French Numbers (Les Numéros)

Numbers 1-19 are the foundation of French counting, and most are completely unique words you'll need to memorise. The basics like un (1), deux (2), and trois (3) pop up everywhere in French conversation.

Once you hit the teens, French gets a bit more predictable. Numbers like treize (13), quatorze (14), and quinze (15) are still unique, but dix-sept (17) literally means "ten-seven." This pattern makes dix-huit (18) and dix-neuf (19) much easier to remember.

The 20s and beyond follow clearer patterns that'll boost your confidence. Vingt (20) combines with other numbers: vingt et un (21) uses "et" (and), while vingt-deux (22) just adds a hyphen. Numbers like trente (30), quarante (40), and cinquante (50) work the same way.

Here's where French gets interesting: 70 becomes soixante-dix (literally "sixty-ten"), and 80 is quatre-vingts (four-twenties). The 90s follow suit with quatre-vingt-dix (four-twenty-ten). It might sound mad, but this system actually comes from old counting traditions!

Top Tip: Practice counting in groups of ten - master 1-10, then 10-20, then the tens (20, 30, 40, etc.). The patterns will click much faster this way!