Numbers and time are fundamental building blocks of any language. Whether you need to count items, give your phone number, understand prices, or make appointments, knowing how to handle numbers and express time in French is absolutely essential for everyday communication. As part of our foundational French curriculum, we introduce these concepts early to get you speaking and understanding practical French quickly. This guide will walk you through the French number system and how to ask and tell the time, skills vital for any beginner looking to understand everyday French interactions.

French Numbers (Les Nombres)

Counting in French has some logical patterns but also a few quirky exceptions, especially as you get higher. Let's start with the basics.

Numbers 0-20

Memorizing the numbers from 0 to 20 is crucial. They don't follow a simple additive pattern like in English.

• 0 - zéro
• 1 - un
• 2 - deux
• 3 - trois
• 4 - quatre
• 5 - cinq
• 6 - six
• 7 - sept
• 8 - huit
• 9 - neuf
• 10 - dix
• 11 - onze
• 12 - douze
• 13 - treize
• 14 - quatorze
• 15 - quinze
• 16 - seize
• 17 - dix-sept
• 18 - dix-huit
• 19 - dix-neuf
• 20 - vingt

Numbers 21-69

From 21 to 69, the pattern is generally the tens number followed by a hyphen and the unit number. However, for numbers ending in 1 (21, 31, 41, 51, 61), you use "et un" (and one) instead of a hyphen, and the final 't' sound of the tens number is pronounced.

• 21 - vingt-et-un
• 22 - vingt-deux
• 30 - trente
• 31 - trente-et-un
• 40 - quarante
• 45 - quarante-cinq
• 50 - cinquante
• 53 - cinquante-trois
• 60 - soixante
• 61 - soixante-et-un

Numbers 70-99: The Exceptions!

This is where French numbers get particularly interesting (or challenging!). They build upon the base 60.

• 70s: Based on 60 (soixante) + 10-19.
  • 70 - soixante-dix (sixty-ten)
  • 71 - soixante-et-onze (sixty-and-eleven)
  • 75 - soixante-quinze (sixty-fifteen)
  • 79 - soixante-dix-neuf (sixty-nineteen)
• 80s: Based on four 20s (quatre-vingts). Note the 's' on 'vingts' when it's exactly 80, but not when followed by another number.
  • 80 - quatre-vingts (four-twenties)
  • 81 - quatre-vingt-un (four-twenty-one - NO 's' on vingt)
  • 88 - quatre-vingt-huit (four-twenty-eight)
• 90s: Based on four 20s (quatre-vingts) + 10-19.
  • 90 - quatre-vingt-dix (four-twenty-ten)
  • 91 - quatre-vingt-onze (four-twenty-eleven)
  • 94 - quatre-vingt-quatorze (four-twenty-fourteen)
  • 99 - quatre-vingt-dix-neuf (four-twenty-nineteen)

Don't worry if these seem tricky at first! Practice makes perfect. Our online learning platform provides interactive exercises to help you drill these numbers.

Numbers 100 and Beyond

• 100 - cent
• 101 - cent un
• 200 - deux cents (Note the 's' for plural hundreds when exact, but not if followed by another number, e.g., 201 - deux cent un)
• 1000 - mille
• 2000 - deux mille ('mille' never takes an 's' in the plural)
• 1000000 - un million (This is a noun, so it takes 'de' before a following noun, e.g., un million de personnes)

Telling Time (Dire l'heure)

Once you know your numbers, telling time becomes much easier. The basic question is:

• Quelle heure est-il ? (What time is it?)

The standard way to answer is Il est... (It is...).

Basic Time

• Il est une heure. (It is one o'clock. - 'heure' is singular for 1)
• Il est deux heures. (It is two o'clock. - 'heures' is plural for 2+)
• Il est dix heures. (It is ten o'clock.)

Minutes

Simply add the number of minutes after the hour, connected by a space.

• Il est deux heures cinq. (It's 2:05.)
• Il est trois heures trente. (It's 3:30.)
• Il est sept heures quarante-cinq. (It's 7:45.)

Special Expressions

• et quart (quarter past)
  • Il est trois heures et quart. (It's 3:15.)
• et demie (half past)
  • Il est cinq heures et demie. (It's 5:30.)
• moins le quart (quarter to)
  • Il est six heures moins le quart. (It's quarter to six / 5:45.)
• moins [number] (minus/to [number] minutes)
  • Il est huit heures moins dix. (It's ten to eight / 7:50.)
• Pile (exactly/sharp)
  • Il est trois heures pile. (It's exactly three o'clock.)

Using 12-Hour vs. 24-Hour Clock

French often uses the 24-hour clock, especially in formal settings or schedules. For informal conversation using the 12-hour clock, you can add:

• du matin (in the morning) - for times between midnight and noon.
  • Il est sept heures du matin. (It's 7 AM.)
• de l'après-midi (in the afternoon) - for times between noon and 6 PM.
  • Il est trois heures de l'après-midi. (It's 3 PM / 15h00.)
• du soir (in the evening) - for times between 6 PM and midnight.
  • Il est neuf heures du soir. (It's 9 PM / 21h00.)
• Special cases: midi (noon) and minuit (midnight).
• Il est midi. (It's noon.)
• Il est minuit. (It's midnight.)

Being able to use these phrases in conversation is a key part of the speaking focus in our French lessons.

Key Takeaways & Tips for Numbers and Time

• Master 0-20 first.
• Pay close attention to the patterns (and exceptions!) for 70, 80, and 90.
• Remember the difference between `cent` and `cents`, and that `mille` is invariable.
• Practice saying numbers aloud – phone numbers are a great way to do this.
• Learn the question `Quelle heure est-il ?` and the structure `Il est...`.
• Memorize `et quart`, `et demie`, and `moins le quart`.
• Understand how `moins` works for minutes past the half-hour.
• Familiarize yourself with `du matin`, `de l'après-midi`, and `du soir` for clarity in the 12-hour system.
• Our French online classes in Chennai (and globally) provide structured practice for these essential skills.

Conclusion: Adding Precision to Your French

Learning French numbers and time is a significant step towards fluency. These aren't just abstract concepts; they are tools you'll use constantly in real-life situations, from shopping and travel to scheduling and making plans. While the French number system might seem unusual initially, consistent practice will make it second nature.

Keep building your practical vocabulary and grammar by exploring other A1 topics like greetings and goodbyes or asking basic questions.

Discover why Sprachlingua is a leading choice for online French learning, providing comprehensive instruction to help you confidently use numbers and time in your conversations.

Continue practicing, and soon you'll be counting and telling time in French like a pro! À bientôt !