Numbers are a fundamental part of any language, and they play a crucial role in everyday life. Whether you’re shopping, telling time, giving your age, or discussing quantities, understanding numbers is essential. In the French language, numbers are relatively straightforward to learn once you grasp the basics. Let’s explore cardinal numbers, ordinal numbers, fractions, and decimals in French.
Cardinal Numbers in French
1. Un – One
2. Deux – Two
3. Trois – Three
4. Quatre – Four
5. Cinq – Five
6. Six – Six
7. Sept – Seven
8. Huit – Eight
9. Neuf – Nine
10. Dix – Ten
Numbers from 11 to 16 have unique forms:
11. Onze – Eleven
12. Douze – Twelve
13. Treize – Thirteen
14. Quatorze – Fourteen
15. Quinze – Fifteen
16. Seize – Sixteen
After 16, French numbers follow a regular pattern similar to English:
17. Dix-sept – Seventeen
18. Dix-huit – Eighteen
19. Dix-neuf – Nineteen
For numbers 20 and beyond, French numbers are constructed differently compared to English and French:
20. Vingt – Twenty
21. Vingt et un – Twenty-one
22. Vingt-deux – Twenty-two
30. Trente – Thirty
40. Quarante – Forty
50. Cinquante – Fifty
60. Soixante – Sixty
70. Soixante-dix – Seventy (literally “sixty-ten”)
80. Quatre-vingts – Eighty (literally “four twenties”)
90. Quatre-vingt-dix – Ninety (literally “four twenties and ten”)
For hundreds, French uses “cent”:
100. Cent – One hundred
200. Deux cents – Two hundred
300. Trois cents – Three hundred
400. Quatre cents – Four hundred
500. Cinq cents – Five hundred
600. Six cents – Six hundred
700. Sept cents – Seven hundred
800. Huit cents – Eight hundred
900. Neuf cents – Nine hundred
When counting from 101 to 199, use “cent” followed by the regular numbers:
101. Cent un – One hundred and one
115. Cent quinze – One hundred and fifteen
For thousands and beyond, French uses “mille” for a thousand, “million” for a million, and so on:
1,000. Mille – One thousand
1,000,000. Un million – One million
Ordinal Numbers in French
Ordinal numbers in French are similar to cardinal numbers. You typically add “-ième” to the cardinal number:
1st – Premier (masculine) / Première (feminine)
2nd – Deuxième
3rd – Troisième
4th – Quatrième
5th – Cinquième
6th – Sixième
7th – Septième
8th – Huitième
9th – Neuvième
10th – Dixième
Fractions in French
To express fractions in French, you use the cardinal number followed by “sur” and then the denominator:
1/2 – Un demi (or une moitié)
1/3 – Un tiers
2/3 – Deux tiers
1/4 – Un quart
3/4 – Trois quarts
Decimals in French
In French, decimals are indicated by a comma (,). For example, 2.5 is “deux virgule cinq.”
Now you have a foundation for understanding and using numbers in French! Practice will help you become more comfortable with them.