Les nombres 0-69 / Numbers 0-69

French numbers 0-16 each have unique forms. Numbers 17-19 combine “ten” with 7, 8, 9.
From 20 onwards, numbers follow a regular pattern: tens + hyphen + unit.

Numbers 0-10

Number	French	IPA
0	zéro	[ze.ʁo]
1	un	[œ̃]
2	deux	[dø]
3	trois	[tʁwa]
4	quatre	[katʁ]
5	cinq	[sɛ̃k]
6	six	[sis]
7	sept	[sɛt]
8	huit	[ɥit]
9	neuf	[nœf]
10	dix	[dis]

Numbers 11-20

Number	French	IPA
11	onze	[ɔ̃z]
12	douze	[duz]
13	treize	[tʁɛz]
14	quatorze	[ka.tɔʁz]
15	quinze	[kɛ̃z]
16	seize	[sɛz]
17	dix-sept	[di.sɛt]
18	dix-huit	[di.z‿ɥit]
19	dix-neuf	[diz.nœf]
20	vingt	[vɛ̃]

The Tens: 20-60

Number	French	IPA
20	vingt	[vɛ̃]
30	trente	[tʁɑ̃t]
40	quarante	[ka.ʁɑ̃t]
50	cinquante	[sɛ̃.kɑ̃t]
60	soixante	[swa.sɑ̃t]

Pattern for 21-69

Combine the tens with the unit using a hyphen. Exception: use et (and) only with 1.

Rule	Examples
X1: tens + et un	vingt et un (21), trente et un (31), soixante et un (61)
X2-X9: tens + hyphen + unit	vingt-deux (22), trente-cinq (35), cinquante-huit (58)

Note: The final “t” in vingt is pronounced when followed by a number:
vingt-deux [vɛ̃t.dø], vingt-trois [vɛ̃t.tʁwa].

Common Mistakes

Incorrect	Correct	Explanation
*dix-un	onze	11 has its own word
*dix-six	seize	16 has its own word
Pronouncing -gt in vingt	[vɛ̃]	The -gt is silent when alone

Practice Sentences

1. J’ai trois sœurs. [ʒe tʁwa sœʁ] — I have three sisters.
2. Elle a dix-huit ans. [ɛl a di.z‿ɥi.t‿ɑ̃] — She is eighteen years old.
3. Ça fait vingt euros. [sa fɛ vɛ̃.t‿ø.ʁo] — That’s twenty euros.
4. Il y a trente et un jours en janvier. [il i a tʁɑ̃.te.œ̃ ʒuʁ ɑ̃ ʒɑ̃.vje] — There are 31 days in January.
5. Mon père a soixante-trois ans. [mɔ̃ pɛʁ a swa.sɑ̃t.tʁwa.zɑ̃] — My father is 63 years old.

Exercise: Write the Numbers in French

1. 7 →
2. 16 →
3. 21 →
4. 45 →
5. 68 →

Answers

1. sept
2. seize
3. vingt et un
4. quarante-cinq
5. soixante-huit