French agreement with numbers: when to use plural?

Updated on 2024-08-12

Numbers in French can be tricky when it comes to agreement. Whether to use singular or plural forms depends on several factors. Let's break it down:

General Rule

Generally, nouns following numbers greater than one are plural:

Deux chats (Two cats)
Cinq livres (Five books)

Exceptions

Singular with numbers

Some expressions always remain singular, even with numbers greater than one:

1,5 kilo (One and a half kilos)
2,5 kilomètres (Two and a half kilometers)

Units of measurement

Units of measurement often stay singular after a number:

Cinq mètre de tissu (Five meters of fabric)
Dix euro (Ten euros)

However, in everyday speech, you might hear the plural form: "Dix euros"

Compound Numbers

With compound numbers ending in one (21, 31, 41, etc.), use the singular:

Vingt et un an (Twenty-one years)
Cinquante et une page (Fifty-one pages)

Hundreds and Thousands

"Cent" and "mille" generally remain invariable:

Deux cents livres (Two hundred books)
Trois mille euros (Three thousand euros)

Exception: When used as nouns, they can be pluralized:

Des centaines de personnes (Hundreds of people)
Des milliers d'étoiles (Thousands of stars)

Practice Makes Perfect

Remember, while these rules provide a framework, exposure to native French content will help internalize these patterns. Pay attention to number agreements in French texts and conversations to reinforce your understanding.