vingt
/vɛ̃/
vingt is the French word for twenty.
vingt is used to represent the number twenty.
How does it change in a sentence?
While vingt is generally invariable in number, it can occasionally take an 's' to form vingts when referring to decades or specific groups, though this is much rarer than with other numbers.
How do you pronounce it?
/vɛ̃/
Did you know?
- When calculating the number eighty, French uses a mathematical expression. Instead of a unique word, they say quatre-vingts, which literally translates to 'four twenties'.
- The spelling of vingt was actually changed in the Middle Ages to include a 'g' that was not originally pronounced. This was done to visually link the word back to its Latin root, 'viginti'.
- The spelling of vingt can change its 's' status depending on what follows it. In 'quatre-vingts', the 's' is added, but in 'quatre-vingt-un', the 's' disappears.
Examples in context
- Il y a vingt personnes dans la salleThere are twenty people in the room.
- Il a vingt unités de productionHe has twenty units of production.
- J'ai besoin de vingt exemplaires du rapportI need twenty copies of the report.
- J'ai dépensé vingt balles pour ce T-shirtI spent twenty bucks on this T-shirt.
- Il y avait une vingtaine d'étudiants à la fêteThere were around twenty students at the party.
- J'ai vingt ans.I am twenty years old.
- Il y a vingt élèves.There are twenty students.
Example conversation
Lucas and Manon are at a bakery.
- LucasCombien coûte ce gâteau ?How much does this cake cost?
- ManonIl coûte vingt euros.It costs twenty euros.
- LucasC'est un peu cher.It is a bit expensive.
- ManonOui, mais il est délicieux.Yes, but it is delicious.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry vingt, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries vingt, CC BY-SA 4.0.
