Knowing how to count and share a phone number is one of the most immediately practical skills in any language. In this lesson you'll learn the numbers 0–5 as active vocabulary, plus 6–15 as passive vocabulary, and the full set up to 20 in the grammar section. You'll hear Camille and Lucas exchange phone numbers in a very natural Parisian way — French people group phone numbers in pairs, not individually. Prêt ? Let's count!
Learning tips
- French phone numbers are always 10 digits and traditionally read in pairs: 06 12 34 56 78 is said as 'zéro six, douze, trente-quatre, cinquante-six, soixante-dix-huit'. For now, you'll practise with the simple digits 0–5.
- The number 'un' (/œ̃/) has a nasal vowel — similar to the 'un' in 'under' but further back in the mouth. It's one of the trickiest French vowels for English speakers.
- Watch out for 'deux' /dø/ — it sounds nothing like the English word 'two'. The French 'eu' vowel is made by rounding your lips as if to say 'oh' but trying to say 'ay' at the same time.
- 'S'il vous plaît' literally means 'if it pleases you' — a polite formula to use whenever asking for something. You learned 's'il vous plaît' (formal) in this lesson; Lesson 1.6 will introduce 's'il te plaît' (informal).
- The numbers 17, 18, and 19 are compounds in French: dix-sept (ten-seven), dix-huit (ten-eight), dix-neuf (ten-nine). And 20 is simply 'vingt' — memorise this one separately.
Warm-up & Active Recall
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| travailler | to work |
| étudier | to study |
| le professeur | teacher / professor (male) |
| la professeure | teacher / professor (female) |
| l'étudiant | student (male) |
| l'étudiante | student (female) |
| le médecin | doctor |
| le bureau | the office |
| où | where |
| que | what (in questions) |
Dialog
Camille asks Lucas for his phone number and they exchange numbers. Notice how French phone numbers are stated: 'C'est le zéro un, deux trois, quatre cinq' — each number in a pair, preceded by 'le'. The word 'portable' means mobile/cell phone (literally 'portable phone'). 'Quel est ton numéro ?' (What's your number?) is a very useful phrase — 'quel' means 'what/which' and will appear frequently. 'C'est mon portable' = it's my mobile — 'mon' is the possessive adjective 'my' (masculine noun).
Vocabulary
Active words
| Word | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| zéro | /ze.ʁo/ | zero | The starting point for French phone numbers. 'Numéro zéro' is how you start a sequence. |
| un | /œ̃/ | one | Nasal vowel /œ̃/. Note: 'un' is both the number and the indefinite article (a/an) for masculine nouns. |
| deux | /dø/ | two | The rounded /ø/ vowel — lips in 'o' position, try to say 'ay'. Very different from English 'two'. |
| trois | /tʁwa/ | three | Contains the /tʁwa/ cluster — the French 'r' is uvular (back of throat). Practice: 'twah' with a French r. |
| quatre | /katʁ/ | four | The 're' ending is barely pronounced: /katʁ/, almost like 'katr'. The 'e' is very short. |
| cinq | /sɛ̃k/ | five | The 'q' in 'cinq' is pronounced: /sɛ̃k/. It ends in a 'k' sound — unlike most final consonants in French. |
| le numéro | /lə ny.me.ʁo/ | the number | Masculine noun. 'Quel est ton numéro ?' = What's your number? Use 'le numéro de téléphone' for phone number. |
| le téléphone | /lə te.le.fɔn/ | the telephone / phone | Masculine noun. Used in 'numéro de téléphone'. The word is nearly identical to English — a useful cognate. |
| le portable | /lə pɔʁ.tabl/ | the mobile phone / cell phone | Masculine noun. Literally 'portable'. The most common word for mobile/cell phone in everyday French. |
| s'il vous plaît | /sil vu plɛ/ | please (formal) | Formal polite request — use with strangers, authority figures, or anyone you'd address as 'vous'. Lesson 1.6 covers 's'il te plaît' (informal). |
Passive words
| Word | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| six | /sis/ | ||
| sept | /sɛt/ | ||
| huit | /ɥit/ | ||
| neuf | /nœf/ | ||
| dix | /dis/ | ||
| onze | /ɔ̃z/ | ||
| douze | /duz/ | ||
| treize | /tʁɛz/ | ||
| quatorze | /ka.tɔʁz/ | ||
| quinze | /kɛ̃z/ |
Useful chunks
| Word | Translation |
|---|---|
| quel est ton numéro ? | what's your number? |
| numéro de téléphone | phone number |
Grammar: Numbers 0-20
| Nombre | Français |
|---|---|
| 0 | zéro |
| 1 | un |
| 2 | deux |
| 3 | trois |
| 4 | quatre |
| 5 | cinq |
| 6 | six |
| 7 | sept |
| 8 | huit |
| 9 | neuf |
| 10 | dix |
| 11 | onze |
| 12 | douze |
| 13 | treize |
| 14 | quatorze |
| 15 | quinze |
| 16 | seize |
| 17 | dix-sept |
| 18 | dix-huit |
| 19 | dix-neuf |
| 20 | vingt |
The grammar focus for this lesson is numbers 0–20 in French. The first 16 are individual words to memorise; 17, 18, and 19 are compounds built from 'dix' (10) plus the unit:
| Number | French |
|---|---|
| 0 | zéro |
| 1 | un |
| 2 | deux |
| 3 | trois |
| 4 | quatre |
| 5 | cinq |
| 6 | six |
| 7 | sept |
| 8 | huit |
| 9 | neuf |
| 10 | dix |
| 11 | onze |
| 12 | douze |
| 13 | treize |
| 14 | quatorze |
| 15 | quinze |
| 16 | seize |
| 17 | dix-sept |
| 18 | dix-huit |
| 19 | dix-neuf |
| 20 | vingt |
For phone numbers, French speakers group digits in pairs and often precede the number with 'c'est le...' (it's...). So '01 23 45' becomes 'c'est le zéro un, vingt-trois, quarante-cinq' in full — though for now you'll practise with the simple digits you know.
Exercises
Fill in the Blanks
Complete each sentence with the correct French number or phone-related word.
- Mon numéro de , c'est le 06...(the device you call people on — masculine noun)
- Un, , trois, quatre, cinq.(the number between un and trois)
- , un, deux, trois...(the number before un — the starting digit)
- Quel est ton numéro de ?(the word for mobile/cell phone)
- S'il vous , quel est votre numéro ?(polite request word — formal version)
Grammar Application
Write each number out in French words.
- Écris en lettres : 3 → (the number 3 in French letters)
- Écris en lettres : 15 → (the number 15 in French letters)
- Écris en lettres : 11 → (the number 11 in French letters)
- Écris en lettres : 20 → (the number 20 in French letters)
- Écris en lettres : 0 → (the number 0 in French letters)
Translate into French
Translate each English sentence or phrase into French.
- What's your phone number?
- Zero one, two three, four five.
- It's my mobile.
- Please, your number?
- Thanks! One, two, three.
Build Your Own Sentence
Write a short exchange in French where you ask for and give a phone number. Use 'quel est ton numéro de portable ?', 'c'est le...', and the numbers you know.
Takeaway
French numbers 0–10 are individual words to memorise; 11–16 have unique forms; 17–19 are 'dix + unit'; and 20 is 'vingt' — and French phone numbers are always spoken in pairs, preceded by 'c'est le'.