mille neuf cent soixante-deux
The French phrase for the year nineteen sixty-two is mille neuf cent soixante-deux.
This phrase is used to refer to the specific year 1962.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is constructed literally as one thousand nine hundred sixty-two.
How does it change in a sentence?
While English speakers often group years into two sets of two digits (nineteen sixty-two), French expresses the year as a single large number: mille neuf cent soixante-deux (one thousand nine hundred sixty-two).
Did you know?
- In some French-speaking regions, particularly in Belgium, you might hear the year 1962 spoken as dix-neuf cent soixante-deux, which more closely mirrors the English style of grouping by hundreds.
- Unlike in English, where 'thousand' can be pluralized when used as a vague number, the word mille is strictly invariable and never takes an 's' even when there are several thousand.
- The word neuf used for the number 'nine' and the word neuf meaning 'new' both entered Middle French from different Latin roots, novem and novus respectively.
Examples in context
- C'était en mille neuf cent soixante-deux.It was in nineteen sixty-two.
- Ce film est sorti en mille neuf cent soixante-deux.This movie was released in nineteen sixty-two.
- Je suis né en mille neuf cent soixante-deux.I was born in nineteen sixty-two.
Example conversation
Hugo and Léa are looking at an old photograph.
- HugoRegarde cette photo de mon grand-père.Look at this photo of my grandfather.
- LéaElle a été prise quand ?When was it taken?
- HugoElle date de mille neuf cent soixante-deux.It dates from nineteen sixty-two.
- LéaC'est une très belle image, Hugo.It is a very beautiful image, Hugo.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cent, mille, neuf, CC BY-SA 4.0.
