always say the article. Not “chien” but “le chien”. The article is part of the word.
- Listen together. Tap the word and repeat the French out loud.
- Guess first. “Do you think it’s le or la?” Then tap and find out.
- Little and often. Five words a day, and the genders start to feel natural.
Frequently asked questions
Can my child fail?
No. There is no timer and no lives. A wrong tap gives a gentle wobble and then shows the correct answer — it’s a teaching moment, not a fail. Stars only go up.
Which words does Le or La cover?
Around forty everyday nouns a child meets early — chien, chat, maison, voiture, fleur, gâteau and so on — chosen so the article always reveals the gender, and spread across five difficulty tiers that unlock as your child earns stars.
Why are there no “l’” words?
French words that start with a vowel take l’ for both genders (l’arbre, l’école), which would hide the answer. Le or La only uses words where le or la is clearly visible, so the choice always teaches something real.
More from Tadpole Games
- El or La — the same game for Spanish: is it el or la?
- Spanish Words — hear a Spanish word, tap the picture that matches.
- Fredle — a daily phonics word puzzle for UK children aged 4 to 7.
- Flagle — match the country to the flag, across five tiers.