Mada za sehemu hiiRelate words with objects in the environmentMada 1
- Use numbers up to 500 orally and in writing
Numbers in French: Writing and Using Numbers Up to 500
In French, knowing how to read, write, and say numbers is essential for everyday activities like shopping, asking for prices, and counting objects. In this lesson, you will learn how to use numbers from 100 to 500 both orally (by speaking) and in writing (by spelling them out).
Key Vocabulary
| Number | In Figures | In Words (French) |
|---|---|---|
| One hundred | 100 | cent |
| Two hundred | 200 | deux cents |
| Three hundred | 300 | trois cents |
| Four hundred | 400 | quatre cents |
| Five hundred | 500 | cinq cents |
Important Rules
- Cent (hundred) does NOT take an "s" when followed by another number.
- 200 = deux cents (no "s")
- 201 = deux cent un (no "s")
- Un is used before cent for 101, 201, 301, etc.
- 101 = cent un
- 201 = deux cent un
- 301 = trois cent un
Numbers Between 100 and 500
| Number | French |
|---|---|
| 110 | cent dix |
| 120 | cent vingt |
| 130 | cent trente |
| 145 | cent quarante-cinq |
| 200 | deux cents |
| 250 | deux cent cinquante |
| 300 | trois cents |
| 350 | trois cent cinquante |
| 400 | quatre cents |
| 420 | quatre cent vingt |
| 500 | cinq cents |
From the textbook dialogues, we see numbers used when buying items at the market or shop. Here are useful phrases:
Useful Shopping Phrases
- Ça coûte combien? — How much does it cost?
- C'est combien? — How much is it?
- Je voudrais... — I would like...
- Voilà l'argent. — Here is the money.
- Tenez la monnaie. — Keep the change.
Worked Example: Market Dialogue
Scenario: Mariam goes to buy bread at a shop.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Vendeuse : Bonjour, vous désirez ? | Shopkeeper: Hello, what would you like? |
| Mariam : Je voudrais un pain, s'il vous plaît. | Mariam: I would like a bread, please. |
| Vendeuse : Ça fait cinq cents shillings. | Shopkeeper: That is five hundred shillings. |
| Mariam : Merci. Voici l'argent. | Mariam: Thank you. Here is the money. |
In this dialogue, the price cinq cents (500) is written in words, not numbers.
When writing prices in French exercises, write the number in words, not digits.
Practice Examples
| Price (in digits) | Written in Words |
|---|---|
| 500 shillings | cinq cents shillings |
| 800 shillings | huit cents shillings |
| 300 shillings | trois cents shillings |
| 1 000 shillings | mille shillings |
Converting Numbers to Words
- 520 = cinq cent vingt
- 489 = quatre cent quatre-vingt-neuf
- 501 = cinq cent un
- 415 = quatre cent quinze
- 333 = trois cent trente-trois
Practice this dialogue with a partner using numbers up to 500:
Student A (Buyer): Bonjour ! Je voudrais des pommes de terre, s'il vous plaît.
Student B (Seller): Bonjour ! Combien de kilos ?
Student A: Trois kilos, s'il vous plaît. Ça coûte combien ?
Student B: C'est trois cents shillings.
Student A: D'accord. Je vais aussi prendre un kilo de sucre.
Student B: Ça fait cinq cents shillings au total !
- Numbers 100-500 are formed by combining hundreds + tens + units
- Remember: cent does not take "s" when another number follows
- Use et only in numbers 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, 71 (vingt et un, etc.)
- Practice saying prices aloud to improve oral skills
In Tanzania, you use numbers in French when shopping at markets or shops, asking for prices of items like fruits, vegetables, or household goods. For example, if you buy 3 kilos of oranges at 150 shillings per kilo at a local market, you can say "Je voudrais trois kilos d'oranges, s'il vous plaît. Ça coûte quatre cent cinquante shillings" — this helps you communicate when buying items and counting money in everyday life.
Swali
How do you write the number 500 in French?
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