French Numbers, Dates and Time: The Tricky Details That Cost You Points

Target: 1,800+ words

Numbers in French are surprisingly complex. The famous "quatre-vingts" (80 = four twenties) is just the beginning. Dates, times, and large numbers all follow rules that differ significantly from English. On the TEF/TCF, a misheard number or a poorly formatted date can mean the wrong answer.

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Part 1: Numbers 0-100 — The Foundation

Most learners know these, but the traps start at 70:

Belgian and Swiss Variants (for TCF)

• 70 = Septante (Belgium, Switzerland)
• 80 = Huitante (Switzerland) or Octante (rare)
• 90 = Nonante (Belgium, Switzerland)

Exam Tip: TCF Listening may use these variants if the speaker is Belgian or Swiss. Be ready!

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Part 2: Numbers 100-1,000,000

• 100: Cent — Takes an "s" when multiplied AND nothing follows: "Deux cents" but "Deux cent un".
• 1,000: Mille — Never takes an "s": "Deux mille" (not "deux milles").
• 1,000,000: Un million
• 1,000,000,000: Un milliard

Crucial difference:

• Mille is an adjective: "Mille personnes" (no "de").
• Million/Milliard are nouns: "Un million de personnes."

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Part 3: Ordinal Numbers (1st, 2nd, 3rd...)

• 1st: Premier/Premiere (only one with a special form)
• 2nd: Deuxieme or Second(e) (use "second" when there are only two)
• 3rd-onwards: Add -ieme to the cardinal number: troisieme, quatrieme, cinquieme...
• Exception: "Cinq" becomes "Cinquieme" (add "u")
• Exception: "Neuf" becomes "Neuvieme" (f becomes v)

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Part 4: Dates in French

Day/Month/Year Format

• "Le 14 juillet 1789." (The 14th of July, 1789)
• "Nous sommes le 3 mars 2025."

Rules:

• Use cardinal numbers (not ordinal): "Le trois mars" (not "le troisieme mars").
• Exception: The first of the month = "Le premier mars."
• No capital letters for months or days: "lundi", "mars" (not "Lundi", "Mars").
• Years are said in full: "Mille neuf cent quatre-vingt-neuf" (1989) or "Deux mille vingt-cinq" (2025).

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Part 5: Telling Time

• "Il est trois heures." (It's 3:00.)
• "Il est trois heures et quart." (3:15)
• "Il est trois heures et demie." (3:30)
• "Il est quatre heures moins le quart." (3:45)

24-Hour Clock (Used formally and in transport)

• "Il est quinze heures trente." (3:30 PM)
• "Le train part a vingt et une heures quarante-cinq." (21:45)

Midday/Midnight

• "Il est midi." (12:00 PM)
• "Il est minuit." (12:00 AM)
• "Il est midi et demi." (12:30 PM — "demi" no "e" after "midi")
• "Il est minuit et demi." (12:30 AM)

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Part 6: Phone Numbers

French phone numbers are read in pairs:

• 06 12 34 56 78 becomes "Zero six, douze, trente-quatre, cinquante-six, soixante-dix-huit."

Listening Trap: The pair "78" = "soixante-dix-huit" sounds very different from "68" = "soixante-huit." Listen for that extra "dix."

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Part 7: Prices and Percentages

• "Neuf euros cinquante." (9.50 euros)
• "Vingt pour cent." (20%)
• "Un tiers" (1/3), "Un quart" (1/4), "La moitie" (1/2)

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Conclusion

Numbers are the invisible backbone of listening and reading comprehension. A single misheard digit can lead to the wrong answer on a TEF Listening question about time, prices, or dates. Practice dictating numbers aloud, listen to French radio for real-world exposure, and remember: French counts in twenties after 60.