Ce téléphone coûte quatre-vingt-dix-neuf euros !

From Lesson 29:Numbers 21 to 100·French

Questions & Answers about Ce téléphone coûte quatre-vingt-dix-neuf euros !

How literally does the number quatre-vingt-dix-neuf translate to English?
It translates literally as "four-twenty-ten-nine" (4 x 20 + 10 + 9 = 99). French uses this math-based system for numbers from 70 to 99. Notice that all the parts are officially connected with hyphens!
I thought the word for 80 was quatre-vingts with an "s". Why doesn't vingt have an "s" here?
You are exactly right that 80 on its own is quatre-vingts! However, the rule is that when vingt is followed by another number (like dix-neuf in this sentence), it drops the "s".
Why do we use ce for "this" instead of cette?
Ce is the masculine singular word for "this" or "that", and it is used here because téléphone is masculine and starts with a consonant. If the word were feminine, you would use cette.
Do I need to make a liaison (link the sounds) between neuf and euros?
Yes! Because euros starts with a vowel, the final consonant of neuf flows into it. Unlike with words like ans (years) or heures (hours) where the "f" changes to sound like a "v", before euros it keeps its normal "f" sound.

Learn Ce téléphone coûte quatre-vingt-dix-neuf euros and more in French

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free