French Numbers 21-100: Counting and Conversations
Understanding numbers is crucial in any language, especially when living in or visiting a French-speaking country. Numbers not only help you make purchases and manage finances but also enhance your conversational skills. In this article, we’ll dive into counting in French from 21 to 100, complete with examples and tips to help you use numbers confidently in various everyday situations.
Counting from 21 to 69
The French language has a distinct way of forming numbers, especially as you approach the tens. Here’s how numbers from 21 to 69 are structured:
Numbers 21 to 29
- 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
Usage in Conversations:
If you’re shopping and need to express a price, you might say: “Ce tee-shirt coûte vingt-deux euros.” (This t-shirt costs 22 euros.)
Numbers 30 to 39
- 30 - trente
- 31 - trente et un
- 32 - trente-deux
- 33 - trente-trois
- 34 - trente-quatre
- 35 - trente-cinq
- 36 - trente-six
- 37 - trente-sept
- 38 - trente-huit
- 39 - trente-neuf
Shopping Tip:
If you’re asking a shopkeeper about an item’s price, you could ask: “Combien ça coûte, ce livre?” (How much does this book cost?) The response might be: “Il coûte trente-cinq euros.” (It costs 35 euros.)
Numbers 40 to 49
- 40 - quarante
- 41 - quarante et un
- 42 - quarante-deux
- 43 - quarante-trois
- 44 - quarante-quatre
- 45 - quarante-cinq
- 46 - quarante-six
- 47 - quarante-sept
- 48 - quarante-huit
- 49 - quarante-neuf
Example Conversation:
You might hear: “J’ai payé quarante euros pour ce pantalon.” (I paid 40 euros for these pants.)
Numbers 50 to 59
- 50 - cinquante
- 51 - cinquante et un
- 52 - cinquante-deux
- 53 - cinquante-trois
- 54 - cinquante-quatre
- 55 - cinquante-cinq
- 56 - cinquante-six
- 57 - cinquante-sept
- 58 - cinquante-huit
- 59 - cinquante-neuf
Engaging with Locals: When checking out at a store, you might ask: “Est-ce que ça fait cinquante euros?” (Does that come to 50 euros?)
Numbers 60 to 69
- 60 - soixante
- 61 - soixante et un
- 62 - soixante-deux
- 63 - soixante-trois
- 64 - soixante-quatre
- 65 - soixante-cinq
- 66 - soixante-six
- 67 - soixante-sept
- 68 - soixante-huit
- 69 - soixante-neuf
Buying Tickets or Meals: Imagine you order a meal and the price is 62 euros. You might say: “Je voudrais payer soixante-deux euros.” (I would like to pay 62 euros.)
The Transition to 70
In French, the pattern shifts slightly at 70. Instead of having a separate word for 70, the French combine the words for 60 and the additional numbers. Hence, 70 is expressed as soixante-dix.
Numbers 70 to 79
- 70 - soixante-dix
- 71 - soixante et onze
- 72 - soixante-douze
- 73 - soixante-treize
- 74 - soixante-quatorze
- 75 - soixante-quinze
- 76 - soixante-seize
- 77 - soixante-dix-sept
- 78 - soixante-dix-huit
- 79 - soixante-dix-neuf
Example Conversation: While at a café, you might order: “Je prends un café, ça fait soixante-dix-sept euros.” (I’ll take a coffee, it costs 77 euros.)
The Eighties and Nineties
As we progress to 80, the French introduce a similar pattern, where 80 is quatre-vingts. The term “quatre” signifies four, and “vingts” is the plural of twenty, thus implying 4 groups of 20.
Numbers 80 to 89
- 80 - quatre-vingts
- 81 - quatre-vingt-un
- 82 - quatre-vingt-deux
- 83 - quatre-vingt-trois
- 84 - quatre-vingt-quatre
- 85 - quatre-vingt-cinq
- 86 - quatre-vingt-six
- 87 - quatre-vingt-sept
- 88 - quatre-vingt-huit
- 89 - quatre-vingt-neuf
Conversational Use: If you are at a concert - you may say: “Les billets coûtent quatre-vingt-dix euros.” (The tickets cost 89 euros.)
Numbers 90 to 99
- 90 - quatre-vingt-dix
- 91 - quatre-vingt-onze
- 92 - quatre-vingt-douze
- 93 - quatre-vingt-treize
- 94 - quatre-vingt-quatorze
- 95 - quatre-vingt-quinze
- 96 - quatre-vingt-seize
- 97 - quatre-vingt-dix-sept
- 98 - quatre-vingt-dix-huit
- 99 - quatre-vingt-dix-neuf
Tip for Shopping: When asking for a larger item, you might state: “Ce canapé coûte quatre-vingt-quatorze euros.” (This sofa costs 94 euros.)
Reaching 100
The Big Finish
- 100 - cent
Example Usage: If you want to say you spent 100 euros at a market, simply state: “J’ai dépensé cent euros.” (I spent 100 euros.)
Summary
To recap, expanding your number vocabulary from 21-100 can significantly enhance your shopping experiences and everyday conversations in French. Here’s a quick overview of what you’ve learned:
- From 21 to 29: Introduce the structure for numbers through 29.
- Speaking through the 30s to 69: Solidify your understanding of these foundational numbers.
- Effortlessly count 70 to 79, and discover that 70 is soixante-dix.
- Understand how to navigate the 80s and 90s with numbers like quatre-vingts and quatre-vingt-dix.
- End on a high note with 100 (cent).
Practice Makes Perfect!
To truly master these numbers, practice is key. Engage with friends who speak French, try to count items in a grocery store, or challenge yourself by asking for prices or discussing quantities. With repeated use, these numbers will not just be memorized—they will become second nature!
By utilizing numbers confidently, you’ll find your conversations will flow more smoothly, enriching your experience in the vibrant world of the French language. So grab your shopping list and start counting!