French numbers 1 to 20: un, deux, trois: what children learn
Numbers are some of the most useful French words: for ages, dates, prices, phone numbers and games. In Key Stage 2, children learn to count to 20 and beyond. The numbers 1 to 16 each have their own word (un, deux, trois … seize). From 17, French builds numbers from pieces: dix-sept is “ten-seven”, dix-huit is “ten-eight” and dix-neuf is “ten-nine”. Then comes vingt, 20.
This game shows a French number word and asks for its value, or gives a number and asks which French word matches. Every word has one value, so there is always one right answer. Spotting the pattern in 17, 18 and 19 is a good example of the curriculum’s aim to understand new words using what you already know.
This topic covers a Key Stage 2 statutory requirement in the National Curriculum in England (Subject content): pupils should be taught to “broaden their vocabulary and develop their ability to understand new words that are introduced into familiar written material, including through using a dictionary”. The programme of study sets this for the whole of Key Stage 2, so schools choose when to teach it; we have placed this game in Year 4 (ages 8–9).
There is no direct equivalent in the US Common Core State Standards.
How to play
Answer 10 questions before the clock runs out. Tap an answer, or press 1 to 4. Each game has 10 multiple-choice questions and a 150-second timer. A wrong answer shows the correct one before moving on. You earn up to three stars depending on your score.
Step by step
- Count 1 to 10. Un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq, six, sept, huit, neuf, dix. Count stairs, steps or claps.
- Learn 11 to 16. Onze, douze, treize, quatorze, quinze, seize. These have to be learned; they do not follow a pattern.
- Spot the pattern for 17 to 19. Dix-sept, dix-huit, dix-neuf: ten plus seven, eight, nine.
- Finish at 20. Vingt. The t is silent on its own.
- Use them every day. Say your age, count toys or read prices in French.
Worked examples
Example 1: What number is douze?
Working: It comes after onze (11).
Answer: 12.
Example 2: Which of these is 18 in French?
Working: Use the pattern: ten-eight.
Answer: Dix-huit.
Example 3: What number is quinze?
Working: Quatorze is 14; quinze comes next.
Answer: 15.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Mixing up quatre (4) and quatorze (14). Quatorze has the extra -orze ending, like the -teen in fourteen.
- Mixing up six (6) and seize (16). Seize sounds like “sez” and is the teen number.
- Writing dix sept without the hyphen. Numbers 17 to 19 are written with a hyphen: dix-sept.
Activities to try at home
- Count out loud in French when you climb stairs.
- Play snakes and ladders and count the squares in French.
- Say everyone’s age in French at a family meal.
- Print the game sheet and play it together.
Ideas for the classroom
- Play “buzz” in French: count round the class, saying “buzz” for multiples of 5.
- Use mini-whiteboards: the teacher says a French number, pupils write the digits.
- Play French number bingo.
- Use the quiz as a warm-up.
Free printable game and worksheet
The free printable starts with a game sheet, such as a colour-by-answer picture, an answer maze or a secret-code joke, followed by a worksheet. Both use the same checked questions as the online game, and the answers are on the last page. Print it, or save it as a PDF from your browser’s print menu.
Open the free printable game and worksheet
Frequently asked questions
Why does the game stop at 20?
Numbers 1 to 20 are the building blocks. From 21, French uses patterns such as vingt et un and vingt-deux.
Is “un” also the word for “a”?
Yes. Un means one and also “a” before masculine nouns: un chat, a cat.
Why do the French say “quatre-vingts” for 80?
It means four twenties. It is a fun pattern for older pupils.