Introduction

This chapter deals with numbers, including:

1. – cardinal and ordinal numbers

2. – approximate numbers and fractions

3. – measurements

4. – dates

5. – seasons and other periods of time

6. – time of day

7. – age

8. – prices/rates

Numbers

In French (as in English), cardinal numbers are used with nouns to specify a certain number of items; ordinal numbers are used to indicate the rank or position of the item to which the noun refers. There are a few exceptions however, particularly with reference to numbers attached to the names of monarchs and popes, or dates which are conveyed differently in the two languages.

Cardinal numbers

For list, see appendix 2.

1. (i) Determiners or pronouns?

1. – Cardinal numbers are generally determiners which indicate a quantity or a precise number of items. They can be used by themselves, e.g. deux chats, or with the following determiners:

1. – the definite article e.g. les deux chats

2. – the possessive adjective e.g. mes deux chats

3. – the demonstrative adjective e.g. ces deux chats

4. – the interrogative adjective e.g. quels deux chats?

They cannot be used with the indefinite article or with the indefinite quantifiers (note that quelque singular as in e.g. quelque dix personnes is an adverb and indicates an approximation: see chapter 36 Indefinite Words).

1. – Cardinal numbers can also be pronouns.

2. – Subject. Compare:

3. – Object: as an object, the numeral cardinal pronoun requires the presence of the personal pronoun en (see chapter 31 Personal Pronouns, section 2.2.2.7(iii)).