Expressing numbers 70 to 999 in French

This lesson focusses on how to form French numbers after 69, as the patterns become more complex then.

Note that French numbers between 0 and 19 are as irregular as in English.
Between 20 and 69, the numbers follow the same pattern:
20: vingt  -> 23: vingt-trois
40: quarante   ->  41: quarante-et-un  
Here are links to our French vocabulary lists for numbers 0 to 69: 
0 to 10
 
Note: Before the 1990 Spelling Reform, numbers including et as well as numbers higher than 100 didn’t include the hyphen. Therefore you might encounter numbers such as 41 / 200 written as quarante et un / deux cents. However, nowadays, following the Spelling Reform it is recommended to use hyphens with any numbers lower or greater than 100 (quarante-et-un / deux-cents). 

Learn how to count from 70 to 999 in French

70 = soixante-dix

In French, we actually say "sixty-ten" (60 + 10) to express seventy.
71 = 60 + 11 = soixante et onze    (No hyphen)
72 = 60 + 12 = soixante-douze
73 = 60 + 13 = soixante-treize
74 = 60 + 14 = soixante-quatorze
75 = 60 + 15 = soixante-quinze
76 = 60 + 16 = soixante-seize
77 = 60 + 17 = soixante-dix-sept
78 = 60 + 18 = soixante-dix-huit
79 = 60 + 19 = soixante-dix-neuf
 

80 = quatre-vingts

In French, to express eighty, we actually say "four-twenties
(4 x 20).
 
Note that quatre-vingts takes an "s" unless it's followed by another numerical adjective. 
quatre-vingtseighty
quatre-vingt-huiteighty-eight
J'ai quatre-vingts euros.I have eighty euros.
-> here euros is not a numerical adjective, so you agree.
Note also that 81 is quatre-vingt-un without et in between.
 

90 = quatre-vingt-dix

As for seventyninety becomes "eighty-ten" (80 + 10) in French.
91 = 80 + 11 = quatre-vingt-onze    (Note: NO et, just like 81)
92 = 80 + 12 = quatre-vingt-douze
93 = 80 + 13 = quatre-vingt-treize
94 = 80 + 14 = quatre-vingt-quatorze
95 = 80 + 15 = quatre-vingt-quinze
96 = 80 + 16 = quatre-vingt-seize
97 = 80 + 17 = quatre-vingt-dix-sept
98 = 80 + 18 = quatre-vingt-dix-huit
99 = 80 + 19 = quatre-vingt-dix-neuf
 

100 = cent

In French, to express one hundred, we simply say cent (never un cent
 
When it comes to hundreds, the rule of agreement of cent(s) is the same as for quatre-vingt(s): you write cents unless it's followed by another numerical adjective. 
deux-centstwo hundred
trois-cent-quarantethree hundred and forty
J'ai cinq-cents euros.I have five hundred euros.
  -> here euros is not a numerical adjective, so you agree.
 
 

Numbers + nouns

Ma grand-mère a quatre-vingt-quatorze ans.My grandmother is ninety-four years old.

Mon oncle a soixante-douze poules.My uncle has seventy-two hens.

Laurent a dépensé soixante-dix-huit euros hier.Laurent spent seventy-eight euros yesterday.

J'ai quatre-vingt-trois dollars dans ma tirelire.I have eighty-three dollars in my piggy bank.

Il y a quatre-vingt-dix-neuf animaux dans ce zoo.There are ninety-nine animals in that zoo.

Note that to say how many things there are, you simply use the number + thing (plural after 1), for numbers up to 999.

 

For larger numbers, see lesson Expressing large numbers -thousands/millions/billions - in French

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Examples and resources

Laurent a dépensé soixante-dix-huit euros hier.Laurent spent seventy-eight euros yesterday.
J'ai quatre-vingt-trois dollars dans ma tirelire.I have eighty-three dollars in my piggy bank.
Il y a quatre-vingt-dix-neuf animaux dans ce zoo.There are ninety-nine animals in that zoo.
deux-centstwo hundred
J'ai quatre-vingts euros.I have eighty euros.
J'ai cinq-cents euros.I have five hundred euros.
quatre-vingt-huiteighty-eight
trois-cent-quarantethree hundred and forty
soixante-douzeseventy-two
soixante-dix-septseventy-seven
quatre-vingt-quatorzeninety-four
quatre-vingt-quinzeninety-five
quatre-vingtseighty
Mon oncle a soixante-douze poules.My uncle has seventy-two hens.
Ma grand-mère a quatre-vingt-quatorze ans.My grandmother is ninety-four years old.
Thinking...