Learning to count in French is one of the first and most practical steps to mastering the language. Whether you are planning a trip to Paris, preparing for a French exam, or just expanding your linguistic skills, knowing the numbers from 0 to 100 will help you in everyday situations like shopping, telling time, and understanding prices. French numbers can seem a little tricky at first, especially because of the unique way the language forms numbers like 70, 80, and 90. However, with a clear system and a bit of practice, you will find the pattern easy to follow.
In this guide, we break down French numbers step by step. We start with the basics from 0 to 10, then move into the teens and twenties, and finally tackle the more complex numbers up to 100. By the end, you will have a solid foundation in French counting. You will also find useful examples, a simple comparison table, and answers to common questions that language learners often ask. Let’s begin with the simplest numbers and build your confidence from there.
French numbers from 0 to 10
The foundation of French counting lies in the numbers 0 through 10. These are the building blocks for all larger numbers. Memorize them well because you will use them constantly.
- 0 – zéro (zay-ro)
- 1 – un (uhn)
- 2 – deux (duh)
- 3 – trois (twah)
- 4 – quatre (katr)
- 5 – cinq (sank)
- 6 – six (sees)
- 7 – sept (set)
- 8 – huit (weet)
- 9 – neuf (nuhf)
- 10 – dix (dees)
Notice that the pronunciation for numbers like six and dix changes slightly when they are followed by a word starting with a vowel. For example, six amis (six friends) sounds like “see-zah-mee.” This is called liaison in French. However, when counting alone, you say “sees” for six and “dees” for dix.
French numbers from 11 to 19
Once you know 1 to 10, the numbers 11 to 19 are mostly built on those roots. They do not follow a strict pattern, so you will need to practice them individually.
- 11 – onze (ohnz)
- 12 – douze (dooz)
- 13 – treize (trehz)
- 14 – quatorze (ka-torz)
- 15 – quinze (kanz)
- 16 – seize (sez)
- 17 – dix-sept (dee-set)
- 18 – dix-huit (deez-weet)
- 19 – dix-neuf (deez-nuhf)
Notice that from 17 onward, French uses a combination of dix (ten) plus the unit. So 17 is literally “ten-seven,” 18 is “ten-eight,” and 19 is “ten-nine.” This pattern will help you later when you build numbers like 77 or 98.
French numbers from 20 to 69
Once you understand the tens, counting from 20 to 69 becomes very logical. The tens are simple words, and you add the unit number with a hyphen.
The tens (20, 30, 40, 50, 60)
- 20 – vingt (van – the ‘t’ is silent)
- 30 – trente (trahnt)
- 40 – quarante (ka-rahnt)
- 50 – cinquante (san-kahnt)
- 60 – soixante (swa-sahnt)
Numbers 21 to 29 (example series)
For numbers like 21, 31, 41, etc., French uses “et” (and) instead of a hyphen, but only for numbers ending in 1.
- 21 – vingt et un (van-tay-uhn)
- 22 – vingt-deux (van-duh)
- 23 – vingt-trois (van-twah)
- 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)
This pattern repeats for 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s. For example, 31 is trente et un, 42 is quarante-deux, and 53 is cinquante-trois. The only exception is that when the number ends in 1, you must use “et” without a hyphen.
French numbers 70, 80, 90, and 100
This is where French numbers become famously different. Instead of having unique words for 70, 80, and 90, the French system uses arithmetic.
70 – soixante-dix
70 is literally “sixty-ten.” So 70 = soixante-dix. Then 71 is “sixty-eleven” (soixante et onze), 72 is “sixty-twelve” (soixante-douze), and so on up to 79 (soixante-dix-neuf).
- 70 – soixante-dix (swa-sahnt-dees)
- 71 – soixante et onze (swa-sahnt-tay-ohnz)
- 72 – soixante-douze (swa-sahnt-dooz)
- 79 – soixante-dix-neuf (swa-sahnt-deez-nuhf)
80 – quatre-vingts
80 is “four-twenties” (quatre-vingts), meaning four times twenty. Note the plural “s” on vingts when it stands alone. However, when you add a number after it, the “s” drops. For example, 81 is quatre-vingt-un (no “s” on vingt).
- 80 – quatre-vingts (katr-van)
- 81 – quatre-vingt-un (katr-van-uhn)
- 82 – quatre-vingt-deux (katr-van-duh)
- 90 – quatre-vingt-dix (katr-van-dees)
90 – quatre-vingt-dix
90 is “four-twenty-ten” (quatre-vingt-dix). Then 91 is “four-twenty-eleven” (quatre-vingt-onze), and 92 is “four-twenty-twelve” (quatre-vingt-douze). This continues up to 99 (quatre-vingt-dix-neuf).
- 91 – quatre-vingt-onze (katr-van-ohnz)
- 92 – quatre-vingt-douze (katr-van-dooz)
- 99 – quatre-vingt-dix-neuf (katr-van-deez-nuhf)
100 – cent
100 – cent (sahn). Unlike in English, you do not say “one hundred” in French; you just say cent. For 101, it is cent un, and for 200, it is deux cents. But the “s” on cents disappears when another number follows, e.g., deux cent un.
Simple comparison table for quick reference
To help you see the structure clearly, here is a table showing the tens and a sample number in each range.
| English | French | Pronunciation (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | vingt | van |
| 30 | trente | trahnt |
| 40 | quarante | ka-rahnt |
| 50 | cinquante | san-kahnt |
| 60 | soixante | swa-sahnt |
| 70 | soixante-dix | swa-sahnt-dees |
| 80 | quatre-vingts | katr-van |
| 90 | quatre-vingt-dix | katr-van-dees |
| 100 | cent | sahn |
Practical tips for learning French numbers
Memorizing a list is only the first step. Here are some strategies to help you internalize French numbers faster.
- Practice with everyday objects. Count items in your home: chairs, books, or steps. Say the number out loud in French each time.
- Use a phone or clock. When you look at the time, try to say it in French. For example, 2:30 is deux heures trente.
- Focus on the tricky ones. Many learners confuse 60 and 70. Remember that 70 is “sixty-ten.” If you practice 60–69 well, you can add dix (10) to get 70–79.
- Write numbers in French. Keep a small notebook and write the date, your age, and prices of things in French words. This reinforces spelling and pronunciation.
- Listen to native speakers. Watch French videos or listen to podcasts where numbers are used frequently, such as weather forecasts or cooking shows.
Common mistakes to avoid
Even advanced learners sometimes slip on these points. Watch out for them.
- Forgetting the “et” for 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, 71. You must say vingt et un, not vingt-un. The only exception is 81 and 91, where you say quatre-vingt-un (no “et”).
- Mispronouncing “vingt.” The final “t” in vingt is silent unless it is followed by a vowel in liaison. For example, vingt ans (twenty years) sounds like “van-tahn.”
- Using “et” for numbers like 22 or 33. Only the numbers ending in 1 (except 81 and 91) use “et.” For all others, use a hyphen.
- Forgetting the plural “s” on 80. When 80 stands alone, it is quatre-vingts (with an “s”). But 81 is quatre-vingt-un (no “s”).
How to practice counting to 100 in French
To build fluency, try this simple routine. Spend five minutes each day counting in a different way.
First, count forward from 0 to 20. Then count backward from 20 to 0. Next, count by tens: 10, 20, 30, up to 100. Then count by fives: 5, 10, 15, 20, etc. This helps you master the patterns without relying on a written list.
Another effective method is to say a random number in English and immediately translate it to French. For example, if you see the number 47 on a sign, say quarante-sept to yourself. Do this as often as possible during your day.
Real-life examples using French numbers
Let’s look at how you might use these numbers in common conversations.
- Shopping: “Combien ça coûte ?” (How much does it cost?) “C’est quarante-cinq euros.” (It’s 45 euros.)
- Telling time: “Il est dix heures vingt.” (It is 10:20.)
- Age: “J’ai trente-deux ans.” (I am 32 years old.)
- Address number: “J’habite au soixante-dix, rue de Paris.” (I live at 70, Paris Street.)
- Phone numbers: In French, phone numbers are usually said in pairs. For example, 01 23 45 67 89 is “zéro un, vingt-trois, quarante-cinq, soixante-sept, quatre-vingt-neuf.”
FAQ about French numbers 0–100
1. Why are 70, 80, and 90 so different from other numbers?
This comes from a historical counting system based on base-20 (vigesimal), which was common in many ancient cultures. While most of French uses base-10, the remnants of this older system remain for 70, 80, and 90. In some French-speaking regions like Switzerland and Belgium, they use simpler words like septante for 70, huitante for 80, and nonante for 90. However, in France, the standard forms are soixante-dix, quatre-vingts, and quatre-vingt-dix.
2. Do I need to use a hyphen between all parts of a number?
Yes, in modern French, you generally use a hyphen between the tens and units, except when the number includes “et” (and). For example, vingt-deux (22) but vingt et un (21). The same rule applies for 31, 41, 51, 61, and 71. For 81 and 91, however, no “et” is used, so you write quatre-vingt-un and quatre-vingt-onze.
3. What is the best way to pronounce French numbers quickly?
The key is to practice linking sounds. When a number ending with a consonant is followed by a word starting with a vowel, you often pronounce the final consonant. For example, dix amis (ten friends) sounds like “deez-ah-mee.” Also, remember that the final consonants in cinq, six, huit, and dix are usually pronounced when counting, but may be silent in other contexts. Listening to native speakers and repeating aloud is the fastest way to get comfortable with pronunciation.