Complete Guide: How to Say 6 and 7 in French for Tennis Fans and Learners

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Q1: Why do I hear some native speakers pronounce the 's' in "six" and others completely drop it?
A1: It depends entirely on the word following it. When six stands alone or sits at the end of a sentence, the 's' is always pronounced (/sis/). When it is directly followed by a word starting with a consonant (e.g., six balles), the terminal sound is silenced (/si/). When followed by a vowel, it converts into a 'z' sound (/siz/).

Q2: Is the 'p' in "sept" ever pronounced in regional French dialects?
A2: No. Across standard metropolitan French, Canadian French, Belgian French, and Swiss French, the 'p' in sept is universally silent. You will only ever hear /sɛt/. Pronouncing the 'p' is an error made exclusively by foreign language learners.

Q3: How do you say a tennis tiebreak score of "7, 6" in French?
A3: You pronounce it simply as "sept, six" (/sɛt sis/). If you want to say "seven games to six," say "sept jeux à six" (/sɛt ʒø a sis/).

Q4: Does the number 10 (dix) follow the same phonetic rules as 6 (six)?
A4: Yes. The numbers six and dix follow identical consonant mutation rules. In isolation, dix is /dis/ ("deess"). Before consonants, it becomes /di/ ("dee"). Before vowels, it becomes /diz/ ("deez").

Q5: What is the biggest pronunciation mistake English speakers make when counting 6 and 7?
A5: The single most common mistake is pronouncing six like the English word "six" with a "ks" sound. The French six must always end in a pure "ss" sound (/sis/), never a hard "ks". The second most common mistake is pausing to articulate the silent 'p' in sept.