Numbers in French
Type, See, and Hear Any Number
Type any number from 0 to 999,999,999,999. See it spelled in French, hear it spoken, and understand how it is constructed.
Updated May 2026
Try these:
Quick Reference: 0 to 20
| Number | French | Audio |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | zéro | |
| 1 | un | |
| 2 | deux | |
| 3 | trois | |
| 4 | quatre | |
| 5 | cinq | |
| 6 | six | |
| 7 | sept | |
| 8 | huit | |
| 9 | neuf | |
| 10 | dix | |
| 11 | onze | |
| 12 | douze | |
| 13 | treize | |
| 14 | quatorze | |
| 15 | quinze | |
| 16 | seize | |
| 17 | dix-sept | |
| 18 | dix-huit | |
| 19 | dix-neuf | |
| 20 | vingt |
Counting by Range
Per-range landing pages for the specific number spans learners search for: starter ranges, per-decile drills, and the cents-rule walkthrough.
Pronunciation Deep-Dives
Ordinals by Range
Numbers in Everyday Contexts
Featured Numbers
Deep-dive reference pages for the numbers learners ask about most: vigesimal edge cases, large round numbers, and current-year forms.
Why Are French Numbers Different Above 69?
Everything is straightforward up to 69. Then French switches to a base-20 (vigesimal) system inherited from the ancient Gauls, who counted in groups of twenty rather than ten. The result: 70 becomes soixante-dix (sixty-ten), 80 becomes quatre-vingts (four-twenties), and 90 becomes quatre-vingt-dix (four-twenties-ten). You are literally doing mental arithmetic every time you hear a number above 69.
Belgium and Switzerland decided not to adopt these forms during France's 19th-century language standardisation, so they use the simpler septante (70), huitante (80 in some Swiss cantons), and nonante (90). The converter above lets you toggle between France and regional variants to see both forms side by side.
Belgium and Switzerland Use Different Words
When France standardised its language in the 19th century, Belgium and Switzerland chose not to adopt the vigesimal forms. The result: their French is easier to count in for 70-99. Neither form is wrong, but knowing the difference matters depending on where you are.
FR France
70: soixante-dix, 80: quatre-vingts, 90: quatre-vingt-dix
BE Belgium
70: septante, 80: quatre-vingts, 90: nonante
CH Switzerland
70: septante, 80: huitante, 90: nonante
Using French Numbers in Real Life
Dates
lundi 17 avril 2026
How to write and say dates in French. Years, months, and the le premier rule for the first of the month.
Phone Numbers
zéro six, douze, trente-quatre...
French people read phone numbers in pairs of digits, not one by one. Here is how it works.
Prices
douze euros cinquante
Euros, cents, decimals with virgule, and large prices in spoken French.
Ordinals
premier, deuxième, troisième...
First, second, third in French with rules for the -ième suffix and special exceptions.
Practice and Test Yourself
Reading about French numbers is not the same as knowing them. Drill the tricky 70-99 range, take a quiz, or use spaced repetition flashcards to build lasting retention.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Learning French beyond numbers?