Learning numbers in French is essential for everyday communication. In this lesson, we will explore the French numerical system, how to count, and the pronunciation of numbers.
French Numerical System:
French numbers are quite logical and follow a pattern. Here are the basic numbers to get you started:
Cardinal Numbers (Les chiffres):
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
For numbers 17 to 19, it's "dix" followed by the unit digit.
17 - dix-sept
18 - dix-huit
19 - dix-neuf
After this, the pattern becomes more straightforward. The tens come first, followed by the unit digit.
20 - vingt
30 - trente
40 - quarante
50 - cinquante
60 - soixante
For numbers between 70 and 99, it gets a bit tricky. It's basically "soixante" followed by the unit digit, except for 71 to 79 where it's "soixante" followed by "dix" and the unit digit.
70 - soixante-dix
71 - soixante et onze
72 - soixante-douze
73 - soixante-treize
...
79 - soixante-dix-neuf
80 - quatre-vingts
81 - quatre-vingt-un
...
90 - quatre-vingt-dix
91 - quatre-vingt-onze
...
99 - quatre-vingt-dix-neuf
Ordinal Numbers (Les nombres ordinaux):
To form ordinal numbers, you usually add -ième to the cardinal number.
1st - premier (première)
2nd - deuxième
3rd - troisième
4th - quatrième
...
Pronunciation Tips:
French numbers are generally phonetic, but there are some peculiarities. Practice listening to native speakers to refine your pronunciation.
Pay attention to liaisons. For example, in "vingt et un" (21), the "t" in "vingt" is pronounced because the next word starts with a vowel.
Practice Sentences:
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J'ai deux frères. - I have two brothers.
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Elle a trente ans. - She is thirty years old.
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Nous habitons au quinzième étage. - We live on the fifteenth floor.
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C'est le vingt et unième siècle. - It's the twenty-first century.
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J'ai quarante ans. - I am forty years old.
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J'ai quarante-deux ans. - I am forty-two years old.
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Il y a vingt étudiants dans la classe. - There are twenty students in the class.
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Il y a vingt-cinq étudiants dans la classe. - There are twenty-five students in the class.
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Elle a soixante-dix euros. - She has seventy euros.
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Elle a soixante-quinze euros. - She has seventy-five euros.
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Nous avons quatre voitures. - We have four cars.
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Nous avons cinq voitures. - We have five cars.
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C'est le trentième anniversaire. - It's the thirtieth anniversary.
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C'est le trente-cinquième anniversaire. - It's the thirty-fifth anniversary.
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Mon fils a dix-huit mois. - My son is eighteen months old.
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Mon fils a vingt mois. - My son is twenty months old.
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Il est le quatorzième dans la file d'attente. - He is the fourteenth in line.
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Il est le dix-huitième dans la file d'attente. - He is the eighteenth in line.
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Le match commence à huit heures. - The match starts at eight o'clock.
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Le match commence à huit heures et demie. - The match starts at eight-thirty.
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Elle est la cinquième personne que j'ai rencontrée. - She is the fifth person I met.
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Elle est la sixième personne que j'ai rencontrée. - She is the sixth person I met.
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C'est la quarantième page du livre. - It's the fortieth page of the book.
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C'est la quarante-cinquième page du livre. - It's the forty-fifth page of the book.
Mastering French numbers is a crucial step in your language journey. Regular practice and exposure to French conversations will enhance your proficiency in using numbers naturally.