How to Count French Numbers to 100? (Audio + Quiz + Rules)

Mastering numbers in French is quite an art. To achieve this, you must be methodical in your learning. Successful learning requires systematic repetition of words and numbers.

Are you afraid of mispronouncing French numbers? We’ll give you a few pointers to help you count from 1 to 100 like a native French speaker!

Reminder: The Arabic numerals (Chiffres in French) go from 0 to 9 in French. A number (Nombre in French) is composed of several digits (Chiffres). In this case, 10 is a “Nombre” and not a “Chiffre”. In English, 5 or 15 are a number there is no word to differentiate the two.

List of French Numbers from 0 to 100

In the previous article, we showed you how to count from 0 to 10 in French. There is nothing wrong with a little more detailed reminder for better assimilation of your knowledge.

Counting from 0 to 10

Here are the numbers in French to count from 0 to 10:

0-10 in French

0	Zéro	[zeʁo]
1	Un	[œ̃]
2	Deux	[dø]
3	Trois	[tʀwɑ]
4	Quatre	[katʀ]
5	Cinq	[sɛ̃k]
6	Six	[sis]
7	Sept	[sɛt]
8	Huit	[ˈɥi(t)]
9	Neuf	[nœf]
10	Dix	[dis]

Counting from 10 to 19

First difficulty with the dozens in French. Starting from 17 to 19 you need to do the addition of 10 + 7 and so on…

10 to 19 in French

10	Dix	[dis]
11	Onze	[ɔ̃z]
12	Douze	[duz]
13	Treize	[tʁɛz]
14	Quatorze	[katɔʁz]
15	Quinze	[kɛ̃z]
16	Seize	[sɛz]
17	Dix-sept	[disɛt]
18	Dix-huit	[diz‿ɥit]
19	Dix-neuf	[diz.nœf]

Counting from 20 to 29

20 to 29 in French

20	Vingt	[vɛ̃]
21	Vingt-et-un	[vɛ̃ œ̃]
22	Vingt-deux	[vɛ̃ dø]
23	Vingt-trois	[vɛ̃ tʀwɑ]
24	Vingt-quatre	[vɛ̃ katʀ]
25	Vingt-cinq	[vɛ̃ sɛ̃k]
26	Vingt-six	[vɛ̃ sɛ̃k]
27	Vingt-sept	[vɛ̃ sɛt]
28	Vingt-huit	[vɛ̃ ˈɥi(t)]
29	Vingt-neuf	[vɛ̃ nœf]

Counting from 30 to 39

30 to 39 in French

30	Trente	[tʁɑ̃t]
31	Trente-et-un	[tʁɑ̃t œ̃]
32	Trente-deux	[tʁɑ̃t dø]
33	Trente-trois	[tʁɑ̃t tʀwɑ]
34	Trente-quatre	[tʁɑ̃t katʀ]
35	Trente-cinq	[tʁɑ̃t sɛ̃k]
36	Trente-six	[tʁɑ̃t sis]
37	Trente-sept	[tʁɑ̃t sɛt]
38	Trente-huit	[tʁɑ̃t ˈɥi(t)]
39	Trente-neuf	[tʁɑ̃t nœf]

Counting from 40 to 49

40 to 49 in French

40	Quarante	[kaʁɑ̃t]
41	Quarante-et-un	[kaʁɑ̃t œ̃]
42	Quarante-deux	[kaʁɑ̃t dø]
43	Quarante-trois	[kaʁɑ̃t tʀwɑ]
44	Quarante-quatre	[kaʁɑ̃t katʀ]
45	Quarante-cinq	[kaʁɑ̃t sɛ̃k]
46	Quarante-six	[kaʁɑ̃t sis]
47	Quarante-sept	[kaʁɑ̃t sɛt]
48	Quarante-huit	[kaʁɑ̃t ˈɥi(t)]
49	Quarante-neuf	[kaʁɑ̃t nœf]

Counting from 50 to 59

50 to 59 in French

50	Cinquante	[sɛ̃kɑ̃t]
51	Cinquante-et-un	[sɛ̃kɑ̃t œ̃]
52	Cinquante-deux	[sɛ̃kɑ̃t dø]
53	Cinquante-trois	[sɛ̃kɑ̃t tʀwɑ]
54	Cinquante-quatre	[sɛ̃kɑ̃t katʀ]
55	Cinquante-cinq	[sɛ̃kɑ̃t sɛ̃k]
56	Cinquante-six	[sɛ̃kɑ̃t sis]
57	Cinquante-sept	[sɛ̃kɑ̃t sɛt]
58	Cinquante-huit	[sɛ̃kɑ̃t ˈɥi(t)]
59	Cinquante-neuf	[sɛ̃kɑ̃t nœf]

Counting from 60 to 69

60 to 69 in French

60	Soixante	[swasɑ̃t]
61	Soixante-et-un	[swasɑ̃t œ̃]
62	Soixante-deux	[swasɑ̃t dø]
63	Soixante-trois	[swasɑ̃t tʀwɑ]
64	Soixante-quatre	[swasɑ̃t katʀ]
65	Soixante-cinq	[swasɑ̃t sɛ̃k]
66	Soixante-six	[swasɑ̃t sis]
67	Soixante-sept	[swasɑ̃t sɛt]
68	Soixante-huit	[swasɑ̃t ˈɥi(t)]]
69	Soixante-neuf	[swasɑ̃t nœf]

Counting from 70 to 79

Here begins the second difficulty with 70. You have to add 60 plus 10 and so on (60 + 11, +12, +13, …).

70 to 79 in French

70	Soixante-dix	[swasɑ̃tdis]
71	Soixante-et-onze	[swa.sɑ̃.t‿e ɔ̃z]
72	Soixante-douze	[swasɑ̃t duz]
73	Soixante-treize	[swasɑ̃t tʁɛz]
74	Soixante-quatorze	[swasɑ̃t katɔʁz]
75	Soixante-quinze	[swasɑ̃t kɛ̃z]
76	Soixante-seize	[swasɑ̃t sɛz]
77	Soixante-dix-sept	[swasɑ̃t disɛt]
78	Soixante-dix-huit	[swasɑ̃t diz‿ɥit]
79	Soixante-dix-neuf	[swasɑ̃t diz.nœf]

Counting from 80 to 89

Here is the third difficulty with 80. You need to make a multiplication (4 x 20) then add 1 and so on (+2, +3, +4,+…).

80 to 89 in French

80	Quatre-vingts	[katʁəvɛ̃]
81	Quatre-vingt-un	[katʁəvɛ̃ œ̃]
82	Quatre-vingt-deux	[katʁəvɛ̃ dø]
83	Quatre-vingt-trois	[katʁəvɛ̃ tʀwɑ]
84	Quatre-vingt-quatre	[katʁəvɛ̃ katʀ]
85	Quatre-vingt-cinq	[katʁəvɛ̃ sɛ̃k]
86	Quatre-vingt-six	[katʁəvɛ̃ sis]
87	Quatre-vingt-sept	[katʁəvɛ̃ sɛt]
88	Quatre-vingt-huit	[katʁəvɛ̃ ˈɥi(t)]
89	Quatre-vingt-neuf	[katʁəvɛ̃ nœf]

Counting from 90 to 100

Here is the fourth difficulty with 90. You need to make a multiplication (4 x 20) then adding 10 and so on (+11, +12, +13,+…). It is necessary to know that the French do not realize the difficulty because they learned the numbers from the youngest age.

90 to 100 in French

90	Quatre-vingt-dix	[katʁəvɛ̃dis]
91	Quatre-vingt-onze	[katʁəvɛ̃dis ɔ̃z]
92	Quatre-vingt-douze	[katʁəvɛ̃dis duz]
93	Quatre-vingt-treize	[katʁəvɛ̃dis tʁɛz]
94	Quatre-vingt-quatorze	[katʁəvɛ̃dis katɔʁz]
95	Quatre-vingt-quinze	[katʁəvɛ̃dis kɛ̃z]
96	Quatre-vingt-seize	[katʁəvɛ̃dis sɛz]
97	Quatre-vingt-dix-sept	[katʁəvɛ̃dis disɛt]
98	Quatre-vingt-dix-huit	[katʁəvɛ̃dis diz‿ɥit]
99	Quatre-vingt-dix-neuf	[katʁəvɛ̃dis diz.nœf]
100	Cent	[sɑ̃]

Cent Pronunciation

100 pronunciation in French

Interesting Facts about French Numbers

Know that for the French numbers, we have two forms for the cardinals 70 and 90. These two forms come from different ways of counting numbers. It is a system of numeration whose base is 10. Thus, it is the decimal system, already used in Latin. It raises forms in -ante as :

Soixante – 60
Septante – 70
Huitante ou octante – 80
Nonante – 90

In case you hear the French numbers: septante and nonante, do not be surprised. Indeed, it is the French speakers in Belgium and Switzerland who use it today. Interesting fact: these pronunciations were still current and popularized in the counties of France bordering Alsace, Switzerland, and Italy. You can also hear huitante, but only in Switzerland.

We also note a numbering system that has the base 20. These French numbers are based on the vigesimal system. To show that you are cultured, it would be interesting to remember it. For example, the French number:

Three-twenty for 60
Three-twenty plus ten for 70
Four-twenty for 80

Some Examples of Large Numbers in French

A tip that will come in handy when writing large numbers: you must not forget to separate the classes. This means units, thousands, millions, and finally billions. This will make it easier to read. For example, you should not write 1234569, to make it easier to read, you need 1 234 569. Here is a list of examples of large numbers that can be found in the French language:

150 : cent-cinquante [sɑ̃ sɛ̃kɑ̃t]
630 : six-cent-trente [sis sɑ̃ tʁɑ̃t]
1 100 : mille-cent [mil cent]
1 000 000 : un million [miljɔ̃] …

The Rules to Apply to Count in French

There are grammatical rules to put into practice to master the large family of French numbers. These rules can be complex at first, but as you learn them, you will eventually master them.

Dashes and Commas: Things to Know

As you may have noticed earlier, in the traditional spelling, the elementary names are connected by hyphens. Some are also connected by the conjunction “et”, such as:

35: Trente-cinq
51: cinquante-et-un …

In France, this spelling is accepted but it is no longer taught. For the simple reason that now, the rectified spelling is used as a reference. Among these new rules, the French numbers 20 and 100 take the plural mark, so they end with an “s” when they are multiplied. The same is true if they end with a number. When a number is used to indicate a page number, a date, an address, or a bus route number, then it is invariable. This means that it does not change!

A Look Back at the 1990 Report

It is from the 1990 report on spelling corrections that new rules have been applied concerning hyphens for French numbers. Compound numbers should be written with hyphens between each element.

What about Grammatical Agreements?

As previously stated, French numbers are generally invariant except for vingt (20) and cent (100). Let us specify that numbers are invariable in gender. One exception is when used as a determiner, where the masculine or feminine gender must be specified. For example, we have “un vélo”, “une voiture”.

Two Exceptions for Cardinal Adjectives

Reminder: the cardinal numerical adjectives indicate the number, the quantity like 4, 12. They are invariable except for un which becomes une (feminine form), and vingt (20) and cent (100) which sometimes take an s.

The only grammatical rule that varies twenty (vingt) is only in the writing of eighty (quatre-vingts). It is the same when it is not followed by another cardinal adjective. The number one hundred also varies only once followed by another cardinal adjective.

General Rule for Ordinal Adjectives

Reminder: The ordinal adjective indicates a specific rank. For example, c’est le quatrième musicien de la soirée (= he is the fourth musician of the evening). We simply add the suffix -ième to the cardinal numeral determiner:

Numbers	Ordinal Adjectives
Un / One	Unième / First
Deux / Two	Deuxième / Second
Trois / Three	Troisième / Third
Quatre / Four	Quatrième (e removed) / Fourth
Cinq / Five	Cinqième / Fifth
Six / Six	Sixième / Sixth
Sept / Seven	Septième / Seventh
Huit / Eight	Huitième / Eighth
Neuf / Nine	Neuvième (the f replaced by a v) / Ninth
Dix / Ten	Dixième / Tenth
And so on…

A general rule for ordinal adjectives is that vingt (twenty) and cent (one hundred) do not vary. That is why we write: la page quatre-vingt ou encore la page trois-cent (page eighty or page three hundred) and not la page quatre-vingtième ou encore la page trois-centième.

Correct use of the Coordinating Conjunction

The coordinating conjunction “et” is used in the lower French compound numbers. It is used to link the ten to the unit un (1) or onze (11). However, it is not used in quatre-vingt-un or quatre-vingt-onze. An interesting and amusing fact is that the conjunction “et” is sometimes found in a literary context. You’ve probably heard someone say, « J’ai mille et une choses à faire. » (= I have a thousand and one things to do).

Quiz about French Numbers

Apply what you’ve learned about French numbers and try to get most of the right answers for the next 10 questions.

How to count to 100 in French ?

Apply what you've learned about French numbers and try to get most of the right answers for the next 10 questions.

Finally, now that you know the different grammatical rules that rule the writing of French numbers, it is certain that you will no longer easily fall into certain traps.

Let’s always remember that to be able to speak a language in a general way, it is imperative to practice by practicing as often as possible.