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.

Part 1: Numbers 0-100 — The Foundation

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

70	Soixante-dix	60 + 10
71	Soixante et onze	60 + 11
72-79	Soixante-douze... soixante-dix-neuf	60 + 12...19
80	Quatre-vingts	4 x 20 (note the "s")
81	Quatre-vingt-un	No "s" on "vingt" when followed
90	Quatre-vingt-dix	4 x 20 + 10
91	Quatre-vingt-onze	4 x 20 + 11
100	Cent

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

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

Part 1: Numbers 0-100 — The Foundation

Book a session with a PrepMyFrench teacher

PrepMyFrench Ebooks

Recorded French Courses

Belgian and Swiss Variants (for TCF)

Part 2: Numbers 100-1,000,000

Aiming for CLB 7+?

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

Part 4: Dates in French

Day/Month/Year Format

Rules:

Aiming for CLB 7+?

Part 5: Telling Time

24-Hour Clock (Used formally and in transport)

Midday/Midnight

Part 6: Phone Numbers

Aiming for CLB 7+?

Part 7: Prices and Percentages

Conclusion

Master A1 French in 60 Days

Master A2 French in 60 Days

Master B1 French in 60 Days

Master B2 French in 60 Days