Numbers are a fundamental part of any language, and learning to count in French is a great way to build confidence as you begin your journey into the language. Whether you’re shopping in Paris or practicing basic French for fun, mastering numbers will open the door to many practical conversations. Let’s start from the basics and build up step by step!

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The Basics: Numbers 0 to 10

Here are the first 11 numbers in French to get you started:

• 0 – zéro
  
• 1 – un (pronounced “uh”)
  
• 2 – deux (pronounced “duh”)
  
• 3 – trois (pronounced “twah”)
  
• 4 – quatre (pronounced “katr”)
  
• 5 – cinq (pronounced “sank”)
  
• 6 – six (pronounced “sees”)
  
• 7 – sept (pronounced “set”)
  
• 8 – huit (pronounced “weet”)
  
• 9 – neuf (pronounced “nuhf”)
  
• 10 – dix (pronounced “dees”)

Tip: Repeat these numbers out loud several times, and try to use them in simple contexts, like counting objects around you.

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Building Blocks: Numbers 11 to 19

Numbers 11 to 16 are unique words in French, but starting from 17, you’ll notice a pattern:

• 11 – onze (pronounced “onz”)
  
• 12 – douze (pronounced “dooz”)
  
• 13 – treize (pronounced “trez”)
  
• 14 – quatorze (pronounced “ka-torz”)
  
• 15 – quinze (pronounced “kanz”)
  
• 16 – seize (pronounced “sez”)
  
• 17 – dix-sept (10 + 7 = pronounced “dee-set”)
  
• 18 – dix-huit (10 + 8 = pronounced “dees-weet”)
  
• 19 – dix-neuf (10 + 9 = pronounced “dees-nuhf”)

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The Tens: 20 to 100

Here’s how to count by tens:

• 20 – vingt (pronounced “vahn”)
  
• 30 – trente (pronounced “tront”)
  
• 40 – quarante (pronounced “ka-ront”)
  
• 50 – cinquante (pronounced “sank-ont”)
  
• 60 – soixante (pronounced “swa-sont”)

Starting at 70, French numbers combine like math equations:

• 70 – soixante-dix (60 + 10 = pronounced “swa-sont-dees”)
  
• 80 – quatre-vingts (4 × 20 = pronounced “kat-ra-van”)
  
• 90 – quatre-vingt-dix (4 × 20 + 10 = pronounced “kat-ra-van-dees”)
  
• 100 – cent (pronounced “sahn”)

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Fun Practice Ideas

Play games: Count objects around your home in French, like books, chairs, or fruits.

Practice in daily life: Say the date or your phone number in French.

Listen to French audio: Watch videos or listen to podcasts where numbers are used in context.

Sing along: Look up French songs or nursery rhymes about numbers!

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Common Number-Related Phrases

• How much is this? – Combien ça coûte ? (kohm-byen sah koot?)
  
• What time is it? – Quelle heure est-il ? (kel uhr ay-teel?)
  
• My phone number is… – Mon numéro de téléphone est…

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Final Thoughts

Learning French numbers may seem challenging at first, but with practice and repetition, they’ll soon feel natural. Once you’ve mastered numbers, you can dive into telling time, shopping, and even simple math problems in French.

Bon courage!

If you’d like Personalized Lessons to enhance your French,
feel free to reach out to me 😊

Emilie – contact@positive-social-impact.com