By the end of this lesson you'll be able to count from zero to twenty, understand and read out a French phone number, and say how old you are.
Zero to ten
| French | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| zéro | zay-ROH | 0 |
| un / une | uhn / ewn | 1une before a feminine noun |
| deux | duh | 2 |
| trois | trwah | 3 |
| quatre | KAT-ruh | 4 |
| cinq | sank | 5 |
| six | sees | 6 |
| sept | set | 7The p is silent. |
| huit | weet | 8 |
| neuf | nuhf | 9 |
| dix | dees | 10 |
Un or une? Un is the number you use when counting. Before a noun, "one" has to match the noun's gender: un livre (one book, masculine) but une table (one table, feminine). You'll learn about gender in the lesson on gender and articles.
Eleven to twenty
| French | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| onze | ohnz | 11 |
| douze | dooz | 12 |
| treize | trez | 13 |
| quatorze | kah-TORZ | 14 |
| quinze | kanz | 15 |
| seize | sez | 16 |
| dix-sept | dee-SET | 17 |
| dix-huit | dee-ZWEET | 18 |
| dix-neuf | deez-NUHF | 19 |
| vingt | van | 20The g and t are silent when vingt is on its own. |
There's a pattern here. The numbers 11 to 16 each have their own word, all ending in -ze: onze, douze, treize, quatorze, quinze, seize. From 17, French switches to "ten-seven", "ten-eight", "ten-nine", written with a hyphen: dix-sept, dix-huit, dix-neuf. Then comes vingt.
Final consonants: the tricky part
Several numbers change their last sound depending on what comes after them. Learn the "counting" pronunciation in the table first, then notice these patterns as you meet them:
- On their own (counting, or at the end of a sentence), six, huit and dix pronounce their final letter. The x of six and dix sounds like s.
- Before a consonant, six, huit and dix usually drop their final sound: six livres (six books), huit jours (eight days), dix minutes.
- Before a vowel, the final letter links to the next word. Deux, trois, six and dix link with a z sound: deux ans, trois ans, six ans, dix ans. Neuf links with a v sound in neuf ans (nine years) and neuf heures (nine o'clock).
Sept always pronounces its t, and its p is always silent. Vingt is said without its g and t when it's on its own, but the t is heard in vingt ans.
| French | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| le numéro (de téléphone) | luh new-may-ROH (duh tay-lay-FONN) | (phone) number |
| Quel est ton numéro ? | kel eh tohn new-may-ROH | What's your number? (informal) |
| Tu as quel âge ? | tew ah kel AHZH | How old are you? (informal) |
| J'ai … ans. | zhay … AHN | I'm … years old.Literally 'I have … years'. |
Phone numbers
French phone numbers have ten digits and are written and read in pairs: 06 12 15 18 02 is zéro six, douze, quinze, dix-huit, zéro deux. Mobile numbers start with 06 or 07. Many pairs are above twenty, so you'll need the next numbers lesson to read most numbers. Until then, saying digits one by one will be understood.
Saying your age
To give your age, French uses avoir (to have), not être: J'ai dix-huit ans, literally "I have eighteen years". You'll learn avoir fully in the lesson on avoir. For now, learn J'ai … ans and Tu as quel âge ? as fixed phrases. In a full sentence, keep ans (years): J'ai dix-huit ans, not J'ai dix-huit. Answering with just the number, Dix-huit., is fine.
Tu as quel âge ? — J'ai dix-neuf ans.
How old are you? — I'm nineteen.
Mon numéro, c'est le zéro six, douze, quinze, dix-huit, zéro deux.
My number is 06 12 15 18 02.
Un café et deux croissants, s'il vous plaît.
One coffee and two croissants, please.
Elle a six ans.
She's six (years old).
Il est huit heures.
It's eight o'clock.
What's next
Next you'll learn countries and nationalities, putting être to work to say where you're from. You can continue counting in the next numbers lesson, and you'll learn the verb behind j'ai … ans in the lesson on avoir.