Language/French/Vocabulary/Cardinal-and-Ordinal-Numbers

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French Vocabulary → Numbers and Time → Cardinal and Ordinal Numbers

Introduction

In this lesson, you will learn how to express and use French cardinal and ordinal numbers. Numbers are an essential part of daily life, and learning them will help you tell time, make appointments, go shopping, order food, and more.

Cardinal Numbers

Cardinal numbers refer to the quantity of items or people. In French, the cardinal numbers from 0 to 20 are unique words, and numbers beyond this range are formed by combining words. Here are the words for the first 20 cardinal numbers:

French Pronunciation (IPA) English Translation
zéro [zeʁo] zero
un [œ̃] one
deux [dø] two
trois [tʁwɑ] three
quatre [katʁ] four
cinq [sɛ̃k] five
six [sis] six
sept [sɛt] seven
huit [ɥit] eight
neuf [nœf] nine
dix [dis] ten
onze [ɔ̃z] eleven
douze [duz] twelve
treize [tʁɛz] thirteen
quatorze [katɔʁz] fourteen
quinze [kɛ̃z] fifteen
seize [sɛz] sixteen
dix-sept [di sɛt] seventeen
dix-huit [di ɥit] eighteen
dix-neuf [di nœf] nineteen
vingt [vɛ̃] twenty

Note that the words for numbers 1 to 16 have a unique pronunciation, but numbers beyond 16 are formed by combining a tens digit and a units digit. For example, the number 23 is "vingt-trois" (twenty three) and the number 85 is "quatre-vingt-cinq" (four twenties and five).

Here are some examples of how to use cardinal numbers in practice:

  • Il y a cinq pommes sur la table. (There are five apples on the table.)
  • Je vais te donner deux cents euros. (I'm going to give you two hundred euros.)
  • Le magasin ferme à dix-huit heures. (The store closes at six p.m.)

Ordinal Numbers

Ordinal numbers indicate the position of an item in a series or a sequence. In French, ordinal numbers are formed by adding the suffix "-ième" to the cardinal number. For example, "deux" (two) becomes "deuxième" (second) and "cinq" (five) becomes "cinquième" (fifth). Here are some examples:

Cardinal French Pronunciation (IPA) Ordinal French Pronunciation (IPA) English Translation
un [œ̃] premier / première [pʁə.mje] / [pʁə.mjɛʁ] first
deux [dø] deuxième [dø.zjɛm] second
trois [tʁwɑ] troisième [tʁwa.zjɛm] third
quatre [katʁ] quatrième [kat.ʁi.jɛm] fourth
cinq [sɛ̃k] cinquième [sɛ̃.kjɛm] fifth

Here are some examples of how to use ordinal numbers in practice:

  • Je suis arrivé(e) deuxième à la course. (I came in second in the race.)
  • C'est la vingt-et-unième fois que je te le dis. (It's the twenty-first time I'm telling you.)
  • Le cinquième jour du mois. (The fifth day of the month.)

Time

In addition to cardinal and ordinal numbers, learning how to tell time is an essential part of daily life. Here are some important words and phrases related to time:

  • l'heure (f) - the hour
  • la minute - the minute
  • la seconde - the second
  • quel heure est-il ? - what time is it?
  • il est 6 heures - it's 6 o'clock
  • il est midi - it's noon
  • il est minuit - it's midnight
  • à quelle heure ? - at what time?
  • à 7 heures - at 7 o'clock
  • en retard - late
  • à l'heure - on time

Here are some examples of how to tell time:

  • Il est 9 heures et quart. (It's 9:15.)
  • Il est midi et demi. (It's 12:30.)
  • Il est 5 heures moins le quart. (It's 4:45.)

Sources

Table of Contents - French Course - 0 to A1


Alphabet and Pronunciation


Nouns and Articles


Verbs and Tenses


Adjectives and Adverbs


Negation and Interrogation


Numbers and Time


Family and Relationships


Food and Drink


Hobbies and Interests


Geography and Travel


French Culture and Arts


French History and Society


Related Lessons


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