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Lesson 20

Counting 0-100 in French

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Bonjour !

In our last lesson, we focused on politeness, covering essential phrases like s'il vous plaît and merci. These are fundamental for the professional, customer-facing role you're aiming for. Today, we'll build another crucial skill for that environment: counting from 0 to 100 in French.

This may seem simple, but mastering numbers is vital for a call center job. You will need to understand and communicate phone numbers, reference numbers, dates, and account details with absolute accuracy. This lesson will not just teach you to recite the numbers, but to understand their structure, which is key for thinking quickly during a conversation.

1. The Building Blocks: Numbers 0-19

Let's start with the first twenty numbers. These don't follow a simple pattern and need to be memorized, much like in English. They form the foundation for many larger numbers.

💯 French numbers 1-100 (with free PDF) | French grammar for beginners

To begin, watch this clear explanation of the numbers from 1 to 20 from the video 'French numbers 1-100' by The perfect French with Dylane. Pay close attention to the pronunciation, especially for numbers like 'six' (6) and 'dix' (10), where the final consonant is sometimes silent.

Watch the video from 00:38 to 02:59. Listen carefully and try to repeat each number aloud.

Here is the list for your reference:

  • 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

Notice the pattern for 17, 18, and 19:

  • 17 - dix-sept (ten-seven)
  • 18 - dix-huit (ten-eight)
  • 19 - dix-neuf (ten-nine)
    This "addition" logic is a preview of how more complex French numbers are built.

2. A Regular Pattern: Numbers 20-69

Once you pass 20, a predictable pattern emerges that will take you all the way to 69. First, you need to learn the "tens":

  • 20 - vingt
  • 30 - trente
  • 40 - quarante
  • 50 - cinquante
  • 60 - soixante

To form a number like 22, you simply combine the ten and the unit: vingt-deux. This works for all numbers except those ending in 1.

The "et un" Rule:
For 21, 31, 41, 51, and 61, you must add et (and) between the words.

  • 21 is vingt et un (twenty and one)
  • 31 is trente et un (thirty and one)
  • ...and so on.

For all other numbers, you just use a hyphen:

  • 22 is vingt-deux
  • 45 is quarante-cinq
  • 68 is soixante-huit

The following video explains and demonstrates this pattern clearly.

💯 French numbers 1-100 (with free PDF) | French grammar for beginners

Let's continue with the same video. This section explains the tens and shows you how to construct numbers up to 69 using the pattern we just discussed.

Watch from 05:22 to 08:03. Notice how 'et un' is used for 21, 31, 41, 51, and 61, and how the other numbers are formed with a hyphen.

Test your understanding!

How would you write the number "fifty-one" in French?

  1. cinquante-un
  2. cinquante et un
  3. cinquante
Show answer

The correct answer is 2. cinquante et un. Because the number ends in 1, you must use et.

3. The "Tricky" Numbers: 70-99

This is where French numbers become unique. Instead of having new words for 70, 80, and 90, French uses a system based on addition and multiplication. Don't try to translate; learn the logic.

The 70s: Based on 60

The French count the 70s by adding to 60.

  • 70 = 60 + 10 = soixante-dix
  • 71 = 60 + 11 = soixante et onze (Notice et is used for 71!)
  • 72 = 60 + 12 = soixante-douze
  • ...
  • 79 = 60 + 19 = soixante-dix-neuf

The 80s: Based on 20

The 80s are based on a historical base-20 system.

  • 80 = 4 x 20 = quatre-vingts. Note the s at the end of vingts. It is only used for the number 80 itself.
  • 81 = (4 x 20) + 1 = quatre-vingt-un. Note that there is no et for 81, and the s on vingt disappears.
  • 82 = (4 x 20) + 2 = quatre-vingt-deux
  • ...
  • 89 = (4 x 20) + 9 = quatre-vingt-neuf

The 90s: Based on 80

The 90s continue the logic, building on 80.

  • 90 = 80 + 10 = quatre-vingt-dix
  • 91 = 80 + 11 = quatre-vingt-onze
  • 92 = 80 + 12 = quatre-vingt-douze
  • ...
  • 99 = 80 + 19 = quatre-vingt-dix-neuf

Finally, 100 is cent.

This video breaks down these three tricky groups one by one.

💯 French numbers 1-100 (with free PDF) | French grammar for beginners

This is the most important part of the lesson. Watch these segments carefully to understand the logic for numbers 70-99. It might seem strange at first, but it follows its own clear rules.

Watch from 08:03 to 12:08, paying attention to each group: The 'soixante-dix' series (70s) The 'quatre-vingts' series (80s) The 'quatre-vingt-dix' series (90s)

Test your understanding!

Which of these numbers is written correctly?

  1. 75: soixante-cinq
  2. 81: quatre-vingt-et-un
  3. 92: quatre-vingt-douze
Show answer

The correct answer is 3. quatre-vingt-douze (80 + 12).

  1. Is incorrect. 75 is 60 + 15, so it should be soixante-quinze.
  2. Is incorrect. 81 does not use et. It should be quatre-vingt-un.

4. Practice and Reference

Now that you've learned the rules, the key is practice until the numbers become automatic.

Listening Practice:
Start by listening to all the numbers from 1 to 100 spoken slowly and clearly. This will help you connect the written form, the rules you've learned, and the correct pronunciation.

💯 French numbers 1-100 (with free PDF) | French grammar for beginners

To consolidate everything, listen to this full recitation of numbers 1-100 from the same video. Try to say the numbers along with the speaker.

Listen from 12:49 to 18:05. This is excellent practice for your ear.

Visual Reference:
Having a chart is extremely helpful. Keep this open as you practice.

French Numbers 1 Through 100 Chart
A complete chart of French numbers from 1 to 100. Use this as a reference while you are memorizing them.

Written and Audio Reference:
For targeted practice, especially with spelling and individual pronunciations, a detailed webpage is very useful.

French Numbers 1-100: Audio, Pronunciation & Rules (A1)

The website 'French Learner' provides a complete list of numbers from 1-100, with audio links for each number. It's a perfect tool for checking pronunciation and spelling.

Scan through the page and click the audio links for any numbers you find difficult. You don't need to read everything, just use it as a practice tool. The sections 'French Numbers 1-10' through 'French Numbers 90-100' cover everything we learned.

Conclusion

Excellent work! You've just tackled one of the trickiest parts of beginner French. Understanding and being able to produce these numbers confidently is a major milestone, especially for your career goal.

Key Takeaways:

  • 0-19: Must be memorized.
  • 20-69: Follow a simple pattern: (ten)-(unit), with the exception of (ten) et un for numbers ending in 1.
  • 70-79: Based on 60 (e.g., soixante-dix is 60+10).
  • 80-89: Based on 20s (e.g., quatre-vingts is 4x20).
  • 90-99: Based on 80 (e.g., quatre-vingt-dix is 80+10).

In our next lesson, we will continue expanding your verb knowledge by learning how to conjugate regular -ir and -re verbs in the present tense. This will open up your ability to describe even more actions and form more complex sentences.

À bientôt