A1 Nouns & Articles 12 min read Easy

French Numbers 0-100 (Les nombres)

French numbers require basic math for 70-99 and follow specific hyphenation and pronunciation rules.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

French numbers 0-100 follow a logical pattern, but watch out for the '70s, 80s, and 90s which use basic math!

  • Numbers 0-16 are unique: 'zéro', 'un', 'deux'...
  • Numbers 17-69 follow a standard pattern: 'dix-sept' (10+7).
  • Numbers 70-99 use addition/multiplication: 70 is 'soixante-dix' (60+10), 80 is 'quatre-vingts' (4x20).
0-16 (Unique) + 17-69 (Base 10) + 70-99 (Math Logic)

Overview

French cardinal numbers, les nombres cardinaux, are fundamental for communication, expressing quantity, time, age, and cost. Distinctively, French integrates a decimal system for numbers up to 69 with a vigesimal (base-20) system for 70-99, a unique structure that requires specific attention. Mastering this system involves understanding both foundational vocabulary and the underlying additive and multiplicative patterns.

This guide provides a comprehensive overview of French numbers from 0 to 100, detailing their formation, grammatical agreements, pronunciation nuances, and practical application in modern contexts.

How This Grammar Works

The French numerical system for 0-100 operates on two historical principles: a decimal (base-10) system for numbers up to 69, and a vigesimal (base-20) system for 70-99. Numbers 0-16 are unique lexical items. From 17 to 69, numbers generally combine a decade word with a unit, following a primarily additive, base-10 logic.
For example, cinquante-deux (fifty-two) uses cinquante (50) + deux (2). The vigesimal aspect, prevalent from 70 upwards, builds numbers through multiplication and addition based on twenty. This historical influence, often attributed to Celtic and Norse languages, results in structures like quatre-vingts (four twenties) for 80.
Consequently, French number formation requires understanding both direct vocabulary and these specific calculation methods.

Formation Pattern

1
French numbers 0-100 follow distinct, building-block patterns. Hyphenation is crucial for written accuracy, especially post-1990 orthographic reforms.
2
1. Numbers 0-16: Memorization
3
These are foundational and irregular.
4
| French | English |
5
| :------- | :------ |
6
| zéro | zero |
7
| un | one |
8
| deux | two |
9
| trois | three |
10
| quatre | four |
11
| cinq | five |
12
| six | six |
13
| sept | seven |
14
| huit | eight |
15
| neuf | nine |
16
| dix | ten |
17
| onze | eleven |
18
| douze | twelve |
19
| treize | thirteen |
20
| quatorze| fourteen |
21
| quinze | fifteen |
22
| seize | sixteen |
23
Example: Il a seize ans. (He is sixteen years old.)
24
2. Numbers 17-19: dix- + Unit
25
Combine dix (10) with the single units 7, 8, 9, always with a hyphen.
26
dix-sept (10+7)
27
dix-huit (10+8)
28
dix-neuf (10+9)
29
Example: J'ai dix-neuf livres. (I have nineteen books.)
30
3. Tens 20-60: Unique Decade Words
31
Each multiple of ten has its specific term, forming the base for numbers within its decade.
32
| French | English |
33
| :---------- | :------ |
34
| vingt | twenty |
35
| trente | thirty |
36
| quarante | forty |
37
| cinquante | fifty |
38
| soixante | sixty |
39
Example: Nous avons quarante minutes. (We have forty minutes.)
40
4. Compound Numbers 21-69: Decade + Unit
41
This range primarily uses additive structures, combining a decade word with a unit. All components are hyphenated, except for the special case of et un.
42
For X1 (21, 31, 41, 51, 61): Use [Decade]-et-un. The et acts as a conjunction.
43
vingt-et-un (twenty-one)
44
trente-et-un (thirty-one)
45
soixante-et-un (sixty-one)
46
Example: Elle a trente-et-un ans. (She is thirty-one years old.)
47
For X2 through X9 (e.g., 22, 35, 68): Use [Decade]-[Unit]. Hyphens are mandatory.
48
vingt-deux (twenty-two)
49
trente-cinq (thirty-five)
50
soixante-huit (sixty-eight)
51
Example: J'ai soixante-cinq euros. (I have sixty-five euros.)
52
5. Vigesimal System: Numbers 70-99
53
This system uses soixante (60) or quatre-vingts (4x20) as a base, combined with numbers from 10 to 19 or 0 to 9, respectively.
54
Numbers 70-79: soixante- + 10-19
55
Combine soixante (60) with dix (10) through dix-neuf (19).
56
soixante-dix (60+10 = seventy)
57
soixante-et-onze (60+11 = seventy-one) - Unique use of et in this range.
58
soixante-douze (60+12 = seventy-two)
59
soixante-dix-neuf (60+19 = seventy-nine)
60
Example: Soixante-dix personnes sont venues. (Seventy people came.)
61
Numbers 80-89: quatre-vingts + 0-9 (or un for 81)
62
Quatre-vingts (literally "four twenties") forms the base. Note the plural s on vingts only when it is the final component in a multiple of twenty, and its absence when followed by another number.
63
quatre-vingts (eighty)
64
quatre-vingt-un (eighty-one) - Note singular vingt.
65
quatre-vingt-deux (eighty-two)
66
quatre-vingt-neuf (eighty-nine)
67
Example: Elle a quatre-vingts ans. (She is eighty years old.)
68
Example: Il me reste quatre-vingt-trois pages. (I have eighty-three pages left.)
69
Numbers 90-99: quatre-vingt-dix + 0-9 (or un for 91)
70
These combine quatre-vingt (80) with numbers from 10 to 19. The s on vingt is always absent here.
71
quatre-vingt-dix (80+10 = ninety)
72
quatre-vingt-onze (80+11 = ninety-one)
73
quatre-vingt-douze (80+12 = ninety-two)
74
quatre-vingt-dix-neuf (80+19 = ninety-nine)
75
Example: J'ai quatre-vingt-quatorze messages. (I have ninety-four messages.)
76
6. Number 100: cent
77
The word for 100 is cent. It follows agreement rules similar to vingt.
78
Example: C'est cent pour cent. (It's one hundred percent.)
79
7. Hyphenation Rules (Post-1990 Reforms)
80
Since the 1990 orthographic reforms, all components of a compound number are hyphenated, except when et is used.
81
vingt-deux
82
soixante-dix-sept
83
quatre-vingt-seize
84
This simplifies written number formation.

Gender & Agreement

French numbers exhibit gender and number agreement in specific, limited cases within the 0-100 range, which are critical for accuracy.
1. un vs. une
Un (one) is the only cardinal number that changes form for gender. It must agree with the noun it modifies.
  • Use un before a masculine noun: un livre (one book), un homme (one man).
  • Use une before a feminine noun: une femme (one woman), une fleur (one flower).
This agreement is consistent with un and une functioning as indefinite articles ("a" or "an").
Example

J'ai un chien et une chatte. (I have one dog and one female cat.)

2. Agreement of vingt and cent
The numbers vingt (20) and cent (100) take a plural -s only when they are multiplied by another number and are the final numerical element of the expression. If another number follows them, they remain singular.
| Number | Context | Rule | Example | Explanation |
| :------ | :------------------------------------- | :--------------------------------------- | :-------------------- | :----------------------------------------------- |
| vingt | At the end of a multiple of twenty | Takes -s | quatre-vingts | 80 (4 x 20), vingt is final |
| vingt | Followed by another number | Remains singular | quatre-vingt-un | 81, vingt is followed by un |
| cent | At the end of a multiple of one hundred | Takes -s | deux cents | 200 (2 x 100), cent is final |
| cent | Followed by another number | Remains singular | deux cent un | 201, cent is followed by un |
Example

J'ai deux cents euros. (I have two hundred euros.)

Example

J'ai deux cent cinquante euros. (I have two hundred fifty euros.)

All other cardinal numbers (e.g., deux, trois, quarante) are invariable and do not change form for gender or number.

When To Use It

Numbers are indispensable in French for conveying precise information across numerous daily scenarios.
1. Expressing Quantity: The primary function, indicating the count of items.
  • J'ai trois frères. (I have three brothers.)
  • Il y a cinquante-deux étudiants. (There are fifty-two students.)
2. Telling Time (l'heure): Numbers are central to stating the hour. French commonly uses both 12-hour (with du matin, de l'après-midi, du soir) and 24-hour clocks.
  • Il est neuf heures. (It is nine o'clock.)
  • Il est vingt-deux heures. (It is 10 PM / twenty-two o'clock.)
3. Dates (les dates): Cardinal numbers specify the day of the month, with premier used only for the first day.
  • Le deux mars. (March the second.)
  • Le vingt-cinq décembre. (December the twenty-fifth.)
  • Le premier janvier. (January the first.)
4. Prices (les prix) and Currency: Essential for financial transactions.
  • Ça coûte dix euros. (It costs ten euros.)
  • C'est trente-cinq centimes. (It's thirty-five centimes.)
5. Phone Numbers (les numéros de téléphone): A significant cultural difference involves reading phone numbers in pairs of digits, which aids comprehension.
  • E.g., for 06 12 34 56 78: zéro six, douze, trente-quatre, cinquante-six, soixante-dix-huit.
6. Age (l'âge): Expressed using the verb avoir (to have), followed by the number and ans (years).
  • J'ai vingt-cinq ans. (I am twenty-five years old.)
  • Mon père a soixante-dix-sept ans. (My father is seventy-seven years old.)
7. Addresses and Identification: Numbers are universally used for sequential identification or locations.
  • J'habite au quarante-trois, rue de la Paix. (I live at forty-three, Peace Street.)

Common Mistakes

Learners frequently make specific errors with French numbers due to their unique structures and pronunciation rules. Addressing these helps solidify understanding.
1. Pronunciation of s in six and dix: The final s can be silent, pronounced as 'z' (liaison), or as 's', depending on context.
  • Silent s: Before a consonant-initial word or at the end of a phrase: six chaises (see shèz - six chairs), J'en veux six. (I want six of them - s silent).
  • 'Z' sound (Liaison): Before a vowel-initial word or silent h: six amis (see-zami - six friends), dix heures (dee-zœr - ten hours).
  • 'S' sound: When the number stands alone, not modifying a noun, or in phone numbers: Le numéro six. (The number six - s pronounced).
2. Gender Agreement of un vs. une: Failing to use une for feminine nouns is a common beginner error.
  • Incorrect: un voiture (should be une voiture).
  • Incorrect: j'ai une frère (should be j'ai un frère).
Correct agreement of un/une is fundamental.
3. Pluralization of vingt and cent: This is often misunderstood. Remember, they pluralize only when multiplied and are the last numerical element.
  • Incorrect: quatre-vingts-un (should be quatre-vingt-un). Vingt is followed by un.
  • Incorrect: deux cent un (should be deux cent un). Cent is followed by un.
  • Correct: trois cents livres (three hundred books).
4. Misapplication of et: The conjunction et is used only for numbers ending in 1 (21, 31, 41, 51, 61) and for soixante-et-onze (71). It is not used for 81 (quatre-vingt-un) or 91 (quatre-vingt-onze).
  • Incorrect: quatre-vingt-et-un (should be quatre-vingt-un).
5. Pluralization of mille: Mille (thousand) never takes an s in its numerical form. This is an absolute rule.
  • Incorrect: deux milles (should be deux mille).
  • Correct: vingt mille personnes (twenty thousand people).
6. Forgetting Hyphens: Consistent hyphenation in compound numbers (post-1990 reforms) is crucial for correct written French, unless et is present.
  • Incorrect: vingt deux (should be vingt-deux).

Common Collocations

Numbers are embedded in various idiomatic expressions and set phrases, enriching natural French communication.
  • avoir X ans: To be X years old. (J'ai trente ans.) (I am thirty years old.)
  • il est X heures: It is X o'clock. (Il est midi et demi.) (It is twelve thirty PM.)
  • être numéro X: To be number X. (Il est numéro un!) (He is number one!)
  • X fois: X times. (Deux fois par semaine.) (Two times a week.)
  • à partir de X: From X (a starting point). (À partir de quarante euros.) (From forty euros.)
  • sur X: Out of X. (Dix sur vingt.) (Ten out of twenty.)
  • X à X: X to X (referring to a range or score). (Le match s'est terminé deux à un.) (The match ended two to one.)
  • peser X kilos: To weigh X kilos. (Il pèse soixante-douze kilos.) (He weighs seventy-two kilos.)
  • mesurer X mètres: To measure X meters. (La table mesure un mètre quatre-vingts.) (The table is one meter eighty [centimeters long].)

Real Conversations

In authentic French, numbers are used dynamically, often with specific pronunciation patterns and contextual brevity, particularly in informal settings.

1. Phone Numbers: As noted, always read in two-digit pairs for clarity.

- Person A: Quel est ton numéro de téléphone ? (What's your phone number?) (Use of informal 'tu')

- Person B: C'est le zéro six, quatorze, trente-huit, cinquante-deux, soixante-dix-neuf. (It's 06 14 38 52 79.)

2. Price Inquiries: Numbers are crucial in everyday shopping scenarios.

- Customer: C'est combien, ce pull ? (How much is this sweater?)

- Seller: Il est quarante-cinq euros. (It's forty-five euros.)

- Customer: Et celui-là, le vert ? (And that one, the green one?)

- Seller: Ah, celui-là, c'est soixante-dix-neuf. (Oh, that one is seventy-nine.)

3. Arranging Meetings/Dates:

- Friend A: On se voit quand ? (When are we meeting?)

- Friend B: Le vingt-trois, ça te va ? (Is the twenty-third okay for you?)

- Friend A: Vingt-trois... non, je suis pas libre. Le vingt-quatre ? (Twenty-third... no, I'm not free. The twenty-fourth?)

4. Informal Texting/Social Media: For brevity, digits may replace words for common numbers.

- J'arrive dans 5 min. (cinq minutes)

- Je t'appelle à 20h. (vingt heures - 8 PM)

- C'est 2 facile. (An informal shortcut for C'est trop facile, where '2' sounds like deu, similar to the beginning of trop.)

These examples illustrate numbers in dynamic, authentic scenarios, highlighting standard usage and informal adaptations.

Quick FAQ

Q: Why do some numbers use soixante-dix and others quatre-vingts?

This reflects French's dual linguistic heritage. The vigesimal (base-20) system for 70-99 (soixante-dix, quatre-vingts, quatre-vingt-dix) is influenced by Gaulish (Celtic) and Norse languages, which counted in scores. The decimal system is more Latin-derived. This requires calculating these numbers using addition or multiplication based on 20.

Q: Do I always need hyphens for compound numbers?

Yes. Since the 1990 orthographic reforms, the official rule mandates hyphens between all components of a compound number (e.g., trente-deux, soixante-dix-sept, quatre-vingt-dix-neuf), unless et is present (e.g., vingt-et-un). This created a simpler, more consistent written system.

Q: Is mille ever pluralized?

No, mille (thousand) as a cardinal number never takes an s in French. It remains invariable, even when indicating multiple thousands: deux mille, dix mille. However, the noun un million (a million) or un milliard (a billion) do pluralize: deux millions, trois milliards.

Q: How do I know when to pronounce the s in six and dix?

The final s in six and dix is pronounced as a 'z' sound (liaison) before a word starting with a vowel or silent h (e.g., six ans -> "si-zans"). It is typically silent before a consonant or when the number stands alone at the end of a phrase (e.g., six livres -> "si livr", J'en veux dix. -> "j'en veux di"). When six or dix are used in isolation, for example, to specify a specific number or when reading phone numbers, the s is often pronounced as 's' (e.g., Le numéro six. -> "le numéro sis").

Q: What's the difference between un and une?

Un and une both mean "one," but un is masculine and une is feminine. They must agree in gender with the noun they modify. Un is used with masculine nouns (un homme), and une is used with feminine nouns (une femme). This is the only cardinal number that changes form for gender agreement.

Q: Do other numbers change their form?

Beyond un/une, the primary number-related agreement is with vingt and cent. They take an -s only when multiplied by another number and positioned at the end of the numerical expression. For example, quatre-vingts (80) but quatre-vingt-deux (82). Similarly, deux cents (200) but deux cent un (201). All other cardinal numbers (e.g., deux, trois) are invariable.

Q: Are there regional variations for numbers 70-99?

Yes. While soixante-dix (70), quatre-vingts (80), and quatre-vingt-dix (90) are standard in France, Belgium and Switzerland use a more decimal system: septante (70), octante or huitante (80 – huitante mostly in Switzerland), nonante (90). These variations simplify the mental arithmetic but are not typically taught as standard French in beginner courses focused on France.

French Cardinal Numbers 0-100

Range Logic Example
0-16
Unique words
0: zéro, 10: dix, 16: seize
17-69
Tens + Units
21: vingt-et-un, 69: soixante-neuf
70-79
60 + (10-19)
70: soixante-dix, 75: soixante-quinze
80-89
4 x 20 + (0-9)
80: quatre-vingts, 82: quatre-vingt-deux
90-99
4 x 20 + (10-19)
90: quatre-vingt-dix, 99: quatre-vingt-dix-neuf
100
Cent
100: cent

Meanings

Cardinal numbers are used to count objects, express quantities, or tell time and dates.

1

Counting

Expressing the quantity of items.

“J'ai trois pommes.”

“Il y a dix étudiants.”

Reference Table

Reference table for French Numbers 0-100 (Les nombres)
Form Structure Example
Basic
Digit
cinq (5)
Compound
Tens-Units
trente-quatre (34)
70s
Soixante + X
soixante-dix (70)
80s
Quatre-vingt + X
quatre-vingt-un (81)
90s
Quatre-vingt-dix + X
quatre-vingt-dix-neuf (99)
Plural
Vingt + s
quatre-vingts (80)

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Je possède quatre-vingts euros.

Je possède quatre-vingts euros. (Shopping)

Neutral
J'ai quatre-vingts euros.

J'ai quatre-vingts euros. (Shopping)

Informal
J'ai quatre-vingts balles.

J'ai quatre-vingts balles. (Shopping)

Slang
J'ai quatre-vingts balles.

J'ai quatre-vingts balles. (Shopping)

Number Logic Map

French Numbers

Simple

  • 0-16 Unique

Decimal

  • 17-69 Base 10

Vigesimal

  • 70-99 Base 20
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Examples by Level

1

J'ai deux chats.

I have two cats.

2

Il a dix ans.

He is ten years old.

3

C'est cinq euros.

It is five euros.

4

J'habite au numéro un.

I live at number one.

1

Il a soixante-dix ans.

He is seventy years old.

2

C'est quatre-vingts euros.

It is eighty euros.

3

J'ai trente-deux stylos.

I have thirty-two pens.

4

Elle a quatre-vingt-dix ans.

She is ninety years old.

1

Nous avons quatre-vingt-un billets.

We have eighty-one tickets.

2

Le prix est de soixante-quinze euros.

The price is seventy-five euros.

3

Il y a quatre-vingt-dix-neuf options.

There are ninety-nine options.

4

C'est le cinquante-huitième essai.

It is the fifty-eighth attempt.

1

Le total s'élève à quatre-vingt-dix-huit euros.

The total amounts to ninety-eight euros.

2

Il a fallu soixante-dix-sept minutes.

It took seventy-seven minutes.

3

Nous attendons quatre-vingt-quatre invités.

We are expecting eighty-four guests.

4

Le numéro gagnant est le soixante-six.

The winning number is sixty-six.

1

La population atteint quatre-vingt-dix-sept mille habitants.

The population reaches ninety-seven thousand inhabitants.

2

Le projet a duré soixante-douze mois.

The project lasted seventy-two months.

3

Il a gagné quatre-vingt-cinq pour cent des voix.

He won eighty-five percent of the votes.

4

Soixante-treize est un nombre premier.

Seventy-three is a prime number.

1

La structure vigésimale est évidente dans le quatre-vingts.

The vigesimal structure is evident in eighty.

2

Il a compté soixante-dix-neuf oiseaux.

He counted seventy-nine birds.

3

Le taux est de quatre-vingt-douze pour cent.

The rate is ninety-two percent.

4

Soixante-quatorze personnes étaient présentes.

Seventy-four people were present.

Easily Confused

French Numbers 0-100 (Les nombres) vs 70 vs 71

Learners forget 'et' in 71.

French Numbers 0-100 (Les nombres) vs 80 vs 81

Learners keep the 's' in 81.

French Numbers 0-100 (Les nombres) vs 100 vs 101

Learners add 'et'.

Common Mistakes

✗

septante

✓

soixante-dix

Septante is used in Belgium, not France.
✗

vingt-un

✓

vingt-et-un

Must include 'et' for 21.
✗

quatre-vingt

✓

quatre-vingts

80 needs an 's' when it stands alone.
✗

dix-sept

✓

dix-sept

Correct, but often mispronounced.
✗

soixante-dix-un

✓

soixante-et-onze

71 is soixante-et-onze.
✗

quatre-vingt-dix-un

✓

quatre-vingt-onze

91 is quatre-vingt-onze.
✗

quatre-vingt-dix-dix

✓

cent

100 is cent.
✗

soixante-dix-dix

✓

quatre-vingts

80 is not 70+10.
✗

quatre-vingt-dix-dix

✓

cent

100 is a unique word.
✗

quatre-vingt-s-un

✓

quatre-vingt-un

No 's' when followed by a number.
✗

nonante

✓

quatre-vingt-dix

Nonante is Swiss/Belgian.
✗

huitante

✓

quatre-vingts

Huitante is Swiss.
✗

soixante-vingt

✓

quatre-vingts

Incorrect math.
✗

cent-un

✓

cent-un

Actually correct, but often written as cent un.

Sentence Patterns

J'ai ___ ans.

Ça coûte ___ euros.

Il y a ___ personnes.

Mon numéro est le ___.

Real World Usage

Ordering food constant

Je voudrais quatre croissants.

Texting very common

Rdv à 20h.

Job interview common

J'ai vingt ans d'expérience.

Travel constant

Le train part à 18h.

Food delivery apps common

Total: 15 euros.

Social media common

100k abonnés !

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💡

Learn in blocks

Learn 0-16, then 17-69, then 70-99.
⚠️

Watch the hyphens

Always use hyphens for compound numbers.
🎯

Math practice

Practice 70+10, 4x20, 4x20+10 daily.
💬

Regional differences

Remember that Belgium/Switzerland use different words.

Smart Tips

Think of it as a math problem.

I don't know 80. → 80 is 4x20, so quatre-vingts.

Use hyphens for everything.

vingt deux → vingt-deux

Say 'dix' and 'sept' together.

dix sept → dix-sept

Add 's' only if it ends at 80.

quatre-vingt → quatre-vingts

Pronunciation

/døzɑ̃/

Liaison

Numbers often trigger liaisons, e.g., 'deux ans' sounds like 'deuz-an'.

Rising

Soixante-dix ? ↑

Clarification or question.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Remember: 70 is 60+10, 80 is 4x20, 90 is 4x20+10.

Visual Association

Imagine four people holding 20 balloons each for 80 (quatre-vingts).

Rhyme

Soixante-dix is seventy, quatre-vingts is eighty, ninety is quatre-vingt-dix, counting is easy and mighty!

Story

I went to the store and bought 70 apples. Then I saw 80 birds. Finally, I counted 90 stars in the sky.

Word Web

zérodixvingttrentequarantecinquantesoixantecent

Challenge

Count from 60 to 100 out loud in 60 seconds.

Cultural Notes

Uses the standard vigesimal system (70, 80, 90).

Uses 'septante' for 70 and 'nonante' for 90.

Uses 'septante', 'huitante', and 'nonante'.

The vigesimal system (base 20) comes from the Celtic languages spoken in Gaul before Romanization.

Conversation Starters

“

Quel âge as-tu ?

“

Combien ça coûte ?

“

Quel est ton numéro de téléphone ?

“

Combien de personnes viennent ?

Journal Prompts

List 5 things you have and their quantities.
Describe your family members' ages.
Plan a budget for a party using numbers.
Reflect on the history of numbers.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Fill in the blank.

J'ai ___ (21) ans.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: vingt-et-un
21 requires 'et'.
Choose the correct number. Multiple Choice

How do you say 70?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: soixante-dix
Standard French uses soixante-dix.
Fix the error. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

J'ai quatre-vingt-s ans.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: J'ai quatre-vingts ans.
80 needs an 's' alone.
Reorder the words. Sentence Building

ans / soixante-dix / il / a

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Il a soixante-dix ans.
Standard word order.
Match the number. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: quatre-vingts
80 is quatre-vingts.
Write the number. Conjugation Drill

What is 99?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: quatre-vingt-dix-neuf
99 is 4x20+19.
True or False? True False Rule

Do we use 'septante' in Paris?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
Septante is regional.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Quel âge as-tu? B: J'ai ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: dix-sept ans.
Need 'ans'.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the blank.

J'ai ___ (21) ans.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: vingt-et-un
21 requires 'et'.
Choose the correct number. Multiple Choice

How do you say 70?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: soixante-dix
Standard French uses soixante-dix.
Fix the error. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

J'ai quatre-vingt-s ans.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: J'ai quatre-vingts ans.
80 needs an 's' alone.
Reorder the words. Sentence Building

ans / soixante-dix / il / a

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Il a soixante-dix ans.
Standard word order.
Match the number. Match Pairs

Match 80.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: quatre-vingts
80 is quatre-vingts.
Write the number. Conjugation Drill

What is 99?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: quatre-vingt-dix-neuf
99 is 4x20+19.
True or False? True False Rule

Do we use 'septante' in Paris?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
Septante is regional.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Quel âge as-tu? B: J'ai ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: dix-sept ans.
Need 'ans'.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises
How do you say 21? Fill in the Blank

J'ai ___ ans.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: vingt-et-un
Translate 'I have three cats.' Translation

I have three cats.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: J'ai trois chats.
Which is 90? Multiple Choice

90 is...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: quatre-vingt-dix
Match the numbers Match Pairs

Match the French word to the digit.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 16:seize, 11:onze, 15:quinze
Fix the number 81 Error Correction

C'est quatre-vingts-un.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: C'est quatre-vingt-un.
Order the words to say 'I am 25 years old.' Sentence Reorder

ans / J'ai / vingt-cinq

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: J'ai vingt-cinq ans.
Feminine of 1 Fill in the Blank

C'est ___ voiture.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: une
How do you say 100? Multiple Choice

100 in French is:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: cent
Translate 'Twelve' Translation

12

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: douze
75 is... Fill in the Blank

Il y a ___ fleurs.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: soixante-quinze

Score: /10

FAQ (8)

It's a historical base-20 system from Celtic influence.

Yes, always use hyphens for numbers between 17 and 99.

It's correct in Belgium/Switzerland, but not in France.

Add 's' to 'vingt' only when it's 80 (quatre-vingts).

100 is 'cent'.

Yes, 'un' is masculine, 'une' is feminine.

In informal contexts, yes. In formal writing, use words.

It's a special exception to the rule.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

Sign up free to practice

In Other Languages

Spanish low

ochenta

Spanish lacks the base-20 construction.

German low

achtzig

German is purely decimal.

Japanese low

hachiju

Japanese is strictly decimal.

Arabic low

thamanun

Arabic is strictly decimal.

Chinese low

bashi

Chinese is strictly decimal.

English low

eighty

English is strictly decimal.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Next
Telling Time in French (Quelle heure est-il?)

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