Numbers, dates and time
The unusual 70, 80 and 90, how to say the date and tell the time.
| Number | French | Literally |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | vingt et un | twenty and one |
| 22 | vingt-deux | |
| 70 | soixante-dix | sixty-ten |
| 71 | soixante et onze | sixty and eleven |
| 80 | quatre-vingts | four twenties |
| 90 | quatre-vingt-dix | four twenties ten |
| 99 | quatre-vingt-dix-neuf | 4 × 20 + 19 |
| 100 / 200 | cent / deux cents | (no «un» before cent) |
| 1000 | mille | (never takes -s) |
The date
Say le + number + month, with a plain (cardinal) number, not «the third»: le 3 mars. The only exception is the 1st: le premier. Days and months are not capitalised.
- Nous sommes le 15 août.Today is the 15th of August.
- Je suis né le 3 mars 1990.I was born on 3 March 1990.
- le premier janvierthe first of January
- Lundi, je travaille. / Le lundi, je travaille.(This) Monday I'm working. / On Mondays I work.
Telling the time
| Time | French |
|---|---|
| 3:00 | Il est trois heures. |
| 3:15 | trois heures et quart |
| 3:30 | trois heures et demie |
| 3:45 | quatre heures moins le quart |
| 3:50 | quatre heures moins dix |
| 12:00 | midi / minuit |
| 3:20 pm (official) | quinze heures vingt |
Test yourself
-
Write out: 75
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soixante-quinze -
Write out: 84
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quatre-vingt-quatre -
Translate: «at 7:30»
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à sept heures et demie -
Translate: «on the 1st of May»
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le premier mai