French Numerical Adjectives

Adjectifs numéraux
Numerical adjectives aren't as complicated as they might sound - numerical
adjective is simply the grammatical term for numbers. There are three types of
numerical adjectives, each of which is used for a different purpose.

Name Used for Examples

1 Cardinal numbers Counting un, deux, trois
.
2 Ordinal numbers Ranking premier, deuxième, troisième
.
3 Multiplicative numbers Multiplying simple, double, triple
.
* Fractions Dividing demi, tiers, quart

*Fractions, with the exception of demi, are actually nouns, but it makes sense to include them
with the other types of numbers.

Technically, numerical adjectives are not adjectives at all - they are a mathematical feature
which, grammatically, act more or less like adjectives.

Placement

• Cardinal numerical adjectives precede the noun they modify

• Ordinal numerical adjectives and multiplicatives usually precede the noun they
modify
• Fractions, other than demi, are in the following format: article + fraction + de

J'ai deux livres. I have two books.

C'est le deuxième jour. It's the second day.
Il veut un double whisky. He wants a double whiskey.
J'y vais dans une demie heure. I'm going in half an hour.
J'ai vu un tiers du film. I saw a third of the movie.

Agreement

Numerical adjectives are invariable, with three exceptions:

1. un/une (one)
2. premier/première (first)
3. demi/demie (half)