1 to 20 cover the base words and the Latin-inherited teens. 21 introduces the et-un connector (vingt et un), and from 22 onwards the hyphenated unit pattern takes over. The full table is below.
Updated May 2026
N
French
Audio
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
21
vingt-et-un
22
vingt-deux
23
vingt-trois
24
vingt-quatre
25
vingt-cinq
26
vingt-six
27
vingt-sept
28
vingt-huit
29
vingt-neuf
30
trente
The et-un rule
On the unit one (21, 31, 41, 51, 61) French inserts et between the tens and the unit: vingt et un, trente et un. The 1990 Academie francaise rectifications added hyphens (vingt-et-un), and both forms now appear in dictionaries.
From the unit two onwards the hyphen replaces et: vingt-deux, vingt-trois. The 70s and 90s revive the connector indirectly because 71 = 60 + 11 and is read soixante et onze, but they otherwise use the vigesimal pattern documented on the 70-to-99 page.
Vingt et un. The connector "et" sits between vingt (20) and un (1). Before the 1990 Academie francaise rectifications no hyphens were used (vingt et un); since the rectifications hyphens are recommended on all compound numbers (vingt-et-un). Both spellings are accepted today; Larousse lists vingt et un as primary.
When do you use the et connector in French numbers?
For x1 values in the 21 to 71 range only: vingt et un (21), trente et un (31), quarante et un (41), cinquante et un (51), soixante et un (61), soixante et onze (71, with onze because 71 = 60 + 11). After 71 the connector disappears: quatre-vingt-un (81), quatre-vingt-onze (91). Belgium and Switzerland use it more consistently because they say septante et un, nonante et un.
Why is it vingt et un but vingt-deux?
Historical convention. The et connector is reserved for the unit one because of the rhythm of the spoken phrase. From two onwards the hyphen takes over: vingt-deux, vingt-trois, vingt-quatre. The Academie francaise codified this in the 19th century.
How do you pronounce trente?
Trente is /tʁɑ̃t/. The t at the end is voiced. The same nasal vowel pattern repeats in quarante /kaʁɑ̃t/, cinquante /sɛ̃kɑ̃t/, soixante /swasɑ̃t/, but breaks at 70 where soixante-dix introduces the vigesimal forms.
Sources: Larousse, CNRTL, Academie francaise (rectifications de 1990).