French Number Pronunciation: A Comprehensive Guide to the Sounds of French Numbers146

In French, numbers are pronounced differently depending on their value, their position in the number, and the presence of certain grammatical elements. This guide will provide a comprehensive overview of French number pronunciation, covering all the rules and exceptions you need to know to speak and understand French numbers confidently.

Les chiffres de 0 à 20 (Numbers from 0 to 20)

The pronunciation of numbers from 0 to 20 in French is relatively straightforward:
0: zéro [zeʁɔ]
1: un [œ̃] or [œ̃n] (before a vowel)
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]
11: onze [ɔ̃z] (or [ɔ̃zə] before a vowel)
12: douze [duz] (or [duzə] before a vowel)
13: treize [tʁɛz] (or [tʁɛzə] before a vowel)
14: quatorze [katɔʁz] (or [katɔʁzə] before a vowel)
15: quinze [kɛ̃z] (or [kɛ̃zə] before a vowel)
16: seize [sɛz] (or [sɛzə] before a vowel)
17: dix-sept [dis sɛt] (or [dis sɛtə] before a vowel)
18: dix-huit [dis ɥit] (or [dis ɥitə] before a vowel)
19: dix-neuf [dis nœf] (or [dis nœfə] before a vowel)
20: vingt [vɛ̃] (or [vɛ̃t] before a vowel)

Les dizaines (Tens)

The tens in French are formed by adding the suffix "-ante" to the corresponding number:
30: trente [tʁɑ̃t]
40: quarante [kaʁɑ̃t]
50: cinquante [sɛ̃kɑ̃t]
60: soixante [swɑ̃sɑ̃t]
70: soixante-dix [swɑ̃sɑ̃t dis]
80: quatre-vingts [katʁə vɛ̃]
90: quatre-vingt-dix [katʁə vɛ̃ dis]

Les centaines (Hundreds)

The hundreds in French are formed by adding the suffix "-cent" to the corresponding number:
100: cent [sɑ̃]
200: deux cents [dø sɑ̃]
300: trois cents [tʁwa sɑ̃]
400: quatre cents [katʁ sɑ̃]
500: cinq cents [sɛ̃k sɑ̃]
600: six cents [sis sɑ̃]
700: sept cents [sɛt sɑ̃]
800: huit cents [ɥit sɑ̃]
900: neuf cents [nœf sɑ̃]

Les milliers (Thousands)

The thousands in French are formed by adding the suffix "-mille" to the corresponding number:
1,000: mille [mil]
2,000: deux mille [dø mil]
3,000: trois mille [tʁwa mil]
4,000: quatre mille [katʁ mil]
5,000: cinq mille [sɛ̃k mil]
6,000: six mille [sis mil]
7,000: sept mille [sɛt mil]
8,000: huit mille [ɥit mil]
9,000: neuf mille [nœf mil]

Exceptions

There are a few exceptions to the general rules of French number pronunciation:
The number "mille" (1,000) is pronounced [mil] in most cases, but it is pronounced [mij] when followed by a vowel-initial word (e.g., "mille et un").
The numbers "quinze" (15) and "seize" (16) are pronounced with a silent final "s" before a vowel-initial word (e.g., "quinze ans").
The numbers "quatre-vingts" (80) and "quatre-vingt-dix" (90) are invariable and do not take an "s" in the plural.

Conclusion

Understanding French number pronunciation is essential for effective communication in French. By following the rules and exceptions outlined in this guide, you can confidently pronounce French numbers in a variety of contexts.

2024-11-06

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