deux cents
/dø sɑ̃/
The English phrase "two hundred" is translated into French as deux cents.
deux cents is the cardinal number used to represent the quantity 200.
Meaning: cardinal number 200 (num)
Which one should you use?
Use deux cents when the number is exactly 200. If the number is followed by another digit, such as 201 or 202, the s is dropped and you use deux cent instead.
How does it change in a sentence?
In French, the word cents takes an s when it is multiplied by two and ends the number. However, the s is dropped from cent if it is followed by another number.
How do you pronounce it?
/dø sɑ̃/
Did you know?
- While deux cents means 200, the word cent is also used in French to mean 'percent' through the phrase pour cent, which literally translates to 'for hundred'.
- The word cent shares a root with the English word 'century', as both come from the Latin word for 100.
- Counting by hundreds in French allows for the use of centaines, a word that means 'hundreds' but is often used vaguely to mean 'a great many'.
Examples in context
- J'ai payé deux cents dollars de taxes.I paid two hundred dollars in taxes.This sentence shows how to use deux cents when discussing monetary amounts.Tatoeba #3707181 by Alexs, translation #3707185 by MTC
- C'est un village de deux cents habitants.It's a village of two hundred inhabitants.This sentence illustrates deux cents when describing a population.Tatoeba #11982721 by lbdx, translation #2267439 by _undertoad
- Le temple fut érigé il y a deux cents ans.The shrine was built two hundred years ago.This sentence uses deux cents to refer to a period of time in the past.Tatoeba #458682 by sacredceltic, translation #46054 by CK
- L'hôtel a coûté deux cents euros la nuit.The hotel cost two hundred euros per night.
- Le magasin vend des jouets pour deux cent francs.The store sells toys for two hundred francs.
- 22 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Hugo are checking the inventory at a bookstore.
- ChloéIl reste deux cents livres en stock.There are two hundred books left in stock.
- HugoEst-ce que c'est beaucoup pour lui ?Is that a lot for him?
- ChloéOui, il doit tout ranger.Yes, he has to put everything away.
- HugoBon courage à lui alors.Good luck to him then.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “two hundred” translations and entries deux cents, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
