Why is there no French word for seventy?
Switzerland uses ‘septante’ for 70, ‘octante’ or ‘huitante’ for 80 and ‘nonante’ for 90. In some parts of Belgium, some of these are used too. So why didn’t the French think of this? Many believe it ended up in French due to the influence of the Celts in France, whose languages use the base 20 system.
How do you count after 60 in French?
Let’s continue with the basics and learn how to count in tens from 10 to 60:
- 10 : dix.
- 20 : vingt.
- 30 : trente.
- 40 : quarante.
- 50 : cinquante.
- 60 : soixante.
Why do French only count to 60?
The reintroduction of a vigesimal system of counting by increments of 20 (e.g. soixante-dix “70” lit. “sixty-ten”; quatre-vingts “80” lit. “four-twenties”; quatre-vingt-dix “90” lit. “four-twenty-ten”) is due to North Germanic influence, first appearing in Normandy, in northern France.
What is the number 100 in French?
French Numbers 1-100: How to Count to 100 in French
| 1-10 | 11-20 | 91-100 |
|---|---|---|
| 7 sept | 17 dix-sept | 97 quatre-vingt-sept |
| 8 huit | 18 dix-huit | 98 quatre-vingt-dix-huit |
| 9 neuf | 19 dix-neuf | 99 quatre-vingt-dix-neuf |
| 10 dix | 20 vingt | 100 cent |
Is there a word for sixty in French?
Soixante-dix literally means “sixty-ten,” soixante et onze means “sixty and eleven,” soixante-douze is “sixty-twelve,” etc. Likewise, there’s no word for “eighty” in standard French.*
How are the numbers 61-70 spelled in French?
Here are the French Numbers 61-70. We’ve given a rough pronunciation but if your want to hear how it sounds make sure to play the video. If playback doesn’t begin shortly, try restarting your device.
What do the numbers 70 and 79 mean in French?
French Numbers: 70-79 Things start getting weird at 70 because standard French* doesn’t have a new “tens” word here; instead, soixante is kept and the “ones” just continue climbing into the teens: Soixante-dix literally means “sixty-ten,” soixante et onze means “sixty and eleven,” soixante-douze is “sixty-twelve,” etc.
What do you say when you say 70 in French?
In French-speaking Belgium and Switzerland, people don’t say “soixante-dix, quatre-vingts, quatre-vingt-dix”. They will instead follow the usual pattern as from 20 to 60 and use : Septante for 70 instead of Soixante-dix.
