In some genealogical sources, numbers are written out. This is especially true with dates. The following list gives the cardinal (1, 2, 3) and the ordinal (1st, 2nd, 3rd) versions of each number. Dates are usually written in ordinal form. Ordinal numbers are made by adding ième to the cardinal form of a number. If the number ends in an e, drop the e before adding ième.
From 60 to 99, the French count by twenties rather than by tens. Thus, 70 in French is sixty-ten, and 71 is sixty-eleven. The number 80 is four-twentie;, 81 is four-twenties-one; 91 is four-twenties-eleven; and so on through 99, which is four-twenties-nineteen. In some areas, however, you will see the older style of 70 (septante), 80 (octante or huitante), and 90 (nonante).
|
|
Cardinal
|
|
Ordinal
|
| 1
|
un
|
1st
|
premier
|
| 2
|
deux
|
2nd
|
deuxième
|
| 3
|
trois
|
3rd
|
troisième
|
| 4
|
quatre
|
4th
|
quatrième
|
| 5
|
cinq
|
5th
|
cinquième
|
| 6
|
six
|
6th
|
sixième
|
| 7
|
sept
|
7th
|
septième
|
| 8
|
huit
|
8th
|
huitième
|
| 9
|
neuf
|
9th
|
neuvième
|
| 10
|
dix
|
10th
|
dixième
|
| 11
|
onze
|
11th
|
onzième
|
| 12
|
douze
|
12th
|
douzième
|
| 13
|
treize
|
13th
|
treizième
|
| 14
|
quatorze
|
14th
|
quatorzième
|
| 15
|
quinze
|
15th
|
quinzième
|
| 16
|
seize
|
16th
|
seizième
|
| 17
|
dix-sept
|
17th
|
dix-septième
|
| 18
|
dix-huit
|
18th
|
dix-huitième
|
| 19
|
dix-neuf
|
19th
|
dix-neuvième
|
| 20
|
vingt
|
20th
|
vingtième
|
| 21
|
vingt-et-un
|
21st
|
vingt-et-unième
|
| 22
|
vingt-deux
|
22nd
|
vingt-deuxième
|
| 23
|
vingt-trois
|
23rd
|
vingt-troisième
|
| 24
|
vingt-quatre
|
24th
|
vingt-quatrième
|
| 25
|
vingt-cinq
|
25th
|
vingt-cinquième
|
| 26
|
vingt-six
|
26th
|
vingt-sixième
|
| 27
|
vingt-sept
|
27th
|
vingt-septième
|
| 28
|
vingt-huit
|
28th
|
vingt-huitième
|
| 29
|
vingt-neuf
|
29th
|
vingt-neuvième
|
| 30
|
trente
|
30th
|
trentième
|
| 31
|
trente-et-un
|
31st
|
trente-et-unième
|
| 40
|
quarante
|
40th
|
quarantième
|
| 50
|
cinquante
|
50th
|
cinquantième
|
| 60
|
soixante
|
60th
|
soixantième
|
| 70
|
soixante-dix,
|
70th
|
soixante-dixième
|
|
|
septante
|
|
septantième
|
| 71
|
soixante-onze,
|
71st
|
soixante-onzième
|
|
|
septante-un
|
|
septante-et-unième
|
| 80
|
quatre-vingt(s)
|
80th
|
quatre-vingtième
|
|
|
octante
|
|
octantième
|
|
|
huitante
|
|
huitantième
|
| 90
|
quatre-vingt-dix
|
90th
|
quatre-vingt-dixième
|
|
|
nonante
|
|
nonantième
|
| 99
|
quatre-vingt-dix-
|
99th
|
quatre-vingt-dix-
|
|
|
neuf, nonante-
|
|
neuvième, nonante-
|
|
|
neuf
|
|
neuvième
|
| 100
|
cent
|
100th
|
centième
|
| 1000
|
mil, mille
|
1000th
|
millième
|
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DATES AND TIME
In French records, dates are often written out. For example:
Le vingt-trois mars mil sept cent soixante dix-neuf [on the twenty-third day of March, in the year one thousand seven hundred sixty and nineteen (1779)]
To understand French dates, use the following lists as well as the preceding “Numbers” section.
Months
| English
|
French
|
| January
|
janvier
|
| February
|
février
|
| March
|
mars
|
| April
|
avril
|
| May
|
mai
|
| June
|
juin
|
| July
|
juillet
|
| August
|
août
|
| September
|
septembre, 7bre
|
| October
|
octobre, 8bre
|
| November
|
novembre, 9bre
|
| December
|
décembre, 10bre, Xbre
|
During the years 1792 to 1806, the French used a unique calendar that related to the founding of the French Republic. It included the following months:
| vendémiaire
|
brumaire
|
frimaire
|
| nivôse
|
pluviôse
|
ventôse
|
| germinal
|
floréal
|
prairial
|
| messidor
|
thermidor
|
fructidor
|
These month names cannot be translated because they do not correspond to the months we know as January to December. See the French Republican Calendar Research Outline (34046).
Days of the Week
| English
|
French
|
| Sunday
|
dimanche
|
| Monday
|
lundi
|
| Tuesday
|
mardi
|
| Wednesday
|
mercredi
|
| Thursday
|
jeudi
|
| Friday
|
vendredi
|
| Saturday
|
samedi
|
Times of the Day
In French birth and death records, the registrar often indicated the exact time of day when the birth or death occurred. This is usually written out.
| French
|
English
|
| à cinq heures
|
at 5 o’clock
|
| au matin
|
in the morning
|
| au soir
|
in the evening
|
| après-demain
|
the day after tomorrow
|
| après-midi
|
afternoon
|
| avant-veille
|
two days before
|
| avant-hier
|
day before yesterday
|
| demain
|
tomorrow
|
| du matin
|
in the morning, a.m.
|
| du soir
|
in the evening, p.m.
|
| heure
|
hour
|
| hier
|
yesterday
|
| hier soir
|
yesterday evening
|
| hier au soir
|
yesterday evening
|
| jour
|
day
|
| lendemain
|
next day
|
| matin
|
morning
|
| midi
|
noon
|
| minuit
|
midnight
|
| nuit
|
night
|
| soir
|
evening
|
| surlendemain
|
two days later
|
| veille
|
previous evening
|
Paper publication: Second edition 1997. English approval: 4/97.
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