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.
Cardinal French Numbers
From 0 to 20
0 — zéro
1 — un
2 — deux
3 — trois
4 — quatre
5 — cinq
6 — six
7 — sept
8 — huit
9 — neuf
10 — dix
11 — onze
12 — douze
13 — treize
14 — quatorze
15 — quinze
16 — seize
17 — dix-sept
18 — dix-huit
19 — dix-neuf
20 — vingt
Tens and Beyond:
30 — trente
40 — quarante
50 — cinquante
60 — soixante
70 — soixante-dix
80 — quatre-vingts
90 — quatre-vingt-dix
100 — cent
Compound Numbers:
Numbers between tens are formed by adding the units. For example:
21 — vingt et un
32 — trente-deux
47 — quarante-sept
59 — cinquante-neuf
68 — soixante-huit
Ordinal French Numbers
Ordinal numbers indicate order or position. These are commonly used for dates, rankings, and sequences:
1st — premier/première
2nd — deuxième or second/seconde
3rd — troisième
4th — quatrième
5th — cinquième
6th — sixième
7th — septième
8th — huitième
9th — neuvième
10th — dixième
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).