Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| soixante-dix | /swa.sɑ̃t.dis/ /swa.sɑ̃t.di/ |
France, Luxembourg, Quebec |
| septante | /sɛp.tɑ̃t/ | Belgium, Congo Kinshasa, France, Northern, Switzerland, masculine |
| trois vingt dix | dated, masculine |
The phrase is used as a cardinal number to represent the quantity 70. For example, the number seventy-nine is soixante-dix-neuf.
What does it mean word for word?
The standard form soixante-dix is literally sixty-ten.
Which one should you use?
In France, the number seventy is expressed as soixante-dix (sixty-ten), whereas in Belgium and parts of Switzerland, septante is used.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
soixante-dix is the formal way to say seventy in French. trois vingt dix is an archaic or dated way to say the number.
Is it said differently in some regions?
septante is the most commonly used term for seventy in Belgian French and Swiss French. It is also used in Congo-Kinshasa and Northern France. soixante-dix is the form used in France, Luxembourg and Quebec.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Both septante and trois vingt dix are masculine.
How do you pronounce it?
soixante-dix is pronounced /swa.sɑ̃t.dis/ and consists of 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word septante was once spelled setante in Old French, but the letter 'p' was later added back to make it look more like its Latin ancestor, 'septuaginta'.
- If you are in a French classroom in Paris and use septante, you might be identified as someone from Belgium, Switzerland, or a French-speaking African nation.
Examples in context
- Je pesais septante kilos.I used to weigh seventy kilos.This sentence uses septante to describe weight.Tatoeba #3547083 by GB3, translation #3546537 by mervert1
- Elles pesaient soixante-dix kilogrammes.They weighed seventy kilograms.This sentence uses soixante-dix to describe weight.Tatoeba #5275705 by martin9, translation #9096965 by sundown
- L’école a été fondée il y a septante ans.The school was founded seventy years ago.This sentence uses septante to describe a period of years.Tatoeba #12401858 by sacredceltic, translation #48942 by Nylez
- 20 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel are looking at a vintage book in a shop.
- EmmaCe livre a soixante-dix ans.This book is seventy years old.
- GabrielC'est un très bel objet.It is a very beautiful object.
- EmmaIl coûte combien ?How much does it cost?
- GabrielJe vais demander au vendeur.I will ask the seller.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “seventy” translations and entries soixante-dix, septante, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dix, septante, trois, vingt, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
