How to Count to Ten in French

• Learn the number words, starting with 1 through 5 and then learning the next 5, listing them all together when you’re ready.
• If you need help with pronunciation, pinch your nose and practice mouth exercises to sound more French.
• Use numbers in bigger conversations, remembering when to drop the final consonant and change the gender of “un” depending on context.

Learning the Number Words

Start with numbers one through five. When you're learning to count in a new language, it can help to learn the numbers in small groups. Practice with the first five numbers until you have the words memorized, then move on to the next five. One is un (ahn). Two is deux (deuh). Three is trois (twah). Four is quatre (katr). Five is cinq (sank).

Learn numbers six through ten. After you've memorized numbers one through five and can rattle them off the top of your head, you're ready to move on to the next phase. Pay close attention to six, which is spelled the same in French and English but pronounced very differently. Six is six (seese). Seven is sept (set). Eight is huit (wheet). Nine is neuf (nurf). Ten is dix (deese).

Put all the numbers together to count to ten in French. Now that you've memorized all the number words, practice counting to ten. Just like in English, most other French numbers are based on these first ten numbers, so you have a good base to learn the rest of the numbers. If you're having a hard time remembering all the number words or putting them in the right order, search online for French counting songs for children. The melody may help you remember, just as you may have used counting songs to help you learn English.

Memorize the French word for "zero." The French word for "zero" can throw you off, because it's spelled almost exactly as it is in English, but is pronounced slightly differently. The accent mark in zéro indicates that the e should be pronounced with a long-a sound: ZAY-roh.

Perfecting Your Pronunciation

Pinch your nose to get the correct sound for un. The French word for "one" includes a nasally vowel sound that doesn't exist in English, so it can be difficult to pronounce right. Practice making the sound while holding your nose lightly with your fingers. You also may be able to learn to squeeze your nostrils together slightly as you pronounce the word, similar to the way you would tighten them as you inhaled.

Practice mouth exercises to pronounce the French u correctly. The French u sound, as in neuf, is another sound that doesn't exist in English. This sound can be particularly difficult for English speakers trying to learn French. Start by opening your mouth and making an oh sound. Draw out the sound until your lips are flatter, like they would be if you were making a w sound. Purse your lips together and make an eee sound. This approximates the French u. You may have to practice this exercise several times a day for several weeks before it starts coming naturally. Distinguish the French u from the French ou sound. While they are similar, you must be able to tell them apart if you want to pronounce French words correctly. The French ou sound is similar to the same ou sound in English.

Pronounce the French r in your throat. The French r, found in quatre, is a guttural sound, similar to the ch in "Loch Ness." To approximate this sound, press the tip of your tongue to the back of your bottom teeth as you pronounce the letter. You can practice just by saying "rah rah rah," or try the French word ronronner, which means "to purr."

Memorize the pronunciation without looking at the words. Some number words, such as "six," are spelled the same in French as they are in English. If English is your first language, it can be difficult not to read these words with the English pronunciation. This is especially important with words such as zéro and six that look like English words, but it is also important with others that are pronounced radically different in French. For example, if you saw the word deux, you might sound it out from the letters as "ducks." To practice, make yourself flash cards with only the numeral on it, not the French word spelled out.

Watch French videos online. Watching movies or videos by native French speakers can help you become more familiar with the way the language sounds. You don't even have to watch the visuals – you can just close your eyes and listen. Listening to French music can help as well, particularly slower songs so you can hear the syllables distinctly. Don't worry if you don't understand the words at this point. You're just listening to the pronunciation, not trying to understand what's being said.

Putting Numbers in Context

Change the gender for un when necessary. Because the French word for "one" also is used for the article "a", it must match the gender of the subject when used as an article rather than a specific amount of something. Create the feminine form by adding an e to the end: une (oon). For example, you might say "J'ai une chaise," or "I have one chair." If you're not sure whether a word is feminine or masculine, look at the ending. Some endings, such as -ée or -enne, are always feminine. Other endings, such as -ent or -il, are masculine.

Learn when to drop the final consonant. There are four numbers (cinq, six, huit, and dix) in French where the final consonant typically is dropped if they come immediately before another word with a consonant. For example, if you were saying "ten minutes" in French, you would say "dix minutes," but it would be pronounced dee min-OOT.

Use avoir to talk about age. In English, you would say "I am ten years old," but in French you use the correct conjugated form of the verb avoir, which means "to have." To say you were ten years old in French, you would say "J'ai dix ans," which literally translates to "I have ten years."