French Numbers

Complete Beginner's Guide to French Numbers

French numbers use unique base-20 arithmetic for 70�99. You can now form any number up to 1 Billion!

1. The Core Numbers (0 to 16)

0 z�ro	5 cinq	10 dix	14 quatorze
1 un	6 six	11 onze	15 quinze
2 deux	7 sept	12 douze	16 seize
3 trois	8 huit	13 treize
4 quatre	9 neuf

2. The Unique French 70s, 80s, & 90s

• 70 to 79 (60 + teens): 70 = soixante-dix (60+10), 75 = soixante-quinze (60+15).
• 80 to 89 (4 � 20): 80 = quatre-vingts. (Drop the 's' if a number follows: 85 = quatre-vingt-cinq).
• 90 to 99 (4 � 20 + teens): 90 = quatre-vingt-dix, 99 = quatre-vingt-dix-neuf.

3. Hundreds, Thousands, Millions, & Billions

Hundreds (cent): Takes an 's' if multiplied and placed at the very end of the number (200 = deux cents, but 205 = deux cent cinq).

Thousands (mille): Never pluralized. (2,000 = deux mille).

Millions (million): Pluralizes normally. Because it's a noun, cents or vingts before it keep their 's'. (200,000,000 = deux cents millions).

1 Billion (milliard): In French, a billion is a milliard: 1,000,000,000 = un milliard.

4. Decimals

Decimals are expressed using virgule (comma), and the following digits are read as a normal number.
E.g., 4.50 = quatre virgule cinquante | 12.05 = douze virgule z�ro cinq.