Languages › French French Number Expressions Print Sylvain Sonnet/Photographer's Choice/Getty Images French Vocabulary Pronunciation & Conversation Grammar Resources For Teachers By ThoughtCo Team Updated on February 16, 2019 There are several confusing pairs and difficult expressions related to French numbers. Floor System Differences The numbering system of the floors in a building may be difficult for American English speakers. American English British English Rez-de-chaussée First floor Ground floor Premier étage Second floor First floor Deuxième étage Third floor Second floor The meaning of premier changes depending on the preposition that precedes it. Read More French Numbers (Nombres) By ThoughtCo Team Au premier At/On the first Au premier étage On the second floor On the first floor En premier The first in a sequence En premier lieu In the first place, Firstly De premier/première (prix, qualité) The top (prize) or best (quality) Two Words for the Same Number in French There are two French words for the English ordinal number "second" (2nd): second and deuxième. They are essentially interchangeable, but there is a general, not always followed guideline: Second is often used when something is the second in a series of only two things. Deuxième tends to be used when there's a third, fourth, etc. Following this guideline allows you to add some interesting nuances to your words. La seconde guerre mondiale World War II (the second and last) La deuxième guerre mondiale World War II (the second of how many?) There are two words for "third" and "fourth" — one for the ordinal number and another for the fraction troisième third (in a series) un tiers one third quatrième fourth (in a series) un quart one fourth Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Team, ThoughtCo. "French Number Expressions." ThoughtCo, Dec. 6, 2021, thoughtco.com/french-number-expressions-confusing-pairs-4083785. Team, ThoughtCo. (2021, December 6). French Number Expressions. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/french-number-expressions-confusing-pairs-4083785 Team, ThoughtCo. "French Number Expressions." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/french-number-expressions-confusing-pairs-4083785 (accessed April 20, 2024). copy citation