Learning to count in French is a helpful and fun way to start exploring the language. Numbers are used in everyday life for things like telling time, giving directions, and shopping. Understanding how to say numbers in French can help you in practical situations, whether you’re traveling or just learning something new.
In this article, we’ll focus on how to say the number 400 in French. You’ll also discover other ways to express similar meanings, practice responses, and complete simple exercises to master this concept. By the end, you’ll feel confident using this number in conversations or calculations in French.
Ways to Say 400 in French
The number 400 in French is straightforward to learn, but there are some variations depending on the context. Whether you’re talking about the number itself, quantities, or years, understanding how to use “400” in French can make your conversations more accurate and natural.
1. Quatre cents
Pronunciation: kah-truh sahn
Meaning: The number 400.
In a Sentence:
- J’ai payé quatre cents euros pour ce téléphone. (I paid 400 euros for this phone.)
- L’hôtel peut accueillir quatre cents invités. (The hotel can accommodate 400 guests.)
2. Quatre cents années
Pronunciation: kah-truh sahn ah-nay
Meaning: Four hundred years.
In a Sentence:
- La cathédrale a été construite il y a quatre cents années. (The cathedral was built 400 years ago.)
- Il y a quatre cents années, cette région était différente. (400 years ago, this area was different.)
3. Quatre cents kilomètres
Pronunciation: kah-truh sahn kee-loh-me-truh
Meaning: Four hundred kilometers.
In a Sentence:
- Nous avons conduit quatre cents kilomètres hier. (We drove 400 kilometers yesterday.)
- La distance entre ces villes est de quatre cents kilomètres. (The distance between these cities is 400 kilometers.)
4. Quatre cents personnes
Pronunciation: kah-truh sahn pair-sohn
Meaning: Four hundred people.
In a Sentence:
- Plus de quatre cents personnes ont assisté au concert. (More than 400 people attended the concert.)
- Quatre cents personnes travaillent dans cette entreprise. (Four hundred people work in this company.)
5. L’an quatre cents
Pronunciation: lah kah-truh sahn
Meaning: The year 400.
In a Sentence:
- L’éruption volcanique a eu lieu en l’an quatre cents. (The volcanic eruption occurred in the year 400.)
- En l’an quatre cents, l’histoire de ce pays a changé. (In the year 400, this country’s history changed.)
6. Quatre cents francs
Pronunciation: kah-truh sahn frahn
Meaning: Four hundred francs (currency).
In a Sentence:
- J’ai acheté ce livre pour quatre cents francs. (I bought this book for 400 francs.)
- Ils ont économisé quatre cents francs pour ce voyage. (They saved 400 francs for this trip.)
7. Quatre cents étudiants
Pronunciation: kah-truh sahn eh-too-dee-ahn
Meaning: Four hundred students.
In a Sentence:
- L’école compte quatre cents étudiants. (The school has 400 students.)
- Quatre cents étudiants participeront à la compétition. (Four hundred students will participate in the competition.)
8. Quatre cents maisons
Pronunciation: kah-truh sahn meh-zohn
Meaning: Four hundred houses.
In a Sentence:
- La ville a construit quatre cents maisons cette année. (The city built 400 houses this year.)
- Il y a quatre cents maisons dans ce quartier. (There are 400 houses in this neighborhood.)
9. Quatre cents dollars
Pronunciation: kah-truh sahn doh-lahr
Meaning: Four hundred dollars.
In a Sentence:
- Elle a dépensé quatre cents dollars pour son voyage. (She spent 400 dollars on her trip.)
- Quatre cents dollars suffiront pour couvrir les frais. (400 dollars will be enough to cover the costs.)
10. Quatre cents fois
Pronunciation: kah-truh sahn fwah
Meaning: Four hundred times.
In a Sentence:
- Je lui ai dit quatre cents fois d’éteindre la lumière. (I told him 400 times to turn off the light.)
- Ils ont répété cette chanson quatre cents fois pendant la répétition. (They repeated this song 400 times during practice.)
11. Quatre cents grammes
Pronunciation: kah-truh sahn grahm
Meaning: Four hundred grams.
In a Sentence:
- J’ai acheté quatre cents grammes de pommes. (I bought 400 grams of apples.)
- La recette demande quatre cents grammes de farine. (The recipe calls for 400 grams of flour.)
12. Quatre cents élèves
Pronunciation: kah-truh sahn eh-lehv
Meaning: Four hundred students (alternative).
In a Sentence:
- Quatre cents élèves ont passé l’examen. (Four hundred students took the exam.)
- L’école primaire a quatre cents élèves inscrits. (The elementary school has 400 students enrolled.)
13. Quatre cents dollars canadiens
Pronunciation: kah-truh sahn doh-lahr kah-nah-dee-ahn
Meaning: Four hundred Canadian dollars.
In a Sentence:
- Les billets coûtent quatre cents dollars canadiens. (The tickets cost 400 Canadian dollars.)
- Nous avons payé quatre cents dollars canadiens pour cet hôtel. (We paid 400 Canadian dollars for this hotel.)
14. Quatre cents objets
Pronunciation: kah-truh sahn ob-zhay
Meaning: Four hundred items.
In a Sentence:
- Il y a quatre cents objets dans cette collection. (There are 400 items in this collection.)
- L’inventaire inclut plus de quatre cents objets. (The inventory includes over 400 items.)
15. Quatre cents voitures
Pronunciation: kah-truh sahn vwah-tyoor
Meaning: Four hundred cars.
In a Sentence:
- L’usine produit quatre cents voitures par jour. (The factory produces 400 cars per day.)
- Il y avait environ quatre cents voitures au parking. (There were about 400 cars in the parking lot.)
16. Quatre cents pas
Pronunciation: kah-truh sahn pah
Meaning: Four hundred steps.
In a Sentence:
- Le sommet est à quatre cents pas d’ici. (The summit is 400 steps from here.)
- J’ai compté quatre cents pas jusqu’à la maison. (I counted 400 steps to the house.)
17. Quatre cents mètres
Pronunciation: kah-truh sahn meh-truh
Meaning: Four hundred meters.
In a Sentence:
- La piste mesure quatre cents mètres de long. (The track is 400 meters long.)
- Il a nagé quatre cents mètres en compétition. (He swam 400 meters in the competition.)
18. Quatre cents pages
Pronunciation: kah-truh sahn pah-zhuh
Meaning: Four hundred pages.
In a Sentence:
- Ce livre contient quatre cents pages. (This book contains 400 pages.)
- Elle a lu quatre cents pages en une semaine. (She read 400 pages in a week.)
19. Quatre cents euros
Pronunciation: kah-truh sahn uh-roh
Meaning: Four hundred euros.
In a Sentence:
- Ils ont payé quatre cents euros pour cette excursion. (They paid 400 euros for this excursion.)
- Le coût du voyage est de quatre cents euros. (The cost of the trip is 400 euros.)
20. Quatre cents ans
Pronunciation: kah-truh sahn ahn
Meaning: Four hundred years (alternative).
In a Sentence:
- Cette peinture a été réalisée il y a quatre cents ans. (This painting was made 400 years ago.)
- Quatre cents ans d’histoire sont conservés dans ce musée. (400 years of history are preserved in this museum.)
21. Quatre cents tonnes
Pronunciation: kah-truh sahn tuhn
Meaning: Four hundred tons.
In a Sentence:
- Le cargo transporte quatre cents tonnes de marchandises. (The cargo ship carries 400 tons of goods.)
- Cette machine peut soulever jusqu’à quatre cents tonnes. (This machine can lift up to 400 tons.)
22. Quatre cents pièces
Pronunciation: kah-truh sahn pyess
Meaning: Four hundred coins or parts.
In a Sentence:
- Il a trouvé quatre cents pièces dans sa collection. (He found 400 coins in his collection.)
- Le puzzle contient quatre cents pièces. (The puzzle contains 400 pieces.)
23. Quatre cents arbres
Pronunciation: kah-truh sahn ar-bruh
Meaning: Four hundred trees.
In a Sentence:
- La forêt compte quatre cents arbres. (The forest has 400 trees.)
- Ils ont planté quatre cents arbres pour l’environnement. (They planted 400 trees for the environment.)
24. Quatre cents bouteilles
Pronunciation: kah-truh sahn boo-tey
Meaning: Four hundred bottles.
In a Sentence:
- Nous avons recyclé quatre cents bouteilles en plastique. (We recycled 400 plastic bottles.)
- La cave contient quatre cents bouteilles de vin. (The cellar holds 400 bottles of wine.)
25. Quatre cents habitants
Pronunciation: kah-truh sahn ah-bee-tahn
Meaning: Four hundred residents.
In a Sentence:
- Ce village a une population de quatre cents habitants. (This village has a population of 400 residents.)
- Quatre cents habitants ont signé la pétition. (400 residents signed the petition.)
26. Quatre cents employés
Pronunciation: kah-truh sahn om-plwah-yay
Meaning: Four hundred employees.
In a Sentence:
- L’entreprise emploie quatre cents personnes. (The company employs 400 people.)
- Plus de quatre cents employés travaillent ici. (More than 400 employees work here.)
27. Quatre cents places
Pronunciation: kah-truh sahn plass
Meaning: Four hundred seats.
In a Sentence:
- La salle de concert peut accueillir quatre cents places. (The concert hall can hold 400 seats.)
- Il y a quatre cents places disponibles pour cet événement. (There are 400 seats available for this event.)
28. Quatre cents chansons
Pronunciation: kah-truh sahn shahn-sohn
Meaning: Four hundred songs.
In a Sentence:
- Il a enregistré quatre cents chansons dans sa carrière. (He recorded 400 songs in his career.)
- Mon téléphone contient environ quatre cents chansons. (My phone has about 400 songs.)
29. Quatre cents œuvres
Pronunciation: kah-truh sahn uh-vruh
Meaning: Four hundred works (art, literature, etc.).
In a Sentence:
- Le musée expose quatre cents œuvres d’art. (The museum displays 400 works of art.)
- Cet auteur a publié quatre cents œuvres en tout. (This author has published 400 works in total.)
30. Quatre cents heures
Pronunciation: kah-truh sahn uhr
Meaning: Four hundred hours.
In a Sentence:
- Il a passé quatre cents heures à restaurer la voiture. (He spent 400 hours restoring the car.)
- Les étudiants doivent compléter quatre cents heures de stage. (The students must complete 400 hours of internship.)
Other Ways to Say 400 in French
Below is a markdown table showcasing additional ways to express the concept of “400” in French, with pronunciation, meanings, and example sentences. These are alternatives not already listed above.
| Other Ways to Say | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentences |
| Quatre centaines | kah-truh sahn-ten | Four hundreds | Il y avait quatre centaines de spectateurs au stade. (There were four hundreds of spectators at the stadium.) |
| Environ quatre cents | ahn-vee-rohn kah-truh sahn | About four hundred | Environ quatre cents livres sont disponibles à la bibliothèque. (About 400 books are available at the library.) |
| Plus de quatre cents | ploo duh kah-truh sahn | More than four hundred | Plus de quatre cents étudiants ont participé au concours. (More than 400 students participated in the competition.) |
| Moins de quatre cents | mwahn duh kah-truh sahn | Less than four hundred | Moins de quatre cents euros sont nécessaires pour ce projet. (Less than 400 euros are needed for this project.) |
| À peu près quatre cents | ah puh preh kah-truh sahn | Approximately four hundred | La salle contient à peu près quatre cents sièges. (The hall holds approximately 400 seats.) |
| Exactement quatre cents | eg-zakt-mohn kah-truh sahn | Exactly four hundred | Exactement quatre cents élèves sont inscrits cette année. (Exactly 400 students are enrolled this year.) |
| Un total de quatre cents | uh toh-tal duh kah-truh sahn | A total of four hundred | Un total de quatre cents employés ont été promus. (A total of 400 employees were promoted.) |
| Quatre centièmes | kah-truh sahn-tyem | Four hundredth parts | Quatre centièmes de la population sont concernés. (Four hundredths of the population are affected.) |
| Aux alentours de quatre cents | ohz ah-lahn-toor duh kah-truh sahn | Around four hundred | Aux alentours de quatre cents personnes ont assisté à l’événement. (Around 400 people attended the event.) |
| Quatre cents et quelques | kah-truh sahn ay kelk | Four hundred and a few | Il y avait quatre cents et quelques invités. (There were 400 and a few guests.) |
| Pas moins de quatre cents | pah mwahn duh kah-truh sahn | No less than four hundred | Pas moins de quatre cents arbres ont été plantés cette année. (No less than 400 trees were planted this year.) |
| Environ quatre cents ans | ahn-vee-rohn kah-truh sahn ahn | About 400 years | Cette cathédrale a environ quatre cents ans. (This cathedral is about 400 years old.) |
| Dans les quatre cents | dahn lay kah-truh sahn | In the 400s (time period) | Cette peinture date des années dans les quatre cents. (This painting is from the 400s.) |
| Une somme de quatre cents | oon sohm duh kah-truh sahn | A sum of four hundred | Une somme de quatre cents euros a été collectée. (A sum of 400 euros was collected.) |
| Près de quatre cents | preh duh kah-truh sahn | Nearly four hundred | Près de quatre cents personnes ont voté. (Nearly 400 people voted.) |
| Approximativement quatre cents | ah-prok-see-ma-teev-mohn kah-truh sahn | Approximately 400 | Approximativement quatre cents kilomètres restent à parcourir. (Approximately 400 kilometers remain.) |
| Pas plus de quatre cents | pah ploo duh kah-truh sahn | No more than four hundred | Pas plus de quatre cents élèves sont attendus. (No more than 400 students are expected.) |
| Précisément quatre cents | preh-see-zay-mohn kah-truh sahn | Precisely four hundred | Précisément quatre cents euros ont été dépensés. (Precisely 400 euros were spent.) |
| Un peu moins de quatre cents | uh puh mwahn duh kah-truh sahn | A little less than four hundred | Un peu moins de quatre cents bouteilles ont été collectées. (A little less than 400 bottles were collected.) |
| À peine quatre cents | ah pehn kah-truh sahn | Barely four hundred | À peine quatre cents personnes ont assisté à la cérémonie. (Barely 400 people attended the ceremony.) |
Response to “400” in French
When you hear or use “400” in French, here are some common and context-appropriate responses. These can be used in conversation to confirm, agree, or clarify.
1. C’est exact
Pronunciation: say eg-zakt
Meaning: That’s correct.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Il y avait quatre cents invités à la fête. (There were 400 guests at the party.)
Person 2: C’est exact. (That’s correct.)
2. Oui, c’est bien ça
Pronunciation: wee say byahn sah
Meaning: Yes, that’s right.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Tu as dit quatre cents euros ? (Did you say 400 euros?)
Person 2: Oui, c’est bien ça. (Yes, that’s right.)
3. Précisément
Pronunciation: preh-see-zay-mohn
Meaning: Precisely.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Le trajet est de quatre cents kilomètres. (The trip is 400 kilometers.)
Person 2: Précisément. (Precisely.)
4. D’accord
Pronunciation: dah-kohr
Meaning: Okay.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: J’ai réservé une salle pour quatre cents personnes. (I booked a hall for 400 people.)
Person 2: D’accord. (Okay.)
5. C’est beaucoup
Pronunciation: say boh-koo
Meaning: That’s a lot.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Il y a quatre cents arbres dans le jardin. (There are 400 trees in the garden.)
Person 2: C’est beaucoup ! (That’s a lot!)
6. C’est énorme
Pronunciation: say ay-norm
Meaning: That’s huge.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Ils ont construit quatre cents maisons cette année. (They built 400 houses this year.)
Person 2: C’est énorme ! (That’s huge!)
7. Vraiment ?
Pronunciation: vray-mohn
Meaning: Really?
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: L’école accueille quatre cents élèves. (The school accommodates 400 students.)
Person 2: Vraiment ? (Really?)
8. Incroyable !
Pronunciation: an-krwah-yah-bluh
Meaning: Incredible!
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Ce projet a pris quatre cents heures. (This project took 400 hours.)
Person 2: Incroyable ! (Incredible!)
9. Pas mal
Pronunciation: pah mahl
Meaning: Not bad.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Il a gagné quatre cents euros ce mois-ci. (He earned 400 euros this month.)
Person 2: Pas mal ! (Not bad!)
10. Sérieusement ?
Pronunciation: say-ree-uh-ze-mohn
Meaning: Seriously?
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Ils ont vendu quatre cents bouteilles de vin. (They sold 400 bottles of wine.)
Person 2: Sérieusement ? (Seriously?)
11. Tout à fait
Pronunciation: too tah feh
Meaning: Absolutely.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Il a répété la chanson quatre cents fois. (He repeated the song 400 times.)
Person 2: Tout à fait. (Absolutely.)
12. Je n’en reviens pas
Pronunciation: juh nahn ruh-vyahn pah
Meaning: I can’t believe it.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Ils ont dépensé quatre cents dollars pour ce cadeau. (They spent 400 dollars on this gift.)
Person 2: Je n’en reviens pas ! (I can’t believe it!)
13. Exactement
Pronunciation: eg-zakt-mohn
Meaning: Exactly.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Ils ont compté quatre cents pas jusqu’au sommet. (They counted 400 steps to the top.)
Person 2: Exactement. (Exactly.)
14. Impressionnant
Pronunciation: ahn-preh-syo-nahn
Meaning: Impressive.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Cette sculpture contient quatre cents pièces. (This sculpture has 400 pieces.)
Person 2: Impressionnant ! (Impressive!)
15. C’est vrai ?
Pronunciation: say vray
Meaning: Is that true?
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: La distance est de quatre cents mètres. (The distance is 400 meters.)
Person 2: C’est vrai ? (Is that true?)
16. Pas possible
Pronunciation: pah poh-see-bluh
Meaning: Not possible.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Il a couru quatre cents kilomètres ce mois-ci. (He ran 400 kilometers this month.)
Person 2: Pas possible ! (Not possible!)
17. Je vois
Pronunciation: juh vwahr
Meaning: I see.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Ils ont collecté quatre cents bouteilles en plastique. (They collected 400 plastic bottles.)
Person 2: Je vois. (I see.)
Exercise to Practice Saying “400” in French
Below are 12 fill-in-the-blank sentences to help you practice using “400” in French. Complete the blanks with the appropriate form of “400” based on the context. Each sentence includes real-life scenarios.
Fill-in-the-Blanks
- La distance entre ces deux villes est de ______ kilomètres.
- Nous avons recyclé ______ bouteilles en plastique cette semaine.
- Il y a environ ______ élèves dans cette école.
- L’hôtel peut accueillir jusqu’à ______ invités pour un mariage.
- La cathédrale a été construite il y a ______ ans.
- Mon téléphone contient plus de ______ chansons téléchargées.
- Ils ont acheté cette voiture pour ______ euros.
- La bibliothèque possède ______ livres dans sa collection spéciale.
- Cette entreprise emploie plus de ______ personnes dans le monde.
- Le gâteau pèse exactement ______ grammes.
- Nous avons planté ______ arbres pour compenser les émissions de carbone.
- Le trajet en train fait ______ mètres de longueur totale.
Answers
- La distance entre ces deux villes est de quatre cents kilomètres.
(The distance between these two cities is 400 kilometers.) - Nous avons recyclé quatre cents bouteilles en plastique cette semaine.
(We recycled 400 plastic bottles this week.) - Il y a environ quatre cents élèves dans cette école.
(There are about 400 students in this school.) - L’hôtel peut accueillir jusqu’à quatre cents invités pour un mariage.
(The hotel can accommodate up to 400 guests for a wedding.) - La cathédrale a été construite il y a quatre cents ans.
(The cathedral was built 400 years ago.) - Mon téléphone contient plus de quatre cents chansons téléchargées.
(My phone contains more than 400 downloaded songs.) - Ils ont acheté cette voiture pour quatre cents euros.
(They bought this car for 400 euros.) - La bibliothèque possède quatre cents livres dans sa collection spéciale.
(The library has 400 books in its special collection.) - Cette entreprise emploie plus de quatre cents personnes dans le monde.
(This company employs more than 400 people worldwide.) - Le gâteau pèse exactement quatre cents grammes.
(The cake weighs exactly 400 grams.) - Nous avons planté quatre cents arbres pour compenser les émissions de carbone.
(We planted 400 trees to offset carbon emissions.) - Le trajet en train fait quatre cents mètres de longueur totale.
(The train route has a total length of 400 meters.)
Conclusion
Learning how to say “400” in French and using it in various contexts is a useful step in understanding numbers and their applications in the language. Whether you’re discussing quantities, distances, money, or years, mastering this number can enhance your ability to communicate accurately.
By practicing with the exercises and exploring the many variations of “400,” you’ll become more confident in using it during conversations or daily tasks. Keep practicing, and soon, these phrases will become second nature. With steady effort, speaking and understanding numbers in French will feel as natural as in your own language.