---
date: '2026-06-29'
description: les nombres cardinaux et ordinaux, leur composition et leur prononciation (liaison et consonnes finales)
id: les-nombres
modified: 2026-06-29 14:59:40 GMT-04:00
tags:
  - fr
  - language
  - learning
title: les nombres
created: '2026-06-29'
published: '2026-06-29'
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slug: fr/les-nombres
permalink: https://aarnphm.xyz/fr/les-nombres.md
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---
the spelling here is québécois with [orthographe rectifiée](https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rectifications_orthographiques_du_fran%C3%A7ais_en_1990) (post-1990): hyphens between every part.

for the general liaison and silent-consonant rules this note leans on, see [[fr/orthography-phonetics|orthography phonetics]].

## 0 à 10

| numéro | mot      | IPA    |
| ------ | -------- | ------ |
| 0      | `zéro`   | /zeʁo/ |
| 1      | `un`     | /œ̃/   |
| 2      | `deux`   | /dø/   |
| 3      | `trois`  | /tʁwa/ |
| 4      | `quatre` | /katʁ/ |
| 5      | `cinq`   | /sɛ̃k/ |
| 6      | `six`    | /sis/  |
| 7      | `sept`   | /sɛt/  |
| 8      | `huit`   | /ɥit/  |
| 9      | `neuf`   | /nœf/  |
| 10     | `dix`    | /dis/  |

the `p` in `sept` is silent; the `t` is pronounced. `cinq six huit dix` are the ones whose final consonant moves around in context (see [phonétique](#phonétique-des-nombres)).

## 11 à 20

| numéro | mot        | IPA      |
| ------ | ---------- | -------- |
| 11     | `onze`     | /ɔ̃z/    |
| 12     | `douze`    | /duz/    |
| 13     | `treize`   | /tʁɛz/   |
| 14     | `quatorze` | /katɔʁz/ |
| 15     | `quinze`   | /kɛ̃z/   |
| 16     | `seize`    | /sɛz/    |
| 17     | `dix-sept` | /disɛt/  |
| 18     | `dix-huit` | /dizɥit/ |
| 19     | `dix-neuf` | /diznœf/ |
| 20     | `vingt`    | /vɛ̃/    |

11–16 are single opaque words; 17–19 are transparent `dix + n`. note `dix-huit` /dizɥit/ takes a /z/ before the vowel of `huit`, while `dix-sept` /disɛt/ and `dix-neuf` /diznœf/ keep the bare consonant.

## les dizaines

| numéro | mot                | IPA           |
| ------ | ------------------ | ------------- |
| 20     | `vingt`            | /vɛ̃/         |
| 30     | `trente`           | /tʁɑ̃t/       |
| 40     | `quarante`         | /kaʁɑ̃t/      |
| 50     | `cinquante`        | /sɛ̃kɑ̃t/     |
| 60     | `soixante`         | /swasɑ̃t/     |
| 70     | `soixante-dix`     | /swasɑ̃tdis/  |
| 80     | `quatre-vingts`    | /katʁəvɛ̃/    |
| 90     | `quatre-vingt-dix` | /katʁəvɛ̃dis/ |
| 100    | `cent`             | /sɑ̃/         |

70/80/90 are the famous arithmetic ones: $70 = 60 + 10$, $80 = 4 \times 20$, $90 = 4 \times 20 + 10$.

> \[!note\] québec uses standard french
>
> québec runs the standard `soixante-dix` (70), `quatre-vingts` (80), `quatre-vingt-dix` (90), NOT the belgian/swiss `septante` / `huitante` (or `octante`) / `nonante`. so the additive/multiplicative forms above are the ones to drill.

## composition

- **21, 31, 41, 51, 61** = dizaine + `-et-un`: `vingt-et-un`, `trente-et-un`, `quarante-et-un`, `cinquante-et-un`, `soixante-et-un`.
- **22–29** (and 32–39, …) = dizaine + cardinal, hyphenated, no `et`: `vingt-deux`, `vingt-trois`, … `vingt-neuf`.
- **70–79** = `soixante` + 10–19: `soixante-dix` (70), `soixante-et-onze` (71), `soixante-douze` (72), … `soixante-dix-neuf` (79). 71 keeps the `et` because it is built on `onze`.
- **80–89** = `quatre-vingt` + 0–9: `quatre-vingts` (80), `quatre-vingt-un` (81, no `-s`, no `et`), `quatre-vingt-deux` (82), … `quatre-vingt-neuf` (89).
- **90–99** = `quatre-vingt` + 10–19: `quatre-vingt-dix` (90), `quatre-vingt-onze` (91, no `et`), `quatre-vingt-douze` (92), … `quatre-vingt-dix-neuf` (99).

| numéro | mot                     | note                              |
| ------ | ----------------------- | --------------------------------- |
| 21     | `vingt-et-un`           | `-et-un`                          |
| 22     | `vingt-deux`            | hyphen, no `et`                   |
| 71     | `soixante-et-onze`      | `et` (built on `onze`)            |
| 72     | `soixante-douze`        | no `et`                           |
| 80     | `quatre-vingts`         | `-s` only when it ends the number |
| 81     | `quatre-vingt-un`       | no `-s`, no `et`                  |
| 91     | `quatre-vingt-onze`     | no `et`                           |
| 96     | `quatre-vingt-seize`    | $96 = 4 \times 20 + 16$           |
| 99     | `quatre-vingt-dix-neuf` | $99 = 4 \times 20 + 19$           |

the `et` shows up only at `-et-un` (21…61) and `soixante-et-onze` (71). the `quatre-vingt` family never takes `et`.

## centaines et milliers

| numéro    | mot                       | note                               |
| --------- | ------------------------- | ---------------------------------- |
| 100       | `cent`                    | /sɑ̃/                              |
| 200       | `deux-cents`              | `-s` on a round multiple           |
| 201       | `deux-cent-un`            | `-s` dropped before another number |
| 234       | `deux-cent-trente-quatre` | —                                  |
| 1 000     | `mille`                   | **invariable**, never `milles`     |
| 2 000     | `deux-mille`              | `mille` stays bare                 |
| 10 000    | `dix-mille`               | —                                  |
| 100 000   | `cent-mille`              | —                                  |
| 1 000 000 | `un million`              | a noun: `un million de dollars`    |
| 2 026     | `deux-mille-vingt-six`    | the current year                   |

`cent` takes `-s` as a round multiple (`trois-cents`) but drops it before another number (`trois-cent-un`). `mille` never inflects. `million` (and `milliard`) are nouns, so they take `de` before what they count: `un million de personnes`, `deux-millions de dollars`.

> \[!note\] orthographe rectifiée: hyphens everywhere
>
> the 1990 reform hyphenates ALL parts of a written number: `vingt-et-un`, `deux-cent-trente-quatre`, `deux-mille-vingt-six`. the older convention used hyphens only below 100 and `et` for the joints, so you would have seen `deux cent trente-quatre`. québec teaches the rectified form, so prefer the fully-hyphenated spelling.

## phonétique des nombres

the general rule (a silent final consonant surfaces as liaison before a vowel) lives in [[fr/orthography-phonetics|orthographe]]; numbers add their own quirks on top.

`cinq` /sɛ̃k/, `six` /sis/, `huit` /ɥit/, `dix` /dis/ pronounce their final consonant **in isolation**, before a pause, and when counting. the trap is what happens next to another word:

| nombre | isolation | + consonne (drop)                   | + voyelle (liaison /z/) |
| ------ | --------- | ----------------------------------- | ----------------------- |
| `cinq` | /sɛ̃k/    | `cinq jours` /sɛ̃ ʒuʁ/ (often kept) | `cinq ans` /sɛ̃k‿ɑ̃/    |
| `six`  | /sis/     | `six livres` /si livʁ/              | `six ans` /siz‿ɑ̃/      |
| `huit` | /ɥit/     | `huit jours` /ɥi ʒuʁ/               | `huit ans` /ɥit‿ɑ̃/     |
| `dix`  | /dis/     | `dix minutes` /di minyt/            | `dix ans` /diz‿ɑ̃/      |

> \[!note\] the most common beginner trap
>
> before a consonant, the final consonant of `six`, `dix`, and `huit` **drops**: /si livʁ/, /di minyt/, /ɥi ʒuʁ/. before a vowel, `six` and `dix` liaise as /z/ (/siz‿ɑ̃/, /diz‿ɑ̃/), while `huit` keeps its /t/ (/ɥit‿ɑ̃/). this is the single most frequent number mistake for anglophones.

other consonant-final cases:

- **`neuf`** /nœf/ is normally /f/, but the final consonant softens to /v/ in exactly two frequent phrases: `neuf ans` /nœv‿ɑ̃/ and `neuf heures` /nœv‿œʁ/. everywhere else it stays /f/ (`neuf livres` /nœf livʁ/).
- **`vingt`** /vɛ̃/ has a silent `t` on its own, but the `t` surfaces in 21–29 (`vingt-deux` /vɛ̃tdø/, `vingt-trois` /vɛ̃ttʁwa/) and in liaison (`vingt ans` /vɛ̃t‿ɑ̃/). `quatre-vingts` keeps the `t` silent (/katʁəvɛ̃/).
- **`cent`** /sɑ̃/ has a silent `t`, which surfaces as /t/ liaison before a vowel: `cent ans` /sɑ̃t‿ɑ̃/.

## les ordinaux

formation: cardinal + `-ième`. drop a final mute `e` first (`quatre` → `quatrième`), insert a `u` after `cinq` (`cinquième`), and turn the `f` of `neuf` into `v` (`neuvième`).

| rang | masculin / forme                  | abrégé        | IPA                 |
| ---- | --------------------------------- | ------------- | ------------------- |
| 1er  | `premier` (`première`)            | `1er` / `1re` | /pʁəmje/, /pʁəmjɛʁ/ |
| 2e   | `deuxième` (`second` / `seconde`) | `2e`          | /døzjɛm/            |
| 3e   | `troisième`                       | `3e`          | /tʁwazjɛm/          |
| 4e   | `quatrième`                       | `4e`          | /katʁijɛm/          |
| 5e   | `cinquième`                       | `5e`          | /sɛ̃kjɛm/           |
| 6e   | `sixième`                         | `6e`          | /sizjɛm/            |
| 7e   | `septième`                        | `7e`          | /sɛtjɛm/            |
| 8e   | `huitième`                        | `8e`          | /ɥitjɛm/            |
| 9e   | `neuvième`                        | `9e`          | /nœvjɛm/            |
| 10e  | `dixième`                         | `10e`         | /dizjɛm/            |

`premier` / `première` is the only ordinal that is not built on `-ième`, and it is used only for “1st”. `second` / `seconde` is interchangeable with `deuxième` (a slight register preference for `second` when there are only two items). watch the two irregular stems: `cinquième` adds a `u` so the `c` stays /k/, and `neuvième` voices to `v`.

## les nombres en contexte

- **l’âge** : `avoir` + cardinal + an obligatory `ans`: `J'ai 25 ans.` /ʒe vɛ̃tsɛ̃k ɑ̃/. you cannot drop `ans` the way english drops “years old”. see [[fr/episode-2]].
- **la date** : ordinal only for the first of the month: `le premier mars` (`le 1er mars`); every other day is a cardinal: `le deux mars`, `le quatorze juillet` (`le 14 juillet`). birthdates are written `AAAA-MM-JJ` (e.g. `1990-06-13`). see [[fr/episode-2]].
- **l’heure** : `il est` + cardinal + `heures`: `il est trois heures`. midday and midnight are `midi` and `minuit` (no `heures`). the 24-hour system reads the hour as a plain cardinal: `quinze heures` for 15 h, written with `h` as the separator (`15 h 30`). see [[fr/episode-3]].
- **le téléphone** : digits are read one by one, not grouped in pairs the way France does: `514 555 0199` → `cinq-un-quatre, cinq-cinq-cinq, zéro-un-neuf-neuf`. see [[fr/episode-2]].
- **le prix** : the unit follows the number: `15 dollars`; the decimal separator is a comma: `15,50 $` (“quinze dollars cinquante”). colloquial québec calls dollars `piastres` (often `piasses`): `quinze piasses`.