mille neuf cent soixante-dix
standard
The year 1970 is mille neuf cent soixante-dix in French. In speech you can also hear dix-neuf cent soixante-dix.
Meaning: the year 1970 (numeral)
Ways to say it
| French | Note |
|---|---|
| mille neuf cent soixante-dix | standard |
| dix-neuf cent soixante-dix | spoken |
To say "in 1970" use en 1970, as in en mille neuf cent soixante-dix. Use en for years, not dans or à.
What does it mean word for word?
The year is read as a normal number: mille (1000), neuf cent (900) and soixante-dix (70). Note that soixante-dix literally means "sixty-ten".
How does it change in a sentence?
In dates the word mille can be written mil, so you may see l'an mil neuf cent soixante-dix in formal writing.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers split the year as "nineteen seventy". French does not read years in pairs in standard speech, so dix-neuf soixante-dix sounds wrong.
Did you know?
- The French word for 70, soixante-dix, is used in France, while Belgium and Switzerland use septante.
Examples in context
- Je suis né en mille neuf cent soixante-dix.I was born in 1970.
- En 1970, mes parents habitaient à Lyon.In 1970, my parents lived in Lyon.
- Ce film date de 1970.This film dates from 1970.
Example conversation
Thomas asks his grandmother Odile in Lyon when she got married.
- ThomasMamie, tu t'es mariée quand?Grandma, when did you get married?
- OdileEn mille neuf cent soixante-dix.In 1970.
- ThomasC'était il y a longtemps!That was a long time ago!
