🇫🇷 Beginner’s French Guide
French Numbers
1–100 Explained Simply
From un to cent — master every French number with clear patterns, pronunciation guides, and the quirky rules you actually need to know.
🔢 French numbers follow logical patterns — but there are a few surprising quirks (looking at you, soixante-dix) that trip up almost every learner. This guide breaks everything down into simple blocks so you can count in French confidently by the end of this page.
1. Why Learning French Numbers Matters
Numbers are among the first things you use in any language — telling the time, shopping, giving your phone number, understanding prices. In French, numbers also follow beautiful mathematical patterns once you crack the code. The key insight: you only need to memorise about 30 unique words to count all the way to 100.
French numbers fall into four clean blocks: 1–16 (learn individually), 17–19 (simple compounds), 20–69 (tens + ones), and 70–99 (the tricky Belgian-influenced block). Master each block and you’re done.
2. French Numbers 1–20
The numbers 1 through 16 are unique words — you need to memorise these. From 17 onwards, the pattern kicks in. Notice how dix-sept literally means “ten-seven,” dix-huit means “ten-eight,” and so on.
Gender note: The number 1 has two forms — un (masculine) and une (feminine). All other numbers have only one form. Example: un chat (one cat, masculine) vs. une maison (one house, feminine).
3. The Tens: 30, 40, 50, 60 Regular Pattern
Good news: the tens from 30 to 60 follow a beautifully simple pattern. Just learn the tens word, then add the units after it with a hyphen. For numbers ending in 1 (except 81 and 91), add et un — the word et (and) acts as a connector.
The et un rule: For 21, 31, 41, 51, 61 — always say vingt et un, trente et un, etc. But for 81 and 91, there is no et — you say quatre-vingt-un and quatre-vingt-onze. This exception trips up many learners!
4. The Quirky Numbers: 70–99 Tricky!
This is where French becomes famously interesting. Instead of inventing new words for 70, 80, and 90, French uses a base-20 counting system inherited from the Celts and Franks. Here’s what that looks like in practice:
- 70 soixante-dix — literally “sixty-ten”. French doesn’t have a word for seventy; it counts from sixty upward. So 71 is soixante et onze (sixty and eleven), 72 is soixante-douze (sixty-twelve), all the way to 79 = soixante-dix-neuf (sixty-nineteen).
- 80 quatre-vingts — literally “four-twenties” (4 × 20 = 80). Note the s on vingts — it appears only when the number is exactly 80 and not followed by another number. So 81 is quatre-vingt-un (no s, no et).
- 90 quatre-vingt-dix — literally “four-twenty-ten” (80 + 10 = 90). Then 91 = quatre-vingt-onze, 92 = quatre-vingt-douze, up to 99 = quatre-vingt-dix-neuf.
Did you know? In Belgium and Switzerland, simpler words exist: septante (70), huitante / octante (80), and nonante (90). If you find the French system confusing — you’re not alone. Even the French admit these numbers are complicated!
5. Number 100 — Cent
One hundred in French is simply cent (pronounced “sahn”). When used alone or as an exact multiple, it takes a silent s in the plural (deux cents = 200). But when followed by another number, the s disappears.
6. Full Reference Table: French Numbers 1–100
Use this as your complete cheat sheet. Every number from 1 to 100 with pronunciation and structure notes.
| # | French | Pronunciation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | un / une | uhn / oon | Masculine / Feminine |
| 2 | deux | duh | |
| 3 | trois | trwa | |
| 4 | quatre | katr | |
| 5 | cinq | sank | |
| 6 | six | seese / sees | Final x is often silent |
| 7 | sept | set | Final t is silent |
| 8 | huit | weet | |
| 9 | neuf | nuhf | Sounds like “V” before heures |
| 10 | dix | dees / dee | Context changes pronunciation |
| 11 | onze | ohnz | |
| 12 | douze | dooz | |
| 13 | treize | trehz | |
| 14 | quatorze | kah-torz | |
| 15 | quinze | kanz | |
| 16 | seize | sehz | |
| 17 | dix-sept | dee-set | Ten + seven |
| 18 | dix-huit | deez-weet | Ten + eight (liaison) |
| 19 | dix-neuf | deez-nuhf | Ten + nine |
| 20 | vingt | van | gt is silent |
| 21 | vingt et un | van-tay-uhn | Note: et un, not vingt-un |
| 22 | vingt-deux | van-duh | |
| 23 | vingt-trois | van-trwa | |
| 24 | vingt-quatre | van-katr | |
| 25 | vingt-cinq | van-sank | |
| 26 | vingt-six | van-sees | |
| 27 | vingt-sept | van-set | |
| 28 | vingt-huit | van-weet | |
| 29 | vingt-neuf | van-nuhf | |
| 30 | trente | trahnt | |
| 31 | trente et un | trahnt-ay-uhn | |
| 35 | trente-cinq | trahnt-sank | |
| 40 | quarante | kah-rahnt | |
| 41 | quarante et un | kah-rahnt-ay-uhn | |
| 45 | quarante-cinq | kah-rahnt-sank | |
| 50 | cinquante | san-kahnt | |
| 51 | cinquante et un | san-kahnt-ay-uhn | |
| 55 | cinquante-cinq | san-kahnt-sank | |
| 60 | soixante | swah-sahnt | |
| 61 | soixante et un | swah-sahnt-ay-uhn | |
| 65 | soixante-cinq | swah-sahnt-sank | |
| 70 | soixante-dix | swah-sahnt-dees | Literally “sixty-ten” |
| 71 | soixante et onze | swah-sahnt-ay-ohnz | Note: et onze (not onze alone) |
| 72 | soixante-douze | swah-sahnt-dooz | |
| 75 | soixante-quinze | swah-sahnt-kanz | |
| 79 | soixante-dix-neuf | swah-sahnt-deez-nuhf | Longest number name! |
| 80 | quatre-vingts | katr-van | 4 × 20; s drops when followed by more |
| 81 | quatre-vingt-un | katr-van-uhn | No “et”, no “s” on vingt |
| 85 | quatre-vingt-cinq | katr-van-sank | |
| 90 | quatre-vingt-dix | katr-van-dees | 4 × 20 + 10 |
| 91 | quatre-vingt-onze | katr-van-ohnz | No “et” here either |
| 95 | quatre-vingt-quinze | katr-van-kanz | |
| 99 | quatre-vingt-dix-neuf | katr-van-deez-nuhf | The biggest mouthful! |
| 100 | cent | sahn | The T is silent |
7. Pronunciation Tips for French Numbers
French number pronunciation has its own set of rules that differ from regular speech. Here are the most important ones:
- 6 & 10 Six and dix change sound depending on context. Before a consonant: si / di (final x silent). Before a vowel: siz / diz (liaison). Alone: seese / dees (x pronounced). This is one of the hardest number rules to master.
- 9 Neuf normally ends in an “f” sound — but before heures (hours) and ans (years), the f softens to a “v” sound. So “9 hours” sounds like nuhv ehr, not nuhf ehr.
- 20 Alone, vingt is pronounced “van” (the gt is silent). But in compound numbers like vingt-deux, the t is lightly pronounced before vowel sounds: van-duh vs. vant-weet (28).
- 80 The quatre in quatre-vingts is reduced to “katr” — you barely hear the final e. The whole number flows quickly: “katr-van.” Practice saying it as one smooth word.
- 100 Cent is pronounced “sahn” — the t is always silent. Don’t confuse it with sans (without) which sounds identical. Context tells you which word is meant.
8. Memory Tricks That Actually Work
Learn in groups of 10. Don’t try to memorise 1–100 all at once. Spend a day on 1–10, then 11–20, then the tens. Each group is a manageable chunk that builds on the last.
Say your PIN in French. If your PIN is 4721, practise saying quarante-sept, vingt et un every time you use your card. Real-life repetition is far more effective than flashcards.
Visualise 80 as a math problem. When you see 80, literally think “4 × 20 = 80.” After a week of this, quatre-vingts becomes automatic. It’s counterintuitive, but the math trick works.
Count backwards. Counting from 10 to 1 or from 20 to 11 forces your brain to process numbers actively, not just recite them. It’s surprisingly challenging and very effective.
Watch French game shows. Game shows like Questions pour un Champion feature numbers constantly — prices, scores, ages. Hearing numbers in natural speech at speed is excellent training.
Use the Belgian alternatives as anchors. Knowing that 70 = septante in Belgian French can help you remember that soixante-dix = 60 + 10 = 70. Use one system to understand the other.
Practice phone numbers. Exchange fake phone numbers with yourself in French. French phone numbers come in pairs (06 12 34 56 78), which is great practice for two-digit numbers up to 99.
Set a daily alarm in French. Name your alarms with French numbers — sept heures, huit heures trente. Every morning you’ll practise numbers without even trying.
9. Frequently Asked Questions
Why does French say “sixty-ten” instead of seventy?
French uses a vigesimal (base-20) counting system for the numbers 70–99, a holdover from Celtic and Old Norse influences on the language. Rather than inventing a new word, French counts from 60 upward. This is why 70 = soixante-dix (sixty-ten) and 80 = quatre-vingts (four-twenties). Belgian and Swiss French use the simpler septante, huitante, and nonante instead.
When do you use “et” in French numbers?
The word et (and) is used in the numbers 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, and 71 — essentially any decade + 1 from 21 to 71. Important exceptions: 81 (quatre-vingt-un) and 91 (quatre-vingt-onze) do NOT use et. Also, cent (100) does not use et either — it’s cent un, not cent et un.
Does quatre-vingts always have an “s” at the end?
No. The s appears only when quatre-vingts stands alone as exactly 80. When followed by another number (81–89), the s is dropped: quatre-vingt-un, quatre-vingt-deux, etc. The same rule applies to multiples of cent: deux cents (200) but deux cent un (201).
How do you say phone numbers in French?
French phone numbers are typically read in pairs of two-digit numbers. For example, 06 12 34 56 78 is read as zéro six, douze, trente-quatre, cinquante-six, soixante-dix-huit. This makes knowing your 70–99 numbers essential for everyday communication in France.
How long does it take to memorise French numbers 1–100?
With focused daily practice of 15–20 minutes, most learners can confidently recall all numbers 1–100 within 2–3 weeks. The key is to learn the logical patterns (not individual words) and to practise in real-life contexts like prices, times, and phone numbers rather than just rote recitation.
What is the word for zero in French?
Zero in French is zéro (pronounced “zeh-roh”). It’s used exactly like the English zero — in phone numbers, scores, temperatures, and mathematical contexts. The accent aigu on the first e gives it the “ay” sound.
Ready for Your Next French Lesson?
Now that you can count to 100 in French, it’s time to put those numbers to work — telling the time, talking about prices, and learning French dates. Explore our free beginner lessons next.
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