Numbers are everywhere in daily life — prices, phone numbers, ages, dates. When you start learning French, les nombres en français (numbers in French) are one of the first and most useful things to master. They follow a logical system, but with a few surprising twists that make them fun to discover!
Simple Examples to Get Started
Here are a few everyday situations where numbers appear in French:
- J’ai deux chats. — I have two cats.
- Le café coûte trois euros. — The coffee costs three euros.
- Elle a vingt ans. — She is twenty years old.
- Il y a dix élèves dans la classe. — There are ten students in the class.
Les éléments des nombres en français
French numbers are built in a structured way. Once you understand the key building blocks, counting becomes much easier. Let’s break it down into three main parts.
1 to 20 — The Foundation
The numbers from 1 to 20 are unique words that you simply need to memorize. There is no shortcut here, but they are short and easy to practice!
| Number | French | Pronunciation (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | un / une | uhn / oon |
| 2 | deux | duh |
| 5 | cinq | sank |
| 10 | dix | dees |
| 15 | quinze | kanz |
| 20 | vingt | van |
- J’ai un frère. — I have one brother.
- Il y a quinze jours. — There are fifteen days.
20 to 69 — A Regular Pattern
From 20 to 69, French numbers follow a simple and regular pattern. You combine the tens word with the units word, often using a hyphen.
- 20 = vingt
- 30 = trente
- 40 = quarante
- 50 = cinquante
- 60 = soixante
To form numbers in between, just add the unit:
- 21 = vingt et un (note: use et for 21, 31, 41, 51, 61)
- 35 = trente-cinq
- 58 = cinquante-huit
70 to 99 — The Surprising Part!
This is where French gets creative. Instead of new words for 70, 80, and 90, French uses a math-based system:
- 70 = soixante-dix (literally: sixty-ten)
- 80 = quatre-vingts (literally: four-twenties)
- 90 = quatre-vingt-dix (literally: four-twenty-ten)
- 99 = quatre-vingt-dix-neuf
This can seem strange at first, but with practice it becomes natural. It is one of the most memorable features of French!
Why Numbers in French Matter
You might wonder: why spend time on numbers so early? The answer is simple — you will use them every single day. Here is why learning les nombres is so important:
- Shopping: understanding prices in euros or francs suisses
- Telling the time: Il est trois heures. — It is three o’clock.
- Giving your age: J’ai vingt-cinq ans. — I am twenty-five years old.
- Dates: Le quinze avril. — The fifteenth of April.
- Phone numbers: common in everyday conversations
Numbers are also a great way to build confidence. When you can count and use numbers correctly, you feel more comfortable speaking French in real situations.
Comparison with Other Languages
It helps to compare French numbers with languages you may already know. Here is a quick look at English and Spanish:
| Number | English | French | Spanish |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | one | un / une | uno / una |
| 10 | ten | dix | diez |
| 20 | twenty | vingt | veinte |
| 70 | seventy | soixante-dix | setenta |
| 80 | eighty | quatre-vingts | ochenta |
| 90 | ninety | quatre-vingt-dix | noventa |
As you can see, English and Spanish use simple, dedicated words for 70, 80, and 90. French does not — it builds these numbers using addition and multiplication. This is a key difference to remember!
A Complete Example
Imagine you are in a French market. The vendor says:
— Bonjour ! Les pommes coûtent deux euros cinquante. Combien en voulez-vous ?
— Hello! The apples cost two euros fifty. How many would you like?
— J’en voudrais quatre, s’il vous plaît.
— I would like four, please.
— Très bien. Ça fait dix euros au total.
— Very good. That’s ten euros in total.
In just this short exchange, you used the numbers 2, 4, and 10 — all common, all useful!
Key Takeaways
- Numbers 1 to 20 must be memorized individually
- From 20 to 69, French follows a regular tens + units pattern
- From 70 to 99, French uses a unique math-based system
- Always use et for 21, 31, 41, 51, and 61 (but not for others)
- Practice numbers in real contexts: prices, ages, times, and dates
- Compared to Spanish and English, French numbers have a special logic for 70–99
The best way to learn numbers is through play and repetition. Count objects around you in French, practice with flashcards, or play simple number games. The more you use them, the faster they will stick!
Sources
- Conseil de l’Europe. (2001). Cadre européen commun de référence pour les langues (CECRL). Strasbourg: Editions du Conseil de l’Europe. Available at: coe.int
- Grevisse, M., & Goosse, A. (2011). Le Bon Usage (15th ed.). De Boeck Supérieur.
- Bescherelle. (2019). La Grammaire pour tous. Hatier.