Learning numbers in a new language is a fun and useful way to start your language journey. In French, numbers are used daily, whether you are counting objects, telling time, or sharing your age. Knowing how to say numbers correctly helps you communicate clearly and feel more confident when speaking.
In this article, we will focus on how to say the number “three” in French. You will learn its pronunciation, different ways to use it, and common phrases where “three” appears. By the end, you will be ready to use this number in conversations like a native French speaker. Let’s begin!
Ways to Say Three in French
In French, “three” is commonly used in counting, telling time, and daily conversations. Knowing different ways to express “three” helps you sound more natural when speaking. Here are several ways to say “three” in French, including their meanings and example sentences.
1. Trois (trwah)
Pronunciation: trwah
Meaning: The number three.
In a Sentence:
- J’ai trois pommes. (I have three apples.)
- Il y a trois chats dans le jardin. (There are three cats in the garden.)
2. Les Trois (lay trwah)
Pronunciation: lay trwah
Meaning: The three (used for specific groups).
In a Sentence:
- Les trois amis sont arrivés. (The three friends arrived.)
- Nous avons choisi les trois meilleurs livres. (We chose the three best books.)
3. Troisième (trwah-zee-em)
Pronunciation: trwah-zee-em
Meaning: Third (used for ranking or order).
In a Sentence:
- Elle est arrivée troisième dans la course. (She came third in the race.)
- Le troisième étage est réservé. (The third floor is reserved.)
4. Trio (tree-oh)
Pronunciation: tree-oh
Meaning: A group of three people or things.
In a Sentence:
- Le trio musical a joué magnifiquement. (The musical trio played beautifully.)
- Ils forment un trio inséparable. (They make an inseparable trio.)
5. Trinité (tree-nee-tay)
Pronunciation: tree-nee-tay
Meaning: Trinity (a group of three related things, often used in religious contexts).
In a Sentence:
- La Sainte Trinité est un concept important. (The Holy Trinity is an important concept.)
- Ils sont considérés comme la trinité des meilleurs artistes. (They are considered the trinity of the best artists.)
6. Trois Fois (trwah fwah)
Pronunciation: trwah fwah
Meaning: Three times.
In a Sentence:
- J’ai essayé trois fois. (I tried three times.)
- Il a sonné trois fois à la porte. (He rang the doorbell three times.)
7. Triple (tree-pluh)
Pronunciation: tree-pluh
Meaning: Triple (threefold or multiplied by three).
In a Sentence:
- Nous avons fait un triple effort. (We made a triple effort.)
- Le prix a presque triplé cette année. (The price almost tripled this year.)
8. Triplet (tree-play)
Pronunciation: tree-play
Meaning: Triplet (one of three siblings born at the same time).
In a Sentence:
- Elle a donné naissance à des triplés. (She gave birth to triplets.)
- Les triplés jouent toujours ensemble. (The triplets always play together.)
9. Trois Personnes (trwah pehr-sawn)
Pronunciation: trwah pehr-sawn
Meaning: Three people.
In a Sentence:
- Trois personnes sont venues à la fête. (Three people came to the party.)
- Nous avons besoin de trois personnes pour cette tâche. (We need three people for this task.)
10. Trois Ans (trwah ahn)
Pronunciation: trwah ahn
Meaning: Three years.
In a Sentence:
- Mon fils a trois ans. (My son is three years old.)
- Cela fait trois ans que nous vivons ici. (We have lived here for three years.)
11. Trois Heures (trwah zur)
Pronunciation: trwah zur
Meaning: Three o’clock (time reference).
In a Sentence:
- Il est trois heures de l’après-midi. (It’s three o’clock in the afternoon.)
- Le train part à trois heures. (The train leaves at three o’clock.)
12. Trois Jours (trwah zhoor)
Pronunciation: trwah zhoor
Meaning: Three days.
In a Sentence:
- Je pars en vacances pour trois jours. (I’m going on vacation for three days.)
- Il pleut depuis trois jours. (It has been raining for three days.)
13. Troisième Partie (trwah-zee-em par-tee)
Pronunciation: trwah-zee-em par-tee
Meaning: Third part (of a book, movie, or event).
In a Sentence:
- La troisième partie du film est la meilleure. (The third part of the movie is the best.)
- Nous sommes dans la troisième partie du projet. (We are in the third part of the project.)
14. Trois Mois (trwah mwah)
Pronunciation: trwah mwah
Meaning: Three months.
In a Sentence:
- Elle est partie pour trois mois. (She left for three months.)
- J’ai un abonnement de trois mois. (I have a three-month subscription.)
15. Troisième Place (trwah-zee-em plas)
Pronunciation: trwah-zee-em plas
Meaning: Third place (ranking).
In a Sentence:
- L’équipe a terminé à la troisième place. (The team finished in third place.)
- J’ai remporté la troisième place au concours. (I won third place in the contest.)
16. Trois Fois Par Jour (trwah fwah par zhoor)
Pronunciation: trwah fwah par zhoor
Meaning: Three times a day.
In a Sentence:
- Je prends ce médicament trois fois par jour. (I take this medicine three times a day.)
- Il s’entraîne trois fois par jour. (He trains three times a day.)
17. Trois Frères (trwah frehr)
Pronunciation: trwah frehr
Meaning: Three brothers.
In a Sentence:
- Il a trois frères. (He has three brothers.)
- Les trois frères habitent ensemble. (The three brothers live together.)
18. Trois Sœurs (trwah suhr)
Pronunciation: trwah suhr
Meaning: Three sisters.
In a Sentence:
- Elle a trois sœurs. (She has three sisters.)
- Les trois sœurs sont très proches. (The three sisters are very close.)
19. Triple Victoire (tree-pluh veek-twar)
Pronunciation: tree-pluh veek-twar
Meaning: Triple victory (winning three times).
In a Sentence:
- L’équipe a obtenu une triple victoire cette saison. (The team achieved a triple victory this season.)
- Ils visent une triple victoire aux Jeux Olympiques. (They are aiming for a triple victory at the Olympics.)
20. Trois Livres (trwah leevr)
Pronunciation: trwah leevr
Meaning: Three books.
In a Sentence:
- J’ai emprunté trois livres à la bibliothèque. (I borrowed three books from the library.)
- Elle a lu trois livres ce mois-ci. (She read three books this month.)
21. Trois Amis (trwah ah-mee)
Pronunciation: trwah ah-mee
Meaning: Three friends.
In a Sentence:
- Nous sommes trois amis inséparables. (We are three inseparable friends.)
- Trois amis sont venus à ma fête. (Three friends came to my party.)
22. Trois Cours (trwah koor)
Pronunciation: trwah koor
Meaning: Three classes or lessons.
In a Sentence:
- J’ai trois cours aujourd’hui. (I have three classes today.)
- Elle enseigne trois cours différents. (She teaches three different classes.)
23. Trois Siècles (trwah syeh-kl)
Pronunciation: trwah syeh-kl
Meaning: Three centuries.
In a Sentence:
- Ce château a été construit il y a trois siècles. (This castle was built three centuries ago.)
- L’église a survécu à trois siècles d’histoire. (The church has survived three centuries of history.)
24. Trois Étoiles (trwah eh-twahl)
Pronunciation: trwah eh-twahl
Meaning: Three stars (rating or objects).
In a Sentence:
- L’hôtel a reçu trois étoiles. (The hotel received three stars.)
- Le restaurant est classé trois étoiles Michelin. (The restaurant is rated three Michelin stars.)
25. Trois Membres (trwah mahm-br)
Pronunciation: trwah mahm-br
Meaning: Three members (of a group).
In a Sentence:
- Trois membres de l’équipe étaient absents. (Three team members were absent.)
- Nous avons élu trois membres du comité. (We elected three committee members.)
Other Ways to Say Three in French
Here is a list of different ways to say “three” in French. Each option includes pronunciation, meaning, and example sentences.
| Other Ways to Say | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentences |
| Trois Petits Cochons | trwah puh-tee koh-shon | Three little pigs (story reference) | Les enfants lisent “Les trois petits cochons.” (The children are reading “The Three Little Pigs.”) |
| Triple Jeu | tree-pluh zhuh | Triple play (sports term) | L’équipe a réussi un triple jeu au baseball. (The team made a triple play in baseball.) |
| Trois Voies | trwah vwah | Three ways or paths | Nous avons trois voies possibles à explorer. (We have three possible paths to explore.) |
| Triple Alliance | tree-pluh ah-lee-ahnce | Triple alliance (historical term) | Ils ont formé une triple alliance. (They formed a triple alliance.) |
| Trois Couleurs | trwah koo-luhr | Three colors (art term) | Le drapeau français a trois couleurs. (The French flag has three colors.) |
| Triple Sauvetage | tree-pluh soh-vuh-tahzh | Triple rescue (heroic act) | Le pompier a effectué un triple sauvetage. (The firefighter performed a triple rescue.) |
| Trois Quartiers | trwah kar-tyay | Three districts (urban term) | La ville est divisée en trois quartiers. (The city is divided into three districts.) |
| Triple Succès | tree-pluh sook-say | Triple success (achievement) | Leur projet a connu un triple succès. (Their project experienced triple success.) |
| Trois Étapes | trwah ay-tahp | Three steps (instructional) | Suivez ces trois étapes pour terminer le projet. (Follow these three steps to finish the project.) |
| Trois Parties | trwah par-tee | Three parts (segments) | Le livre est divisé en trois parties. (The book is divided into three parts.) |
| Trois Fois Plus | trwah fwah ploo | Three times more | Elle a travaillé trois fois plus dur que les autres. (She worked three times harder than the others.) |
| Trois Branches | trwah brahnsh | Three branches (government or trees) | L’arbre a trois branches principales. (The tree has three main branches.) |
| Triple Récompense | tree-pluh ray-kom-pans | Triple reward (recognition) | Il a reçu une triple récompense pour son travail. (He received a triple reward for his work.) |
| Trois Directions | trwah dee-rek-syon | Three directions (travel) | Le chemin se divise en trois directions. (The path splits into three directions.) |
| Trois Voisins | trwah vwah-zan | Three neighbors (people) | Nous avons trois voisins sympathiques. (We have three friendly neighbors.) |
Responses to “Three” in French
In French conversations, you might hear someone mention the number “three” in various contexts. Knowing how to respond appropriately helps keep the conversation flowing naturally. Here are common responses you can use when hearing or discussing “three” in French.
1. Exactement (eg-zakt-mohn)
Meaning: Exactly.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Nous avons trois options. (We have three options.)
- Person 2: Exactement. (Exactly.)
2. C’est vrai (say vray)
Meaning: That’s true.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Trois personnes sont déjà arrivées. (Three people have already arrived.)
- Person 2: C’est vrai. (That’s true.)
3. Pas mal (pah mahl)
Meaning: Not bad.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: J’ai fini trois projets cette semaine. (I finished three projects this week.)
- Person 2: Pas mal! (Not bad!)
4. Bien joué (byan zhoo-ay)
Meaning: Well done.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Nous avons gagné trois matchs! (We won three games!)
- Person 2: Bien joué! (Well done!)
5. C’est beaucoup (say boh-koo)
Meaning: That’s a lot.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: J’ai trois examens cette semaine. (I have three exams this week.)
- Person 2: C’est beaucoup! (That’s a lot!)
6. Incroyable (an-krwah-yah-bluh)
Meaning: Incredible.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Elle a remporté trois médailles! (She won three medals!)
- Person 2: Incroyable! (Incredible!)
7. Trop bien (troh byan)
Meaning: So cool.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: On a trois jours de vacances! (We have three vacation days!)
- Person 2: Trop bien! (So cool!)
8. Sérieusement? (seh-ree-uhz-mohn?)
Meaning: Seriously?
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Ils ont trois voitures! (They have three cars!)
- Person 2: Sérieusement? (Seriously?)
9. Génial! (zhay-nyal!)
Meaning: Great!
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Nous avons terminé trois projets aujourd’hui. (We finished three projects today.)
- Person 2: Génial! (Great!)
10. Pas possible! (pah poh-seebl!)
Meaning: No way!
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: J’ai trouvé trois billets gratuits! (I found three free tickets!)
- Person 2: Pas possible! (No way!)
11. Quelle chance! (kel shans!)
Meaning: What luck!
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Nous avons trois jours de congé. (We have three days off.)
- Person 2: Quelle chance! (What luck!)
12. Impressionnant (an-pres-yoh-nahn)
Meaning: Impressive.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: J’ai lu trois livres cette semaine. (I read three books this week.)
- Person 2: Impressionnant! (Impressive!)
13. Pas mal du tout (pah mahl doo too)
Meaning: Not bad at all.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Nous avons vendu trois maisons ce mois-ci. (We sold three houses this month.)
- Person 2: Pas mal du tout! (Not bad at all!)
14. Incroyable mais vrai (an-krwah-yah-bluh meh vray)
Meaning: Unbelievable but true.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Ils ont gagné trois fois de suite! (They won three times in a row!)
- Person 2: Incroyable mais vrai! (Unbelievable but true!)
15. Tant mieux! (tahn myeuh!)
Meaning: Even better!
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Nous avons trois opportunités à explorer. (We have three opportunities to explore.)
- Person 2: Tant mieux! (Even better!)
Exercise to Practice “Three” in French
Fill in the blanks below using the correct French phrases related to “three” from the previous sections. Each sentence is written in French with its meaning provided afterward.
Fill-in-the-Blanks:
- J’ai _________ livres à lire cette semaine.
- Nous avons gagné _________ matchs de football.
- Il est _________ heures de l’après-midi.
- Elle a trois _________ qui habitent à Paris.
- Le spectacle commence dans _________ minutes.
- Mon fils a _________ ans aujourd’hui.
- Ils ont visité _________ musées pendant leurs vacances.
- Nous avons besoin de _________ personnes pour cette tâche.
- La maison a _________ chambres à coucher.
- J’ai étudié pour mes examens pendant _________ jours.
- Ils ont vu _________ films au cinéma ce week-end.
- Le voyage dure _________ heures en voiture.
Answers:
- J’ai trois livres à lire cette semaine. (I have three books to read this week.)
- Nous avons gagné trois matchs de football. (We won three soccer games.)
- Il est trois heures de l’après-midi. (It’s three o’clock in the afternoon.)
- Elle a trois frères qui habitent à Paris. (She has three brothers who live in Paris.)
- Le spectacle commence dans trois minutes. (The show starts in three minutes.)
- Mon fils a trois ans aujourd’hui. (My son is three years old today.)
- Ils ont visité trois musées pendant leurs vacances. (They visited three museums during their vacation.)
- Nous avons besoin de trois personnes pour cette tâche. (We need three people for this task.)
- La maison a trois chambres à coucher. (The house has three bedrooms.)
- J’ai étudié pour mes examens pendant trois jours. (I studied for my exams for three days.)
- Ils ont vu trois films au cinéma ce week-end. (They saw three movies at the theater this weekend.)
- Le voyage dure trois heures en voiture. (The trip lasts three hours by car.)
Conclusion
Learning how to say “three” in French is useful and fun. Whether you are counting objects, talking about time, or describing events, knowing different ways to express “three” helps you communicate clearly.
Keep practicing the words, phrases, and responses we covered. With time, using “three” in French will feel as easy as in English. The more you practice, the more natural it will become. Bonne chance! (Good luck!)