The number 12 in French is douze. It is pronounced roughly dooz, with a voiced z sound at the end. The spelling has no accent mark. Use it for counting, ages, dates, prices, and quantities. Practice the basic sounds first with French numbers 1 to 10.
12 = douze (dooz)
How to Say Douze
Say douze as one syllable. The final e is silent and the final z is pronounced. Keep the vowel rounded; it is similar to the vowel in French vous, heard in Et vous?, “And you?”.
Meaning: I am twelve years old.
Different Ways to Use Douze
Counting and Quantities
Use douze before a noun to count objects. The number stays the same for masculine and feminine nouns: douze livres means “twelve books,” and douze personnes means “twelve people.”
Talking About Age
French uses avoir (“to have”) to state age: J’ai douze ans literally means “I have twelve years.” This is the ordinary way to say “I am twelve years old.”
Dates and Calendar Use
For the twelfth day of a month, say le douze octobre (“October 12”). Unlike the first day of a month, which commonly uses premier, other dates use cardinal numbers.
Telling Time
Il est douze heures means “It is twelve o’clock.” To specify noon, say midi; for midnight, use minuit. Context also clarifies whether a 12-hour time is morning or evening.
Numbers Around 12
The sequence around douze is dix (10), onze (11), douze (12), treize (13), and quatorze (14). These teen numbers have distinct forms that are best learned as a short sequence.
Pronunciation and Spelling
Douze has one syllable. Its final consonant is voiced like the z in “zoo”; do not pronounce the final e as a separate vowel. The word has no written accent.
Example Sentences
| French | English |
|---|---|
| J’ai douze ans. | I am twelve years old. |
| Il y a douze élèves dans la classe. | There are twelve pupils in the class. |
| Le rendez-vous est à douze heures. | The appointment is at twelve o’clock. |
| Nous partons le douze octobre. | We are leaving on October 12. |
Frequently Asked Questions About 12 in French
Tap a question below to see the answer.
How do you spell 12 in French?
Write it douze, with no accent mark.
How do you say “twelfth”?
The ordinal form is douzième, as in le douzième jour (“the twelfth day”).
Summary: 12 in French
12 is douze, pronounced as one syllable with a voiced final z. Use douzième for “twelfth.”
