Septante
The Belgian and Swiss French word for 70
Updated June 2026
Quick answer
SEPTANTE =
70
IPA
/sɛptɑ̃t/
Septante is the word for 70 across Belgium and all of French-speaking Switzerland. It replaces the standard French soixante-dix (“sixty-ten”). Full regional comparison · What is huitante? · What is nonante?
What septante means
Septante is simply the number 70. Where France and Quebec say soixante-dix — literally “sixty-ten”, a leftover of the old base-20 (vigesimal) counting system — Belgium and French-speaking Switzerland use the regular decimal-style word septante, built on sept (7). It follows the same pattern as soixante (60) and quarante (40), so it is far easier to learn and count with.
Septante is the most widely used of the three regional number words. It is universal across both Belgium and the whole of Romandie, whereas huitante (80) is limited to three Swiss cantons. If you are learning French for Belgium or Switzerland, septante is the form you will hear and use every day.
How to pronounce septante
Septante is pronounced /sɛptɑ̃t/ — roughly “sep-TONT”. The opening “sept” is the same as the word sept (7), with the “p” sounded; the “-ante” ending is the nasal vowel shared with soixante and quarante, and the final “e” is silent. Tap play to hear it:
Counting 70 to 79 with septante
Note the “et” in septante et un (71). Septante restores the regular “et un” connector you also see in vingt et un (21) and trente et un (31). The France column shows why septante is simpler: from 77 onward, soixante-dix has to stack a second teen on top (soixante-dix-sept = “sixty-ten-seven”).
| Number | Belgium / Switzerland | France / Quebec |
|---|---|---|
| 70 | septante | soixante-dix |
| 71 | septante et un | soixante et onze |
| 72 | septante-deux | soixante-douze |
| 73 | septante-trois | soixante-treize |
| 74 | septante-quatre | soixante-quatorze |
| 75 | septante-cinq | soixante-quinze |
| 76 | septante-six | soixante-seize |
| 77 | septante-sept | soixante-dix-sept |
| 78 | septante-huit | soixante-dix-huit |
| 79 | septante-neuf | soixante-dix-neuf |
Where septante is used
Says septante
All of Belgium (Wallonia, Brussels) and all of French-speaking Switzerland (Vaud, Valais, Fribourg, Geneva, Neuchâtel, Jura)
Says soixante-dix
France and Quebec (Canada)
Unlike the 80 form, where Belgium and Geneva keep quatre-vingts and only Vaud, Valais, and Fribourg say huitante, septante for 70 is shared by everyone outside France and Quebec. See the Belgian French and Swiss French pages for the full picture, or the 60 to 70 and 70 to 99 references for every form in the range.
Frequently asked questions
What does septante mean?
Septante means 70. It is the word for the number 70 in Belgian French and in all of French-speaking Switzerland, used in everyday speech, schools, banks, and official documents. It replaces the standard French soixante-dix (literally "sixty-ten").
Who uses septante?
Septante is used across all of Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, and across the whole of French-speaking Switzerland (Romandie): Vaud, Valais, Fribourg, Geneva, Neuchâtel, and Jura. It is also heard in the Aosta Valley in Italy and in parts of French-speaking Africa. Unlike huitante (80), which is limited to three Swiss cantons, septante is universal wherever these regional forms are spoken.
How do you pronounce septante?
Septante is pronounced "sep-TONT" in English approximation, with IPA /sɛptɑ̃t/. The "sept" is the same as in sept (7), the "p" is sounded, and the "-ante" ending is the nasal vowel shared with soixante and quarante. The final "e" is silent.
Is septante correct French?
Yes. Septante is standard French in Belgium and Switzerland, taught in schools and used by broadcasters, banks, and official bodies. It is not slang or an error. If you are learning French for France or Quebec you will use soixante-dix, but septante is fully correct, clearer, and easier to count with in its regions.
How do you count from 70 to 79 with septante?
Septante (70), septante et un (71, with the "et" connector), then septante-deux, septante-trois, up to septante-neuf (79). The France form is harder: soixante-dix (70), soixante et onze (71), soixante-douze (72), continuing with sixty-plus-teen forms all the way to soixante-dix-neuf (79).
Why does France say soixante-dix instead of septante?
France kept a base-20 (vigesimal) counting system inherited from the Celtic Gauls, so 70 is built as soixante-dix ("sixty-ten"). Belgium and Switzerland did not adopt these forms during France's 19th-century language standardisation, keeping the simpler decimal-style septante. Both are correct French; they are regional, not right-versus-wrong.
By Oliver Wakefield-Smith. Regional forms verified against the converter engine and Belgian/Swiss French usage references.