French numbers from 1 to 1,000,000 (and why 80 is "4 × 20")
By Thierry Gustin
Published
Updated
3 min read
Contents
French numbers have a reputation for being complicated because of a historical quirk: from 70 upwards, the French of France counts in twenties. Quatre-vingts (80) literally means "four twenties", a little like the old English "fourscore". Once you understand the logic, it's easy.
From 0 to 20
| Number | French | Number | French |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | zéro | 11 | onze |
| 1 | un / une | 12 | douze |
| 2 | deux | 13 | treize |
| 3 | trois | 14 | quatorze |
| 4 | quatre | 15 | quinze |
| 5 | cinq | 16 | seize |
| 6 | six | 17 | dix-sept |
| 7 | sept | 18 | dix-huit |
| 8 | huit | 19 | dix-neuf |
| 9 | neuf | 20 | vingt |
| 10 | dix |
From 17 to 19, you combine dix and the unit: dix-sept (10 + 7).
From 21 to 69
The tens are vingt (20), trente (30), quarante (40), cinquante (50) and soixante (60). To form the numbers in between, you add the unit with a hyphen: vingt-deux, trente-cinq, quarante-huit.
Exception: 1 is joined with et (and): vingt et un, trente et un, quarante et un, cinquante et un, soixante et un (no hyphens).
From 70 to 99: the tricky part
| Number | French | Calculation |
|---|---|---|
| 70 | soixante-dix | 60 + 10 |
| 71 | soixante et onze | 60 + 11 |
| 75 | soixante-quinze | 60 + 15 |
| 80 | quatre-vingts | 4 × 20 |
| 81 | quatre-vingt-un | 4 × 20 + 1 |
| 90 | quatre-vingt-dix | 4 × 20 + 10 |
| 91 | quatre-vingt-onze | 4 × 20 + 11 |
| 99 | quatre-vingt-dix-neuf | 4 × 20 + 19 |
Notice two details: soixante et onze (71) takes et, but quatre-vingt-un (81) does not. And quatre-vingts (80) takes an s, but loses it as soon as another number follows: quatre-vingt-trois.
How do they say them in Belgium and Switzerland?
Belgium and Switzerland use more logical forms: septante (70) and nonante (90). In some Swiss cantons, such as Vaud, Valais or Fribourg, people also say huitante (80). So 97 is nonante-sept in Brussels or Geneva, and quatre-vingt-dix-sept in Paris. Everyone in France understands these forms, but nobody uses them.
From 100 to 1,000,000
- 100: cent. 200: deux cents (with an s), but 250: deux cent cinquante (no s, because another number follows).
- 1,000: mille (invariable: deux mille, never ✗ deux milles).
- 1,000,000: un million; 2,000,000: deux millions (million does change, because it is a noun). Un million de personnes.
Examples: 1 492 = mille quatre cent quatre-vingt-douze. 2026 = deux mille vingt-six. Note that French separates thousands with a space and uses a comma for decimals, the opposite of English: 19,90 € means €19.90.
Numbers in everyday life
- Telling the time: il est quinze heures trente (3:30 pm). Official French uses the 24-hour clock.
- Prices: dix-neuf euros quatre-vingt-dix (€19.90).
- Phone numbers are read in pairs: 06 12 34 56 78 → zéro six, douze, trente-quatre, cinquante-six, soixante-dix-huit.
- Dates: le premier mai (1 May, an ordinal), but le deux mai, le trois mai (cardinal numbers, where English says "the second", "the third").
Numbers come up in every listening test of the DELF A1 and A2: prices, timetables, dates and phone numbers. I explain this in my guide to the DELF A1 and A2.
How can you practise numbers?
- Read numbers aloud whenever you see prices or number plates.
- Listen to traffic or weather reports on French radio (France Inter, for example): they are full of figures.
- Practise the twenties by counting from 60 to 99 until it comes out without thinking.
Frequently asked questions
Why is 80 "quatre-vingts"?
It is a legacy of the old system of counting in twenties (vigesimal), which French kept for some numbers. It literally means "four times twenty".
How do you say 70 in French?
Soixante-dix in France (60 + 10) and septante in Belgium and Switzerland.
Does "vingt" take an s?
Only in quatre-vingts when no other number follows. Quatre-vingt-cinq has no s.
Is it "mille" or "milles"?
Always mille: it is invariable. Trois mille euros.
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