How do you say 80 in French?

80 in French is 'quatre-vingts' (literally 'four twenties'). Note that when 80 is used alone or at the end of a number, it takes an 's' (e.g., quatre-vingts). However, if it is followed by another number, the 's' is dropped (e.g., quatre-vingt-un for 81, quatre-vingt-dix for 90). This is a common point of confusion, so memorise the pattern.

When do you use 'et' in French numbers?

You use 'et' (and) only in numbers 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, and 71. For example, 21 is 'vingt et un', 31 is 'trente et un', etc. For all other numbers between 20 and 100, you use a hyphen (e.g., 22 is 'vingt-deux', 45 is 'quarante-cinq'). Note that 71 is 'soixante et onze' (not 'soixante-onze').

How do you form ordinal numbers in French?

Most ordinal numbers are formed by adding '-ième' to the cardinal number, dropping the final 'e' if there is one (e.g., quatre → quatrième, cinq → cinquième, neuf → neuvième). Exceptions: 'premier' (first, masculine) and 'première' (first, feminine), and 'second' (second, masculine) or 'seconde' (feminine) are used instead of 'deuxième' in some contexts. For numbers ending in 'e', like 'onze', you add '-ième' directly: 'onzième'.

Do French numbers like 'cent' and 'vingt' agree in gender?

No, 'cent' (hundred) and 'vingt' (twenty) do not change for gender. However, they can take a plural 's' when multiplied and not followed by another number. For example, 'deux cents' (200) but 'deux cent un' (201). 'Quatre-vingts' (80) but 'quatre-vingt-un' (81). This is a matter of number, not gender.

How do you write dates in French?

In French, dates are written with the day first, then the month. For the first day of the month, use the ordinal 'premier' (e.g., le premier mai). For all other days, use cardinal numbers (e.g., le deux juin, le quinze août). Months and days are not capitalised. Example: 'le 14 juillet' (July 14th).

What is the difference between 'million' and 'milliard' in French?

In French, 'un million' is 1,000,000 (one million), and 'un milliard' is 1,000,000,000 (one billion in English). Note that in English, 'billion' can mean 1,000,000,000 (short scale) or 1,000,000,000,000 (long scale), but in French, 'milliard' is always 10^9. Also, 'million' and 'milliard' are nouns and require 'de' before a following noun (e.g., un million de personnes) and take a plural 's' when multiplied (e.g., deux millions).

Grammar – AS Level: Numerals

WJEC

A-Level

This subtopic covers the accurate use of French numerals, including cardinal numbers, ordinal numbers, fractions, decimals, and expressions of quantity. Mastery is essential for everyday communication, numerical data interpretation, and formal writing, ensuring learners can handle dates, times, measurements, and statistical information with precision and cultural appropriateness.

Objectives

Exam Tips

Pitfalls

Key Terms

Mark Points

Topic Overview

Numerals in French (les nombres) are a fundamental aspect of grammar at AS Level, covering cardinal numbers (e.g., un, deux, trois) and ordinal numbers (e.g., premier, deuxième). This topic is essential for expressing quantities, dates, times, prices, and rankings in both written and spoken French. Mastery of numerals is crucial for achieving accuracy in everyday communication and for handling exam tasks such as listening comprehension, reading, and translation.

In the WJEC A-Level French specification, numerals appear across all four skill areas. You will need to recognise and produce numbers in contexts like telling the time (il est trois heures), giving dates (le 14 juillet), discussing ages (j'ai dix-huit ans), and using ordinal numbers for positions (la première leçon). Understanding the unique features of French numerals—such as the use of 'et' in 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, 71, and the complex forms for 70 (soixante-dix), 80 (quatre-vingts), and 90 (quatre-vingt-dix)—is key to avoiding common errors.

This topic also connects to broader grammatical concepts like agreement (e.g., cent vs. cents, million vs. millions) and the use of hyphens in compound numbers. By solidifying your knowledge of numerals, you will improve your fluency and accuracy, which directly impacts your performance in writing and speaking assessments. Moreover, numerals frequently appear in exam texts about statistics, economics, and cultural topics, making this a high-yield area for revision.

Key Concepts

Core ideas you must understand for this topic

→Cardinal numbers: Learn the base numbers (0-20), tens (20-100), and the pattern for numbers 21-99, including the use of 'et' (e.g., vingt et un, trente et un) and hyphens (e.g., vingt-deux).
→Ordinal numbers: Form most ordinals by adding -ième to the cardinal (e.g., quatre → quatrième), but note irregulars: premier/première, second(e), and the dropping of 'e' in cinquième and neuvième.
→Special cases: 70 (soixante-dix), 80 (quatre-vingts, but quatre-vingt-un), 90 (quatre-vingt-dix). Also, 100 (cent) becomes cents when multiplied and not followed by another number (e.g., deux cents but deux cent un).
→Agreement: Million, milliard, etc. are nouns and take 'de' before a noun (e.g., un million de personnes) and pluralise (e.g., deux millions). Cent and vingt only take an 's' when multiplied and not followed by another number (e.g., quatre-vingts but quatre-vingt-dix).
→Use in context: Dates (le premier mai, le deux juin), time (il est deux heures et quart), age (j'ai vingt ans), and prices (ça coûte dix euros).

Learning Objectives

What you need to know and understand

Form and apply cardinal numbers from 0 to 1,000,000 accurately in spoken and written contexts.
Distinguish between ordinal and cardinal number usage, including correct formation and placement of ordinal abbreviations.
Construct and punctuate compound numbers correctly, observing hyphenation and 'et' placement where required.
Convert between numerical figures and fully written French numbers, applying pluralization rules for 'vingt', 'cent', and 'mille'.
Interpret and produce expressions of date, time, and age with appropriate prepositions and article usage.
Utilise fractions, percentages, and decimal numbers in meaningful sentences, ensuring correct gender and number agreement with nouns.
Analyse and correct common errors in numeral usage, particularly liaison, elision, and invariable forms.
Evaluate the impact of incorrect numeral usage on clarity and accuracy in formal and informal registers.

Marking Points

Key points examiners look for in your answers

Award credit for correct application of the plural 's' on 'vingt' and 'cent' only when they are multiplied and not followed by another number.
Credit given for correct hyphenation in compound numbers (e.g., 'vingt-et-un', 'soixante-dix-neuf') and for omitting hyphens around 'et' only when that conjunction is used.
Expect precise distinction between 'seconde' (in a series of only two) and 'deuxième' (in a series of more than two) where relevant.
In written production, reward consistent use of a comma for the decimal separator and a space (or point) for thousands, in accordance with French conventions.
For spoken assessments, credit accurate liaison and pronunciation, especially for numbers like 'cinq' (no liaison unless followed by a vowel in certain numbers) and 'huit' vs. 'onze'.
Look for correct agreement of compound ordinal numbers (e.g., 'les vingt et unièmes') and proper abbreviation (e.g., '1er', '2e').

Examiner Tips

Expert advice for maximising your marks

💡In the writing paper, always double-check the agreement of 'vingt' and 'cent' – remember the rule: they are plural only when exactly multiplied and not followed by another number.
💡For listening and reading, be familiar with the different ways numbers can be said, especially for years, phone numbers (grouped in pairs), and prices.
💡When transcribing numbers in dictation, pay attention to the context to decide between 'cent' and 'sans', 'six' and 'sis', etc.
💡In oral exams, practice numbers that trigger liaison errors, like 'les‿amis' but 'des amis' – with numbers, liaison is often required (e.g., 'deux‿amis') but not always, so learn the exceptions (e.g., after 'et').
💡In listening exams, pay close attention to numbers as they are often said quickly. Practise recognising numbers in context, especially prices and times. For example, 'soixante-dix-neuf' (79) can be tricky because it sounds like three words.
💡In writing tasks, always check the spelling of ordinal numbers: 'premier' (not 'première' for masculine), 'deuxième' (not 'deuxième' with an accent). Also, remember that 'premier' changes to 'première' for feminine nouns.
💡When translating numbers, be careful with large numbers: French uses a comma as a decimal separator and a space or period for thousands (e.g., 1 000 or 1.000). In English, we use a comma for thousands and a period for decimals. This can cause errors in translation tasks.

Common Mistakes

Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

Adding an 's' to 'mille' (it is always invariable) or forgetting to add the 's' to 'vingt' and 'cent' when required (e.g., 'quatre-vingts' but 'quatre-vingt-un').
Inserting an unnecessary hyphen or word before 'onze' and 'huit' (e.g., 'vingt et un' is correct, but 'vingt-et-huit' is wrong; it's 'vingt-huit').
Confusing the use of 'et' only between 'vingt-et-un', 'trente-et-un', etc., but not in 'vingt-deux' or 'soixante-et-onze' is wrong; it's 'soixante et onze'.
Using 'seconde' incorrectly when referring to a position beyond the second in a longer series.
Writing French numbers with a point as decimal separator (e.g., '3.5' instead of '3,5') or incorrectly using a comma for thousands.
Failing to make ordinal numbers agree in gender and number with the noun they modify (e.g., 'la première fois' but 'le premier jour').
Confusing 'et' usage: Students often add 'et' incorrectly (e.g., writing 'vingt et deux' instead of 'vingt-deux'). Remember: 'et' is only used for 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, and 71. All other numbers use a hyphen.
Forgetting the plural of cent and vingt: Many write 'deux cent' instead of 'deux cents' when it means 200. However, if followed by another number, it stays singular: 'deux cent un'. Similarly, 'quatre-vingts' but 'quatre-vingt-dix'.
Mispronouncing or miswriting 70, 80, 90: Students often try to create direct translations (e.g., 'septante' for 70, which is not standard in France). Stick to soixante-dix, quatre-vingts, and quatre-vingt-dix for standard French.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions students ask about this topic

Before You Start

Prior knowledge that will help with this topic

•Basic French numbers 1-20: You should already know how to count from 1 to 20 fluently, as these form the building blocks for higher numbers.
•Understanding of French pronunciation: Knowing how to pronounce numbers correctly (e.g., the silent 't' in 'vingt') will help you in listening and speaking tasks.
•Familiarity with telling time and dates: Basic knowledge of how to express time (e.g., 'il est une heure') and dates (e.g., 'le 1er janvier') will make learning numerals easier.

Key Terminology

Essential terms to know

Cardinal and ordinal numbers
Formation of compound numbers
Dates, times, and numerical expressions
Fractions, percentages, and decimals
Agreement and invariable rules
Approximations and quantifiers

Likely Command Words

How questions on this topic are typically asked

Use

Apply

Demonstrate

Ready to test yourself?

Practice questions tailored to this topic

Grammar – AS Level: Numerals

Topic Overview

Key Concepts

Learning Objectives

Marking Points

Examiner Tips

Common Mistakes

Frequently Asked Questions

Before You Start

Key Terminology

Likely Command Words

Ready to test yourself?

Related Topics in WJEC A-Level French

A2 Unit 3: Speaking (Independent Research Project)

A2 Unit 4: Listening, Reading and Translation

A2 Unit 5: Critical and Analytical Response in Writing (Literary Work)

A2 Units

Topic Synopsis

Key Concepts & Core Principles

Exam Tips & Revision Strategies

Common Misconceptions & Mistakes to Avoid

Examiner Marking Points

Grammar – AS Level: Numerals

Topic Overview

Key Concepts

Learning Objectives

Marking Points

Examiner Tips

Common Mistakes

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you say 80 in French?

When do you use 'et' in French numbers?

How do you form ordinal numbers in French?

Do French numbers like 'cent' and 'vingt' agree in gender?

How do you write dates in French?

What is the difference between 'million' and 'milliard' in French?

Before You Start

Key Terminology

Likely Command Words

Ready to test yourself?

Related Topics in WJEC A-Level French

A2 Unit 3: Speaking (Independent Research Project)

A2 Unit 4: Listening, Reading and Translation

A2 Unit 5: Critical and Analytical Response in Writing (Literary Work)

A2 Units