Expressing numbers 70 to 99 : French language lesson

Between 20 and 69, the numbers follow the same pattern:

20: vingt -> 23: vingt-trois

40: quarante -> 41: quarante et un

Note: No hyphen with 'et'

70 = soixante-dix

In French, we actually say "sixty-ten" (60 + 10) to express 'seventy'.

71 = 60 + 11 = soixante et onze (No hyphen)

72 = 60 + 12 = soixante-douze

73 = 60 + 13 = soixante-treize

74 = 60 + 14 = soixante-quatorze

75 = 60 + 15 = soixante-quinze

76 = 60 + 16 = soixante-seize

77 = 60 + 17 = soixante-dix-sept

78 = 60 + 18 = soixante-dix-huit

79 = 60 + 19 = soixante-dix-neuf

80 = quatre-vingts

In French, to express 'eighty', we actually say "four-twenties"

(4 x 20).

Note that quatre-vingts takes an 's' when on its own, but the 's' disappears when it is followed by another number.

85 = quatre-vingt-cinq

89 = quatre-vingt-neuf

Note also that 81 does "quatre-vingt-un" with no et inbetween.

90 = quatre-vingt-dix

As for seventy, ninety becomes "eighty-ten" (80 + 10) in French.

91 = 80 + 11 = quatre-vingt-onze (Note: NO et, just like 81)

92 = 80 + 12 = quatre-vingt-douze

93 = 80 + 13 = quatre-vingt-treize

94 = 80 + 14 = quatre-vingt-quatorze

95 = 80 + 15 = quatre-vingt-quinze

96 = 80 + 16 = quatre-vingt-seize

97 = 80 + 17 = quatre-vingt-dix-sept

98 = 80 + 18 = quatre-vingt-dix-huit

99 = 80 + 19 = quatre-vingt-dix-neuf

Numbers + nouns

Ma grand-mère a quatre-vingt-quatorze ans.
My grandmother is ninety-four years old.

Mon oncle a soixante-douze poules.
My uncle has seventy-two hens.

Laurent a dépensé soixante-dix-huit euros hier.
Laurent spent seventy-eight euros yesterday.

J'ai quatre-vingt-trois dollars dans ma tirelire.
I have eighty-three dollars in my piggy bank.

Il y a quatre-vingt-dix-neuf animaux dans ce zoo.
There are ninety-nine animals in that zoo.

Note that to say how many things there are, you simply use the number + thing (plural after 1), for numbers up to 999.

For larger numbers, see lesson Expressing large numbers: thousands, millions and billions

Examples and resources

Ma grand-mère a quatre-vingt-quatorze ans.
My grandmother is ninety-four years old.

quatre-vingt-huit
eighty-eight

Mon oncle a soixante-douze poules.
My uncle has seventy-two hens.

quatre-vingt-trois
eighty-three

Il y a quatre-vingt-dix-neuf animaux dans ce zoo.
There are ninety-nine animals in that zoo.

quatre-vingts
eighty

soixante-dix-sept
seventy-seven

J'ai quatre-vingt-trois dollars dans ma tirelire.
I have eighty-three dollars in my piggy bank.

quatre-vingt-quinze
ninety-five

soixante-douze
seventy-two

Laurent a dépensé soixante-dix-huit euros hier.
Laurent spent seventy-eight euros yesterday.

quatre-vingt-quatorze
ninety-four

Q&A

Chris

Kwiziq community member

19 April 2018

19/04/18

Hi Steven,

that would really make a lot of sense. The number 99 being represented in French as : 4 times 20 plus 19 (quatre-vingt-dix-huit) requires some getting used to.

-- Chris.

Cécile

Kwiziq language super star

20 April 2018

20/04/18

Hi Steven,

Your will hear 'octante' also for 80 (quatre-vingt) and a combination of all in Belgium and certain cantons of Switzerland but I believe time are changing...

However, what is certain and that these numbers are very amusing to French ears!

Hope this helps!