Learn Numbers in French

Learning numbers is one of the foundational steps when studying French. Numbers are essential for various situations, from telling time and discussing quantities to handling money and understanding dates. Here is a detailed guide to French numbers, their pronunciation, and usage.

Practice with our Audio: Numbers can be tricky due to pronunciation. Click on French number to listen to its pronunciation.

Numbers between tens are formed by adding the units. For example:

Ordinal numbers indicate order or position. These are commonly used for dates, rankings, and sequences:

Special Numbering Rules in French

French numbers have unique patterns and rules that may differ from English. Here’s a step-by-step explanation:

a. Numbers from 70 to 99:

In French, the numbers from 70 to 99 are formed using combinations of smaller numbers.

70 — soixante-dix: Literally means “sixty-ten.”

71 — soixante et onze: “Sixty and eleven.”

72 — soixante-douze: “Sixty-twelve.” This pattern continues up to 79.

For 80 and beyond:

80 — quatre-vingts: This means “four twenties” (4 × 20).

81 — quatre-vingt-un: “Four twenties and one.”

90 — quatre-vingt-dix: “Four twenties and ten.”

91 — quatre-vingt-onze: “Four twenties and eleven.” The same logic applies to numbers up to 99.

b. Compound Numbers (21, 31, etc.):

When combining tens and ones, the word “et” (and) is only used with the number 1.

21 — vingt et un: “Twenty and one.”

31 — trente et un: “Thirty and one.” For all other combinations, simply add the numbers.

22 — vingt-deux: “Twenty-two.”

43 — quarante-trois: “Forty-three.”

c. Large Numbers (Thousands and Beyond)

1,000 — mille: No plural “s” is added to “mille,” even for larger numbers (e.g., deux mille for 2,000).

1,000,000 — un million: For millions, “million” is treated as a regular noun and takes an “s” in the plural (e.g., deux millions for 2,000,000).

1,000,000,000 — un milliard: Billion in French is “milliard,” not “billion.”

d. Special Notes on Pronunciation:

• When “un” (1) follows a vowel sound, a liaison occurs, connecting the words. For example, “quatre-vingt-un” is pronounced smoothly without a break.
• The final “s” in “quatre-vingts” is dropped when additional numbers follow, e.g., “quatre-vingt-trois” (83).