French Number Pronunciation Rules
Liaison, Elision, the Silent S, T, P
Updated May 2026
French numbers carry several pronunciation patterns that can confuse learners coming from English-speaking backgrounds. The same written number can have two or three different spoken forms depending on what comes immediately after it. Six is pronounced /sis/ alone, /si/ before a consonant-starting noun, and /siz/ before a vowel-starting noun. Dix works the same way. Vingt normally has a silent t, but the t becomes audible (via liaison) when followed by a vowel. Neuf has a special f-to-v liaison rule before specific vowel-starting nouns. The systematic application of these liaison patterns is what makes spoken French sound natural rather than word-by-word translated.
This page goes deeper than the basic pronunciation overview on the pronunciation page. It covers the three-context rule for six, dix, huit, neuf; the silent-t rule for vingt and cent and when liaison restores it; the special neuf-to-neuv vowel liaison; the et-connector pronunciation; the silent-s on plural-form numbers; and the most common pronunciation mistakes to avoid. IPA notation is given alongside each form, and audio buttons let you hear each pattern.
The Three-Context Rule for Six, Dix, Huit
Six, dix, and (with slight variations) huit follow the same three-context pronunciation pattern. The number alone or at the end of a sentence is pronounced with the final consonant audible. Before a consonant-starting noun, the final consonant is silent. Before a vowel-starting noun, the final consonant becomes audible again, often softening (s becomes z for six and dix; t stays t for huit).
| Form | Context | IPA | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| six (alone) | Standalone or at end of phrase | /sis/ | J'en ai six. (I have six.) |
| six livres | Before consonant-starting noun | /si livʁ/ | six livres (six books) |
| six oranges | Before vowel-starting noun | /siz oʁɑ̃ʒ/ | six oranges (six oranges, with liaison) |
The s in six and dix becomes z in liaison contexts because of French phonotactics: when a final s in a written word is pronounced as part of a liaison into a following vowel, it voices to z. The same z-voicing happens with plural-s liaisons on nouns and adjectives (les amis = /lez ami/, des oranges = /dez oʁɑ̃ʒ/). For huit, the final t stays as t in liaison; t does not voice the way s does.
Reference Table for Other Numbers
| Number | Standalone | Before consonant | Before vowel | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| huit | /ɥit/ | /ɥi/ huit livres | /ɥit/ huit oranges (liaison) | |
| dix | /dis/ | /di/ dix livres | /diz/ dix oranges (liaison to z) | |
| neuf | /nœf/ | /nœf/ neuf livres | /nœv/ neuf ans (special f-to-v liaison) | |
| vingt | /vɛ̃/ | /vɛ̃/ vingt livres | /vɛ̃t/ vingt ans (silent t restored) | |
| cent | /sɑ̃/ | /sɑ̃/ cent livres | /sɑ̃t/ cent ans (silent t restored) | |
| quatre | /katʁ/ | /katʁ/ quatre livres | /katʁ/ quatre oranges (no special liaison) |
The Silent T in Vingt and Cent
Vingt and cent both end in a written t that is normally silent. Vingt alone is pronounced /vɛ̃/, the t inaudible. Cent alone is pronounced /sɑ̃/, the t inaudible. The silence is the default. The t becomes audible only via liaison when the next word starts with a vowel.
Vingt euros = /vɛ̃t øʁo/, with the t pronounced via liaison into the vowel-starting euros. Vingt ans = /vɛ̃t ɑ̃/. Cent euros = /sɑ̃t øʁo/. Cent ans = /sɑ̃t ɑ̃/. The liaison is mandatory in number-noun pairs and is what gives French speech its characteristic flowing quality.
Inside compound numbers, the t in vingt is pronounced as part of the inner liaison: vingt-et-un = /vɛ̃t.e.œ̃/, vingt-deux = /vɛ̃t.dø/, vingt-trois = /vɛ̃t.tʁwa/, all the way through vingt-neuf. The compound forms keep the t audible because it joins the syllables together. From thirty (trente) onwards, the issue does not arise because trente already ends in an audible /t/.
For cent in compounds, the t pronunciation is variable. Cent un can be /sɑ̃ œ̃/ or /sɑ̃t œ̃/ depending on the speaker; both are heard. In careful speech, the t tends to be dropped before consonant-starting next blocks (cent mille = /sɑ̃ mil/, no t) but is restored before vowel-starting blocks (cent ans = /sɑ̃t ɑ̃/, t pronounced).
The Special Neuf-to-Neuv Liaison
Neuf has a unique liaison pattern unlike any other French number. The final f, normally pronounced /f/, voices to /v/ in liaison before specific vowel-starting words. Neuf ans = /nœv ɑ̃/, with the f becoming v. Neuf heures = /nœv œʁ/. Neuf hommes = /nœv ɔm/.
The voicing is restricted to a small set of frequently-occurring vowel-starting nouns: ans (years), heures (hours), hommes (men). In other vowel contexts, neuf retains the /f/ pronunciation: neuf oranges = /nœf oʁɑ̃ʒ/, neuf îles = /nœf il/. The /f/-to-/v/ liaison is a phonological habit of the most common neuf-noun pairings, not a fully systematic rule.
This neuf-to-neuv pattern is unusual in French and is one of the harder pronunciation traps for learners. It is documented in pronunciation guides published by CNRTL and the standard French phonetics references. Learners who hear French regularly tend to pick it up by exposure; learners who only see French in writing often pronounce neuf ans as /nœf ɑ̃/, which is technically wrong but widely tolerated in non-native speech.
The Silent S on Plural-Form Numbers
Quatre-vingts, cinq cents, six cents, etc. all carry a written plural-s that is silent in standard pronunciation. Quatre-vingts = /katʁ.vɛ̃/, the s inaudible. Cinq cents = /sɛ̃k sɑ̃/, the s on cents inaudible. Trois cents euros = /tʁwa sɑ̃z øʁo/, with the s liaising to z because of the vowel in euros.
The s on plural fractional nouns (millions, milliards) is also silent except in liaison. Deux millions = /dø mil.jɔ̃/, no s. Deux millions et demi = /dø mil.jɔ̃z e dø.mi/, with liaison to et. Deux millions d’euros = /dø mil.jɔ̃ døʁo/, no s liaison because the next word starts with a consonant /d/. The s liaisons trigger only into vowel-starting words, not into d-starting words.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does "six" have three different pronunciations?
Because of the French liaison and final-consonant rules. Six is pronounced /sis/ when it stands alone or at the end of a phrase (j'en ai six, "I have six of them"). It is /si/ before a consonant-starting noun (six livres, "six books"). And it is /siz/ before a vowel-starting noun (six oranges = /siz oʁɑ̃ʒ/, with liaison). The final s is the same letter in writing but represents three different sounds depending on what follows.
How is "vingt" pronounced?
Vingt alone or at the end of a phrase: /vɛ̃/, the final t is silent. Before a vowel-starting noun: /vɛ̃t/, with liaison (vingt euros = /vɛ̃t øʁo/). Before a consonant-starting noun: /vɛ̃/, no liaison (vingt livres = /vɛ̃ livʁ/). Inside a compound number from 21 to 29, the t is pronounced (vingt-et-un = /vɛ̃t.e.œ̃/, vingt-deux = /vɛ̃t.dø/).
Why does "cent" sometimes have its final t pronounced?
Same reason as vingt. Cent alone or before a consonant: /sɑ̃/, t silent. Before a vowel: /sɑ̃t/, t pronounced via liaison (cent ans = /sɑ̃t ɑ̃/). Inside compounds (cent un, cent deux, etc.), the t can be pronounced for clarity but is often dropped in fast speech.
How are "huit", "dix", "neuf" pronounced before vowels?
Same liaison-context pattern as six. Huit: /ɥit/ standalone, /ɥi/ before consonant (huit livres), /ɥit/ before vowel (huit ans, with liaison). Dix: /dis/ standalone, /di/ before consonant (dix livres), /diz/ before vowel (dix ans). Neuf: /nœf/ standalone, /nœf/ before consonant (neuf livres), /nœv/ before vowel-starting noun specifically with the /v/ liaison (neuf ans = /nœv ɑ̃/, neuf heures = /nœv œʁ/). The neuf-to-neuv transformation is a special liaison rule.
What is liaison and when does it apply to numbers?
Liaison is the pronunciation of a normally-silent final consonant when the next word starts with a vowel. The silent letter "ties into" the next syllable. For numbers, liaison applies to the s on six, dix; the t on vingt, cent; the t on huit; the f on neuf (becoming v in some contexts). Liaison is mandatory in number-noun pairs (six oranges, vingt euros, cent ans), optional in some other contexts (dix mille, where liaison is variable), and forbidden in some others (specific stylistic rules).
How is "et" in vingt et un pronounced?
Vingt et un: the t in vingt is pronounced because of liaison (vingt-et-un = /vɛ̃t.e.œ̃/). The pronunciation joins all three words into a single phonetic group. Same for trente et un, quarante et un, soixante et un, soixante et onze, where the connector et triggers the liaison of the final consonant of the round-ten.
What is the most common French-number pronunciation mistake?
Pronouncing the final s in vingts (as in quatre-vingts or les vingt et uns). The s in plural-s on quatre-vingts and the final s in any plural number form is silent in spoken French. The s does become audible in liaison contexts (quatre-vingts ans is /katʁ.vɛ̃z ɑ̃/, with the s liaising to z), but standalone or before a consonant, the s is silent.