Count to Ten in French & How to Memorize Numbers

If you are a beginner learning French, learning how to pronounce and use French numbers is a great way to familiarize yourself with the French language. The first step is to learn how to count to ten in French and the correct pronunciation of each of the numbers.

Once you learn the French numbers from zero to ten, you can then learn how to count beyond ten in French with ease.

Why Learn to Count in French?

Counting in French is an essential part of speaking French and the French language. Think about how often you use numbers in your everyday life and imagine how difficult it would be if you didn’t know your numbers.

Here are a few examples of where we often use numbers in our everyday lives and therefore how learning French numbers is a critical part in speaking French:

Telling time: Reading the time, asking for the time and telling someone what the time is.
Shopping: Asking for the cost of a product, looking out for discounts or bargaining can be difficult if you don’t know your numbers.
Getting directions: If you are lost, you will often need to ask someone for directions using the address. They may respond by giving you the number of streets to go past, or the number of blocks to walk by.
Using the phone: Calling someone on the phone, or providing your number to someone.
Cooking: Reading recipes and weighing ingredients.

How to Count to 10 in French

Below are the numbers from zero to ten in French. You will first see each number written in French. This is the spelling of each of the French numbers. This is important to remember how to spell and read French numbers as the written form is often used too.

In order to learn how to pronounce numbers in French, click on the audio icon and repeat what you hear. These are audios of native French speakers. By listening to each audio, you will begin to understand how to correctly pronounce the numbers with a French accent.

In the brackets, the French number is spelled phonetically for you to help you correctly pronounce the numbers.

0. zéro (zeh-ro)

1. un (uh)

2. deux (duh)

3. trois (twah)

4. quatre (kat-ruh)

5. cinq (sank)

6. six (sees)

7. sept (set)

8. huit (weet)

9. neuf (nuhf)

10. dix (dees)

3 Ways to Memorize French Numbers

Now that you are familiar with French numbers from zero to ten, you need to find effective ways to memorize French numbers so you don’t forget them. It can be easy to familiarize yourself with counting to 10 in French using this page. However, you can easily forget French numbers over time. This is a common problem many French learners struggle with and can often hinder them from really becoming fluent in French. It is important to really know your French numbers in order to be able to use them instinctively while traveling or in your everyday life with ease.

Here are 3 ways to memorize French numbers:

1. French Numbers Songs & Videos

There are a large number of Youtube videos that focus on counting in French. This is a great way to learn the French numbers easily and for free. Here’s an example of one:

The downside of this method is that you will need to listen and watch these videos often in order for you to remember them long-term.

Also, many of the videos target learning French numbers for children, which means the content and tunes may not be suitable for adults trying to learn French numbers. It can be difficult to find content that is relevant to you and your interests in order to memorize the numbers.

2. Anki Flashcards

Anki is a free software that you can download to learn just about anything, including French numbers. Anki uses a spaced repetition system to show you flashcards in order to learn French numbers over time.

Basically you are presented with a flashcard containing a French number, the audio and a relevant image. You will learn the number shown and over time, the software will gradually spread the timeframe in which you see this flashcard in order to test your long-term memory of the French number.

There are a few benefits to this method to memorize French numbers. Apart from Anki being completely free to download and use, the software does all the hard work for you in determining when you need to revise certain French numbers. It will keep a record of which numbers you know and which numbers you are finding difficult to remember. It will then automatically test you on spelling and pronunciation of each of the numbers until you know your French numbers fluently.

Anki also has its own app and the flashcards can be easily synced from your computer to phone, allowing you to learn French numbers anywhere, anytime.

You can essentially use this software to learn not just French numbers, but the French language from beginner’s level to advanced level.

Although the software is free, it is important to note that it does not come with the flashcards built in. This means you will need to create your own set of flashcards. This can be time consuming and difficult for those who are unfamiliar with how to create flashcards for Anki.

A solution to this is to purchase an Anki French Numbers Flashcards Deck, which can be installed in Anki. This is a low-cost product that will save you spending hours of your time creating the flashcards from scratch. It also ensures that you are learning the correct pronunciation from a native French speaker and the French numbers correctly. Here is an example of a flashcard you receive in your deck:

Example of a French “Pronounce the Number” flashcard

3. Listen to French Numbers Audios

A lot of French language learners enjoy revising content while driving or commuting to and from work. It can be an effective way to utilize your time while doing odd chores, driving or other activities.

You can download the audios of French numbers on this page by right clicking the audio icon and saving the file. The audios can then be added to a playlist on your phone. All you’ll need to do is to play them and repeat what you hear to continue practicing your pronunciation of French numbers.

These are 3 ways to help you memorize how to count to ten in French. You can try all 3 methods or use a mixture of these methods that suits your lifestyle and what works best for you. If you want to learn how to count in French beyond ten, you will also need to learn eleven to twenty and the pattern used to create numbers beyond twenty. You can read more about counting in French here.