Numbers, dates, and time are the backbone of daily life — ordering a coffee, booking a train, telling your age. French has a few quirks (looking at you, 70 and 80) but once you know them, you're set.
Numbers 0–20
Learn these solid — everything else builds on them.
| 0–10 | 11–20 |
|---|---|
| zéro, un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq, six, sept, huit, neuf, dix | onze, douze, treize, quatorze, quinze, seize, dix-sept, dix-huit, dix-neuf, vingt |
The tricky tens
French 70 is 'sixty-ten', 80 is 'four-twenty', 90 is 'four-twenty-ten'. Don't panic — it becomes second nature.
| Number | French |
|---|---|
| 20 | vingt |
| 30 | trente |
| 40 | quarante |
| 50 | cinquante |
| 60 | soixante |
| 70 | soixante-dix |
| 80 | quatre-vingts |
| 90 | quatre-vingt-dix |
| 100 | cent |
Dates
Format: 'le [number] [month] [year]'. Use 'premier' for the 1st, regular numbers for the rest. Months are not capitalized.
- le 1er janvier — January 1st
- le 14 juillet — July 14th
- le 25 décembre 2026 — December 25th, 2026
Telling time
Use 'il est' + hour + 'heure(s)'. 'Et quart' = quarter past, 'et demie' = half past, 'moins le quart' = quarter to. The 24-hour clock is very common in France for schedules.
- Il est huit heures. — It's 8 o'clock.
- Il est neuf heures et quart. — It's 9:15.
- Il est midi et demi. — It's 12:30.
- Il est deux heures moins le quart. — It's 1:45.
Write in French: 15
Write in French: 21
Write in French: 70
Write in French: 80
Write in French: 95
Which is correct for '1st of May'?
Il est 8h15. → Il est huit heures ___.
Il est 12h30. → Il est midi ___.
Which is 'It's 7:45'?
Write 'July 14, 2026'
___