A1 French GrammarNumbers 1-100
Master French numbers from 1 to 100. French counting has some unique patterns, especially in the 70s, 80s, and 90s which use a vigesimal (base-20) system inherited from Gaulish. Learn to count, use numbers in dates, prices, and everyday situations.
Practice in interactive stories
With instant translation and audio
1Numbers 1-20
French numbers 1-16 are unique words that must be memorized. From 17-19, numbers follow the pattern dix-sept (10+7), dix-huit (10+8), dix-neuf (10+9). Twenty is 'vingt'. These foundational numbers are essential for all counting.
Numbers 1-20
| Number | French | Number | French |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | un/une | 11 | onze |
| 2 | deux | 12 | douze |
| 3 | trois | 13 | treize |
| 4 | quatre | 14 | quatorze |
| 5 | cinq | 15 | quinze |
| 6 | six | 16 | seize |
| 7 | sept | 17 | dix-sept |
| 8 | huit | 18 | dix-huit |
| 9 | neuf | 19 | dix-neuf |
| 10 | dix | 20 | vingt |
Examples
J'ai deux frères.
I have two brothers.
deux = two
Il a quinze ans.
He is fifteen years old.
quinze = fifteen
Le train part à dix-huit heures.
The train leaves at 18 hours.
dix-huit = eighteen
Nous avons vingt minutes.
We have twenty minutes.
vingt = twenty
2Numbers 21-69
From 21-69, French numbers follow a predictable pattern: tens word + units word, connected by 'et' for 1 (vingt-et-un) but hyphenated for others (vingt-deux). Note that 21, 31, 41, 51, 61 use 'et' before 'un'.
Tens and Pattern
| Tens | French | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | vingt | vingt-et-un | 21 |
| 30 | trente | trente-deux | 32 |
| 40 | quarante | quarante-trois | 43 |
| 50 | cinquante | cinquante-quatre | 54 |
| 60 | soixante | soixante-cinq | 65 |
Examples
J'ai trente-deux ans.
I am thirty-two years old.
trente-deux = thirty-two
Il y a quarante et une personnes.
There are forty-one people.
quarante et un(e) = forty-one
La maison coûte cinquante mille euros.
The house costs fifty thousand euros.
cinquante = fifty
Elle habite au numéro soixante-sept.
She lives at number sixty-seven.
soixante-sept = sixty-seven
3Numbers 70-99 (Vigesimal System)
French uses a vigesimal (base-20) system for 70-99. Seventy is 'soixante-dix' (60+10). Eighty is 'quatre-vingts' (4×20). Ninety is 'quatre-vingt-dix' (4×20+10). This is one of the trickiest aspects of French numbers.
70-99 Pattern
| Number | French | Literal | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 70 | soixante-dix | 60+10 | start of vigesimal |
| 71 | soixante-et-onze | 60+11 | uses et with onze |
| 80 | quatre-vingts | 4×20 | note the -s |
| 81 | quatre-vingt-un | 4×20+1 | no -s, no et |
| 90 | quatre-vingt-dix | 4×20+10 | no -s |
| 99 | quatre-vingt-dix-neuf | 4×20+19 | highest before 100 |
Examples
Ma grand-mère a soixante-quinze ans.
My grandmother is seventy-five years old.
soixante-quinze = 60+15 = 75
Il y a quatre-vingts élèves.
There are eighty students.
quatre-vingts with -s before noun
Le livre coûte quatre-vingt-dix euros.
The book costs ninety euros.
quatre-vingt-dix = 90
Nous avons quatre-vingt-dix-neuf problèmes.
We have ninety-nine problems.
quatre-vingt-dix-neuf = 99
4Using Numbers
Numbers in French are used for telling time, giving dates, prices, ages, and quantities. Note that 'un' becomes 'une' before feminine nouns. Hundred is 'cent' and takes -s only when multiplied and not followed by another number.
Number Usage Contexts
| Context | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| age | J'ai vingt ans. | I am 20 years old. |
| time | Il est trois heures. | It is 3 o'clock. |
| price | Ça coûte dix euros. | It costs 10 euros. |
| date | le quinze janvier | January 15th |
| quantity | deux kilos | two kilos |
Examples
J'ai une soeur et deux frères.
I have one sister and two brothers.
une (feminine) vs deux
Il est midi et demi.
It is half past noon.
demi = half (for time)
C'est le premier mai.
It is May 1st.
premier = first (only for 1st)
Cent euros, s'il vous plaît.
One hundred euros, please.
cent = 100 (no -s alone)
Practice Exercises
3 exercises
What is the French word for 'fifteen'?
How do you say 'seventy' in French?
How do you say 'eighty' in French?
See Real Examples in Stories
Now that you've practiced, see this grammar in context
Practice with A1 Stories
Apply what you learned in interactive stories with instant translations.
Browse A1 Stories