Numbers in French

About Numbers in French

French numbers reveal an ancient Celtic counting system. The word for eighty, 'quatre-vingts', means four twenties, suggesting the Gauls counted in groups of twenty rather than ten. Belgian and Swiss French use simpler words like 'huitante' for eighty, avoiding the more complex French system.

Learning vocabulary related to numbers is an important part of building your French language skills. Whether you are a complete beginner or an experienced learner, expanding your vocabulary topic by topic is one of the most effective approaches to mastering a new language.

The LinguaSearch approach uses word search puzzles to make vocabulary learning natural and memorable. Finding a word in a grid engages your brain differently from simply reading a list — you recognise the word visually, process it spatially and connect it to its meaning all at once, which makes it far more likely to stick in your long-term memory.

Key numbers vocabulary in French

These words and many more appear in the LinguaSearch Intermediate puzzle book.

Tips for learning numbers vocabulary in French

• Say each French word out loud as you learn it — hearing yourself say it helps it stick far better than reading alone
• Group related words together — learning a whole topic at once creates a mental framework that makes individual words easier to recall
• Look for connections with English — many French words have English equivalents or share Latin roots, which gives you a useful head start
• Test yourself regularly — cover the English translations and see how many French words you can recall from memory
• Use the words in context — try forming simple sentences using the vocabulary you have learned

Practice this vocabulary

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