Large numbers in French, including vocabulary from thousands to trillions and examples for using and understanding big numerical values in context.
Understanding large numbers in French requires special vocabulary for thousands, millions, billions, and beyond. French uses a logical system for naming big numbers, but there are some important details to know—like how "milliard" means billion (not million) and how "billion" in French is actually a trillion in English. This guide will walk you through the essential large number words and how to use them all.
Thousands
In French, the word for "thousand" is mille, and unlike other numbers, it does not take an "s" in the plural form. You simply write mille for both 1,000 and multiple thousands (e.g., 2,000 = deux mille). When counting thousands, just put the number before mille.
| French (sing./pl.) | English (sing./pl.) | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| mille | thousand | J’ai mille euros. | I have one thousand euros. |
| deux mille | two thousand | Il y a deux mille personnes. | There are two thousand people. |
| dix mille | ten thousand | Elle a gagné dix mille dollars. | She won ten thousand dollars. |
| vingt mille | twenty thousand | Vingt mille étudiants sont inscrits. | Twenty thousand students are enrolled. |
| cinquante mille | fifty thousand | L’usine produit cinquante mille unités. | The factory produces fifty thousand units. |
Il y a ____ personnes dans la salle.
How do you say 'two thousand' in French?
deux mille
'Deux mille' means 'two thousand' in French. You simply place the number before 'mille' without changing 'mille'.
Millions
The word for "million" is million and, unlike mille, it is a noun that agrees in the plural (millions). Always use de after "million" when specifying a quantity (e.g., un million de personnes).
| French (sing./pl.) | English (sing./pl.) | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| un million | one million | Il y a un million de visiteurs. | There are one million visitors. |
| deux millions | two million | La ville a deux millions d’habitants. | The city has two million residents. |
| dix millions | ten million | Cette entreprise vaut dix millions d’euros. | This company is worth ten million euros. |
| cinquante millions | fifty million | Cinquante millions de personnes regardent ce spectacle. | Fifty million people watch this show. |
| cent millions | one hundred million | Le réseau compte cent millions d’utilisateurs. | The network has one hundred million users. |
| trois cent millions | three hundred million | Trois cent millions d’arbres ont été plantés. | Three hundred million trees have been planted. |
Milliards
Milliard is the French word for billion (1,000,000,000). Like million, it is a noun that takes an "s" in the plural (milliards) and is followed by de when specifying quantities.
| French (sing./pl.) | English (sing./pl.) | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| un milliard | one billion | Le projet coûte un milliard d’euros. | The project costs one billion euros. |
| deux milliards | two billion | Deux milliards de personnes utilisent Internet. | Two billion people use the Internet. |
| dix milliards | ten billion | La dette mondiale est de dix milliards de dollars. | The global debt is ten billion dollars. |
| cinquante milliards | fifty billion | La société a gagné cinquante milliards cette année. | The company earned fifty billion this year. |
| cent milliards | one hundred billion | Cent milliards d’actions sont en circulation. | One hundred billion shares are in circulation. |
Billions and Beyond
In French, billion means trillion (1,000,000,000,000). French uses a long scale system, so after milliard comes billion (trillion in English), billiard (quadrillion), and so on, but these larger terms are rarely used outside scientific or financial contexts.
| French (sing./pl.) | English (sing./pl.) | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| un billion | one trillion | Un billion d’étoiles existe dans cette galaxie. | One trillion stars exist in this galaxy. |
| deux billions | two trillion | La dette atteint deux billions de yens. | The debt reaches two trillion yen. |
| un billiard | one quadrillion | Un billiard est un nombre incroyablement grand. | One quadrillion is an incredibly large number. |
| un trilliard | one sextillion | Les nombres trilliards sont utilisés en astronomie. | Sextillion numbers are used in astronomy. |
| un quadrillion | one quintillion | Quadrillions dépassent l’imagination humaine. | Quintillions surpass human imagination. |
Un ____ d’étoiles existe dans cette galaxie.
What does 'billion' mean in French?
billion
In French, 'billion' means one trillion (1,000,000,000,000) in the long scale system.
Summary
- mille = thousand (no "s" in plural)
- million = million (plural: millions, use de)
- milliard = billion (plural: milliards, use de)
- billion = trillion (French long scale)
- Larger numbers like billiard, trilliard, and quadrillion exist but are rare
- Use de after million/milliard when specifying quantities (e.g., un million de personnes)
Understanding these key terms will help you read, write, and talk about large numbers confidently in French.
Flashcards (1 of 21)
- English (sing./pl.): thousand
- English Example: I have one thousand euros.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
