Look at these sentences using approximate numbers:
J'ai une dizaine de chats.
I have about ten cats.
Il achète une trentaine de poires.
He is buying thirty or so pears.
Il y avait une centaine de personnes ce jour-là.
There was a hundred or so people that day.
Je veux deux douzaines de pommes, s'il vous plaît.
I want two dozen apples, please.
In French, to express an approximative number (ten or so, about fifteen...), you can add une/deux/trois ... in front of the number and the suffix -aine at the end of it, as follows:
Number | Approximate |
10 / dix | une dizaine |
12 / douze | une douzaine |
15 / quinze | une quinzaine |
20 / vingt | une vingtaine |
30 / trente | une trentaine |
40 / quarante | une quarantaine |
50 / cinquante | une cinquantaine |
60 / soixante | une soixantaine |
100 / cent | une centaine |
This is the equivalent in English of saying ten or so, around twenty, or fifteen odd. As in English, douzaine (dozen) means 12 rather than being an approximate number, but the construction is the same as for approximate numbers.
Note: These approximate numbers are feminine, and followed by de.
ATTENTION: Whereas you'd tend to say in English dozens and dozens, in French the use of dizaine (ten or so) will be more colloquial: des dizaines et des dizaines.
Des dizaines et des dizaines de personnes sont venues à la foire.
Dozens and dozens of people attended the fair.
Examples and resources
Je veux deux douzaines de pommes, s'il vous plaît.
I want two dozen apples, please.
Des dizaines et des dizaines de personnes sont venues à la foire.
Dozens and dozens of people attended the fair.
Il y avait une centaine de personnes ce jour-là.
There was a hundred or so people that day.
J'ai une dizaine de chats.
I have about ten cats.
Il achète une trentaine de poires.
He is buying thirty or so pears.
Q&A

David
Kwiziq community member
20/11/18
I did some searching and found a possible answer.
If I had used the construction with pour ... environ it would need to follow the noun: pour quinze jours environ
Whereas if I had used a construction with pendant ... environ it would preceed the noun: pendant environ quinze jours.
That seems posible although I find what look like counter examples here: https://www.linguee.fr/francais-anglais/traduction/pour+environ+10+heures.html
where a typical sentence reads: Luminosité minimale de 6 lumens pour environ 42 heures
although none used "pour" in the sense of "pendant".

Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
6/03/18
Oui, c'est bien ça !
Chris
Kwiziq community member
6/03/18
Yes, correct.
-- Chris (not a native speaker).

Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
6/03/18
Bonjour Jennifer !
If you wanted exactly 15 apples, then you'd use "quinze".
"Une quinzaine de" is a way to give an approximate amount :)
Bonne journée !
Melody
Kwiziq community member
23/10/16

Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
24/10/16
Melody
Kwiziq community member
24/10/16

Laura
Kwiziq language super star
16/10/16
Susan
Kwiziq community member
4 January 2019
0 replies
Regarding the last example. I find this contradicting!
I understand une dizaine means 10 or so. As do all the other examples in the lesson. Therefore, what is the difference with the last example?
Je veux deux douzaines de pommes.... Why does this also not mean:
I want two dozen or so/or approximately - apples> ?
Thank you.