Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
In French, place the number directly before the noun, and remember that numbers are invariant except for 'un' and 'vingt/cent'.
- Place the number before the noun: 'deux pommes' (two apples).
- The number 'un' becomes 'une' before feminine nouns: 'une table'.
- Numbers do not change for plural nouns: 'trois chats' (three cats).
Overview
How This Grammar Works
three books。在法语中，我们说 trois livres...
Formation Pattern
When To Use It
Common Mistakes
Contrast With Similar Patterns
Quick FAQ
mille 会加 s 吗？...Cardinal Numbers 1-10
| Number | French | Gender Agreement |
|---|---|---|
|
1
|
un / une
|
Yes
|
|
2
|
deux
|
No
|
|
3
|
trois
|
No
|
|
4
|
quatre
|
No
|
|
5
|
cinq
|
No
|
|
6
|
six
|
No
|
|
7
|
sept
|
No
|
|
8
|
huit
|
No
|
|
9
|
neuf
|
No
|
|
10
|
dix
|
No
|
Meanings
Cardinal numbers are used to indicate the quantity of a noun. They precede the noun directly without an article.
Basic Counting
Indicating a specific quantity of items.
“J'ai deux stylos.”
“Il y a quatre chaises.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Number + Noun
|
J'ai trois chats.
|
|
Negative
|
Ne + Verb + Pas + Number + Noun
|
Je n'ai pas trois chats.
|
|
Question
|
Number + Noun + Verb?
|
Trois chats sont ici?
|
|
Agreement
|
Un/Une + Noun
|
Un homme / Une femme
|
|
Plurality
|
Number + Noun(s)
|
Deux livres
|
|
Invariance
|
Number + Noun
|
Trois tables
|
正式程度
Je possède trois frères. (Talking about family)
J'ai trois frères. (Talking about family)
J'ai trois frères. (Talking about family)
J'ai trois frangins. (Talking about family)
The Number Rule
Agreement
- un masculine
- une feminine
Invariance
- deux, trois... no change
按水平分级的例句
J'ai un chien.
I have one dog.
Elle a deux chats.
She has two cats.
Il y a trois livres.
There are three books.
J'ai une pomme.
I have one apple.
Nous avons quatre chaises dans la cuisine.
We have four chairs in the kitchen.
Il a acheté cinq stylos.
He bought five pens.
Elle a six frères et sœurs.
She has six siblings.
J'ai sept euros dans ma poche.
I have seven euros in my pocket.
Il y a huit étudiants dans la salle de classe.
There are eight students in the classroom.
J'ai besoin de neuf feuilles de papier.
I need nine sheets of paper.
Dix personnes sont arrivées en retard.
Ten people arrived late.
Onze jours sont passés depuis son départ.
Eleven days have passed since his departure.
Douze mois constituent une année.
Twelve months make up a year.
Il a commandé treize pizzas pour la fête.
He ordered thirteen pizzas for the party.
Quatorze employés ont signé le contrat.
Fourteen employees signed the contract.
Quinze minutes suffisent pour finir.
Fifteen minutes are enough to finish.
Seize candidats ont postulé pour le poste.
Sixteen candidates applied for the position.
Dix-sept pays ont participé à la conférence.
Seventeen countries participated in the conference.
Dix-huit chapitres composent ce roman.
Eighteen chapters make up this novel.
Dix-neuf ans, c'est un âge charnière.
Nineteen years old is a pivotal age.
Vingt ans après, le mystère demeure.
Twenty years later, the mystery remains.
Trente personnes ont assisté à la cérémonie.
Thirty people attended the ceremony.
Quarante jours de voyage ont transformé sa vision.
Forty days of travel transformed his vision.
Cinquante nuances de gris est un livre célèbre.
Fifty Shades of Grey is a famous book.
容易混淆
Learners mix up 'des' (some) and numbers.
Gender agreement for 'one'.
Forgetting the 's' on the noun.
常见错误
Trois les chats
Trois chats
Trois chat
Trois chats
Deuxes pommes
Deux pommes
Une chat
Un chat
J'ai le deux chats
J'ai deux chats
Vingt-et-un pommes
Vingt-et-une pommes
Quatre livre
Quatre livres
Il y a des trois livres
Il y a trois livres
Cent-vingt-et-un hommes
Cent-vingt-et-un hommes
Il a vingt-deux ans
Il a vingt-deux ans
Il y en a trois des livres
Il y en a trois
Trois-cents personnes
Trois cents personnes
Quatre-vingt-dix-et-un
Quatre-vingt-onze
Il y a mille de personnes
Il y a mille personnes
句型
J'ai ___ ___.
Il y a ___ ___ dans la salle.
J'ai besoin de ___ ___.
Elle a acheté ___ ___ pour le dîner.
Real World Usage
Je voudrais trois croissants.
Je veux deux chambres.
J'ai 3 chats.
J'ai cinq ans d'expérience.
Je commande quatre pizzas.
J'ai deux billets.
Check the Noun
No Articles
Pluralize
Pronunciation
Smart Tips
Always check the gender of the noun first.
Write them out in formal letters.
Use liaison for 'six' and 'dix'.
Don't forget the 's'.
发音
Liaison
Numbers ending in consonants (six, dix) often sound like 'z' before a vowel.
Declarative
J'ai trois chats. ↘
Falling intonation for statements.
记住它
记忆技巧
Un is the only one that's fun, the rest are done and stay as one.
视觉联想
Imagine a '1' wearing a dress (une) or a suit (un), while all other numbers are wearing identical grey uniforms that never change.
Rhyme
One is fun, one is two, but for the rest, the form is true.
Story
I went to the store to buy one apple (une pomme). I saw two boys (deux garçons) buying three books (trois livres). Everything was simple because only the apple needed gender agreement.
Word Web
挑战
Count every object you see in your room for 5 minutes using the structure [Number] + [Noun].
文化笔记
French people are very precise with numbers in formal settings.
Numbers are used similarly, but pronunciation of 'sept' and 'huit' can be distinct.
Uses 'septante' and 'nonante' for 70 and 90.
French numbers derive from Latin cardinal numbers.
对话开场白
Combien de frères as-tu ?
Combien de chaises y a-t-il ici ?
Combien de temps as-tu pour travailler ?
Combien de pays as-tu visités ?
日记主题
常见错误
Test Yourself
J'ai ___ (one) chat.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
J'ai deux pomme.
chats / trois / j'ai
___ (one) table.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
J'ai un livre.
Numbers change for gender.
Score: /8
练习题
8 exercisesJ'ai ___ (one) chat.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
J'ai deux pomme.
chats / trois / j'ai
___ (one) table.
4
J'ai un livre.
Numbers change for gender.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesIl y a ___ (1000) livres dans cette bibliothèque.
Which is correct for 200?
Nous avons deux de chiens.
reorder: [quatre] [j'ai] [amis] [en] [France]
I have five dollars.
Match the correct gender/plurality:
C'est ___ (1) erreur idiote.
How do you write 82?
He has ten followers.
Voulez-vous ___ (2) sucres ?
Score: /10
常见问题 (8)
No, never use 'des' with a specific number.
Yes, 'un' becomes 'une' for feminine nouns.
They are invariant in most cases.
In informal contexts, yes, but write them out in formal ones.
Because the noun must be pluralized.
Yes, especially with liaison.
Use the same rule: 'trois personnes'.
Only 'un' and the pluralization of 'cent'/'vingt'.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Tres gatos
Spanish numbers are very similar in structure.
Drei Katzen
German has complex case endings.
San-biki no neko
Japanese requires specific counter words.
Thalathat qitat
Arabic numbers agree in gender inversely.
San zhi mao
Chinese requires measure words.
Three cats
English doesn't have gendered numbers.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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