Study Notes on French Numbers
Numbers in French
Introduction
Numbers in French follow established patterns similar to those in English.
It's essential first to learn numbers 0–30 as they serve as a foundation for numbers 31–60.
Lesson 1A: Numbers 0-60
Numbers 0-30
0-10
0: zéro
1: un
2: deux
3: trois
4: quatre
5: cinq
6: six
7: sept
8: huit
9: neuf
10: dix
11-20
11: onze
12: douze
13: treize
14: quatorze
15: quinze
16: seize
17: dix-sept
18: dix-huit
19: dix-neuf
20: vingt
21-30
21: vingt et un
22: vingt-deux
23: vingt-trois
24: vingt-quatre
25: vingt-cinq
26: vingt-six
27: vingt-sept
28: vingt-huit
29: vingt-neuf
30: trente
Counting in French
When counting, use un for one in general cases.
Use une before feminine nouns to indicate a single item.
Special Patterns
The number 21 (vingt et un) has a unique pattern different from the subsequent numbers (22-30).
Example: When vingt et un precedes a feminine noun, it changes to vingt et une.
Higher Numbers
Numbers 31-39, 41-49, and 51-59 follow the same structural pattern as 21-29.
To denote counts such as 31, 41, or 51 for a feminine noun, the suffix un changes to une.
Expressions for Existence
Use the expression il y a to convey "there is" or "there are" in French.
This expression remains unchanged, even when the following noun is plural.
Articles with Il y a
Typically, the indefinite articles (un, une, or des) are used with il y a, contrasting the definite articles (le, la, l’, or les).
Negative Form
Use il n’y a pas de/d’ followed by a noun to express "there isn’t a…" or "there aren’t any…".
Important: No articles (neither definite nor indefinite) are utilized in this context. Use de before a consonant sound and d’ before a vowel sound.
Asking About Quantity
Use combien de/d’ to inquire about how many of something exist.
Practice Exercise
Essayez! (Try it!) Write out or say the French word for each number below:
15 _
6 _
22 _
5 _
12 _
8 _
30 _
21 _
1 _
17 ___
44 _
14 _
38 _
56 _
19 _
Example answer for 1: quinze (15).