French numbers from 0 to 100

A1 — Nombres et temps

Counting from 0 to 100: spelling, pronunciation, and patterns

Can count from 0 to 100 and understand French number patterns

Examples

J'ai soixante-quinze ans. — I am 75 years old.
Ça coûte quatre-vingts euros. — It costs 80 euros.
Il y a quatre-vingt-dix-sept élèves dans l'école. — There are 97 students in the school.

NumbersA1

French numbers from 0 to 100

Counting from 0 to 100: spelling, pronunciation, and patterns

Learning Goal

Can count from 0 to 100 and understand French number patterns

Exam Skills:ListeningSpeaking

Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?

J'ai soixante-quinze ans.

I am 75 years old.

Ça coûte quatre-vingts euros.

It costs 80 euros.

Il y a quatre-vingt-dix-sept élèves dans l'école.

There are 97 students in the school.

Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?

French counts the way you would expect up to 69. From 70 to 99 it switches to an older system based on twenties, so 80 is "four twenties" and 97 is "four twenties seventeen". This part takes practice even for advanced learners.

Number	French	Number	French
0	zéro	20	vingt
1	un	30	trente
2-16	deux... seize	40	quarante
17	dix-sept	50	cinquante
18	dix-huit	60	soixante
19	dix-neuf	70	soixante-dix

From 17 to 19, French builds the number as "ten-seven", "ten-eight", "ten-nine".

70 to 99

70 = soixante-dix (60 + 10), 71 = soixante et onze, 72 = soixante-douze, up to 79 = soixante-dix-neuf
80 = quatre-vingts (4 × 20)
81 = quatre-vingt-un, 85 = quatre-vingt-cinq
90 = quatre-vingt-dix (4 × 20 + 10), 91 = quatre-vingt-onze, 99 = quatre-vingt-dix-neuf
100 = cent

Quatre-vingts keeps its -s when no other number follows and loses it before another number: quatre-vingts euros, quatre-vingt-trois euros.

et un

21, 31, 41, 51, 61 and 71 join the 1 with et: vingt et un, trente et un, soixante et onze. 81 and 91 do not: quatre-vingt-un, quatre-vingt-onze. The other numbers use hyphens: vingt-deux, trente-cinq.

Belgium and Switzerland

In Belgium and Switzerland you will hear septante (70) and nonante (90), and in parts of Switzerland huitante (80). They are correct French, but in France stick to soixante-dix and quatre-vingt-dix.

Listening tip

Phone numbers in France are read in pairs: 01 42 76 80 95 is zéro un, quarante-deux, soixante-seize, quatre-vingts, quatre-vingt-quinze. Practise the 70s and 90s until you can hear them without adding in your head.

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Practice Exercises

The 70-99 system is the biggest challenge; forgetting 'et' in 21/31/41/51/61/71. 🇬🇧 English speakers: The vigesimal system (70=60+10, 80=4×20, 90=80+10) is completely foreign.

Common Error Patterns

Wrong number form

70=soixante-dix, 80=quatre-vingts, 90=quatre-vingt-dix. Practice 70-99 especially.

J'ai soixante-quinze ans.

I am 75 years old.

75 = soixante-quinze (60+15). The vigesimal system for 70-79.

Ça coûte quatre-vingts euros.

It costs 80 euros.

80 = quatre-vingts (4×20). Note the -s on vingts (only for exactly 80).

Il y a quatre-vingt-dix-sept élèves dans l'école.

There are 97 students in the school.

97 = quatre-vingt-dix-sept (80+17). The most complex French number formation.

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Frequently asked questions

When do you use French numbers from 0 to 100?: French counts the way you would expect up to 69. From 70 to 99 it switches to an older system based on twenties, so 80 is "four twenties" and 97 is "four twenties seventeen". This part takes practice even for advanced learners.
How do you form French numbers from 0 to 100?: From 17 to 19, French builds the number as "ten-seven", "ten-eight", "ten-nine". Quatre-vingts keeps its -s when no other number follows and loses it before another number: quatre-vingts euros , quatre-vingt-trois euros . 21, 31, 41, 51, 61 and 71 join the 1 with et : vingt et un , trente et un , soixante et onze . 81 and 91 do not: quatre-vingt-un , quatre-vingt-onze . The other numbers use hyphens: vingt-deux , trente-cinq . In Belgium and Switzerland you will hear septante (70) and nonante (90), and in parts of Switzerland huitante (80). They are correct French, but in France stick to soixante-dix and quatre-vingt-dix .
What are common mistakes with French numbers from 0 to 100?: The 70-99 system is the biggest challenge; forgetting 'et' in 21/31/41/51/61/71. 🇬🇧 English speakers: The vigesimal system (70=60+10, 80=4×20, 90=80+10) is completely foreign.

Number

French

Number

French

zéro

vingt

trente

2-16

deux... seize

quarante

dix-sept

cinquante

dix-huit

soixante

dix-neuf

soixante-dix

Frequently asked questions

When do you use French numbers from 0 to 100?

How do you form French numbers from 0 to 100?

From 17 to 19, French builds the number as "ten-seven", "ten-eight", "ten-nine". Quatre-vingts keeps its -s when no other number follows and loses it before another number: quatre-vingts euros , quatre-vingt-trois euros . 21, 31, 41, 51, 61 and 71 join the 1 with et : vingt et un , trente et un , soixante et onze . 81 and 91 do not: quatre-vingt-un , quatre-vingt-onze . The other numbers use hyphens: vingt-deux , trente-cinq . In Belgium and Switzerland you will hear septante (70) and nonante (90), and in parts of Switzerland huitante (80). They are correct French, but in France stick to soixante-dix and quatre-vingt-dix .

What are common mistakes with French numbers from 0 to 100?

The 70-99 system is the biggest challenge; forgetting 'et' in 21/31/41/51/61/71. 🇬🇧 English speakers: The vigesimal system (70=60+10, 80=4×20, 90=80+10) is completely foreign.