Mastering French Numbers: Count Like a Pro

Knowing your numbers in French is crucial for everyday interactions, from shopping to scheduling appointments. Let's explore the French number system and some practical applications.

Basic Numbers 1-20

1-10: un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq, six, sept, huit, neuf, dix 11-20: onze, douze, treize, quatorze, quinze, seize, dix-sept, dix-huit, dix-neuf, vingt

Tens and Beyond

30: trente 40: quarante 50: cinquante 60: soixante 70: soixante-dix 80: quatre-vingts 90: quatre-vingt-dix 100: cent 1000: mille

Tips for Mastery

Compound Numbers

For numbers 21-69, simply add the tens and ones with "et" for 21, 31, 41, 51, and 61. Example: 21 = vingt et un, 22 = vingt-deux

The 70s and 90s

70-79: Think "60 and 10, 11, 12..." (soixante-dix, soixante-et-onze, soixante-douze...) 90-99: Think "4 times 20 and 10, 11, 12..." (quatre-vingt-dix, quatre-vingt-onze...)

Practical Applications

Telling Time

"Il est huit heures vingt." (It's 8:20) "Le train part à quatorze heures trente-cinq." (The train leaves at 2:35 PM)

Shopping

"Ça coûte vingt-trois euros cinquante." (It costs 23.50 euros)

Dates

"Mon anniversaire est le douze mai." (My birthday is May 12th)

Phone Numbers

French phone numbers are typically grouped in pairs: "Mon numéro est le zero six quatre-vingt-douze cinquante-trois vingt et un."

Mastering French numbers opens doors to smoother communication in various scenarios. Practice regularly, and soon you'll be counting like a native speaker!