French numbers are logical up to 69, then get interesting. Learn the building blocks and the rest follows.
1 to 20
| 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 |
The tens
20 vingt, 30 trente, 40 quarante, 50 cinquante, 60 soixante. To build numbers, add the unit: 22 vingt-deux, 35 trente-cinq. With 1, use et: 21 vingt et un, 31 trente et un, 41 quarante et un.
70 to 99: the tricky part
Standard French counts with 60 and 20 as bases.
| Number | French | Logic |
|---|---|---|
| 70 | soixante-dix | 60 + 10 |
| 71 | soixante et onze | 60 + 11 |
| 80 | quatre-vingts | 4 × 20 |
| 81 | quatre-vingt-un | 4 × 20 + 1 |
| 90 | quatre-vingt-dix | 4 × 20 + 10 |
| 99 | quatre-vingt-dix-neuf | 4 × 20 + 19 |
| 100 | cent |
Good to know: Belgium and Switzerland often use septante (70) and nonante (90), and Switzerland also uses huitante or octante for 80, which are simpler. Both are understood in France.
Practice
Read out the numbers on car plates, receipts and clocks. Try telling the time: “Il est quinze heures trente.”