French for Beginners: Lesson 2 – French Numbers from 1 to 20
Mastery of numbers is essential for communication. The first twenty numbers must be well memorized. Take the time to repeat them several times.
✚ Objectives:
- learn the pronunciation and spelling of numbers in French from one to twenty
Listen and repeat the French numbers from 1 to 20:
1. French Numbers from 1 to 10
First, let’s learn numbers from 1 to 10.
| French Number | Phonetic Spelling (English) | IPA | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| un | uhn | œ̃ | One |
| deux | duhr | dø | Two |
| trois | trwah | tʁwɑ | Three |
| quatre | katr | katʁ | Four |
| cinq | sank | sɛ̃k | Five |
| six | sees | sis | Six |
| sept | set | sɛt | Seven |
| huit | weet | ɥit | Eight |
| neuf | nuhf | nœf | Nine |
| dix | dees | dis | Ten |
📌 Pronunciation Tips:
Pay attention to the nasal sounds in numbers like “un” and “neuf”.
The final consonants in “six” and “dix” are pronounced, unlike in some other words.
2. French Numbers from 11 to 20
Now, let’s move on to the numbers from 11 to 20.
| French Number | Phonetic Spelling (English) | IPA | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| onze | ohnz | ɔ̃z | Eleven |
| douze | dooz | duz | Twelve |
| treize | trehz | tʁɛz | Thirteen |
| quatorze | kat-ORZ | katɔʁz | Fourteen |
| quinze | kanz | kɛ̃z | Fifteen |
| seize | sayz | sɛz | Sixteen |
| dix-sept | dees-set | dis.sɛt | Seventeen |
| dix-huit | dees-weet | di.z‿ɥit | Eighteen |
| dix-neuf | dees-nuhf | di.z‿nœf | Nineteen |
| vingt | van | vɛ̃ | Twenty |
Practice Exercise
- Lesson 1 : Introduction to French – Basic greetings
- Lesson 1. 5 : Introduction – Saying Your Name and the French Alphabet
- Lesson 2 : Numbers from 1 to 20.
- Lesson 3 : Days of the week and months of the year.
- Lesson 3.5 : french pronunciation
- Lesson 4 : Personal pronouns and the verb “to be” (être).