Section 2.10
2.10.1 Years
In this session you visit the musée Angladon-Dubrujeaud, where you find out about the life of the painter Vincent van Gogh.
Key Learning Points
Understanding and using the numbers 70 to 100
Identifying and using dates (years)
Distinguishing between
as in vin and [ã] as in vent
Activité 50
You met the numbers 1 to 69 and 1,000 (mille). You will need these to understand and use dates in French. Here are just a few of them. Say them aloud.
Prononcez à haute voix.
13 – 54 – 21 – 42 – 19 – 33 – 26 – 45 – 68 – 57
Answer
You can go back and listen to Extracts 52, 53 and 54 if you are unsure of the pronunciation.
treize
cinquante-quatre
vingt et un
quarante-deux
dix-neuf
trente-trois
vingt-six
quarante-cinq
soixante-huit
cinquante-sept
Activité 51
To be able to say years, you need to learn more numbers. Listen to the following in Extract 68 and repeat.
Écoutez et répétez.
70 – 71 – 72 – 79
80 –81 –82
90 –91
100
Answer
Check your answers on the audio and in the transcript below.
Extrait 68
soixante-dix
soixante et onze
soixante-douze
soixante-dix-neuf
quatre-vingts
quatre-vingt-un
quatre-vingt-deux
quatre-vingt-dix
quatre-vingt-onze
cent
Les chifferes dans la francophonie
In some countries where French is spoken, for example, in Belgium, Switzerland, the Congo and Rwanda you will hear:
| septante | 70 |
| nonante | 90 |
Quebec follows the French system which is:
| 70 | soixante dix |
| 80 | quatre-vingts |
| 90 | quatre-vingt-dix |
Activité 52
1. Listen to Extract 69 and put the dates in the order in which you hear them.
Numérotez les dates par ordre d' audition.
(a) 1789
(b) 1830
(c) 1870
(d) 1936
(e) 1968
2. Listen to Extract 70. Write down the dates you hear.
Écoutez l' extrait et notez.
3. Now say the dates out loud. Listen to Extract 70 again, to check that you are saying them accurately.
Dites les dates à haute voix et réécoutez l' extrait.
Answer
The correct order is: (c), (d), (a), (b), (e).
To check how these dates are spelled, refer to the transcripts below.
2001 deux mille un
1961 mille neuf cent soixante et un
1958 mille neuf cent cinquante-huit
2017 deux mille dix-sept
1984 mille neuf cent quatre-vingt-quatre
1991 mille neuf cent quatre-vingt-onze
Check your answers on the audio and in the transcripts below.
Extrait 69
mille huit cent soixante-dix
mille neuf cent trente-six
mille sept cent quatre-vingt-neuf
mille huit cent trente
mille neuf cent soixante-huit
Extrait 70
2001
1961
1958
2017
1984
1991
Identifying and using dates (years)
Dates are formed using a combination of the numbers you have come across:
800 = (8 × 100) hiut cents
1968 = (1,000 + 900 + 68) mille neuf cent soixante-huit
1812 = (1,000 + 800 + 12) mille huit cent douze
2006 = ( 2 × 1000 + 6) deux mille six
Make sure you add cent when giving a year (this is omitted in English).
You can use dates in several ways to describe events:
En 1968, il y a des troubles violents à Paris.
In 1968, there were violent disturbances in Paris.
François Mitterrand est président de la République de 1981 à 1995.
François Mitterrand was President of the Republic from 1981 to 1995.
