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Mark P.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Problem with miniKwiz

Your question: What does "Je voudrais trois douzaines de pommes, s'il vous plaît" mean?

This is confusing me... in English  three dozen, means three dozen or 36 but if I am reading this correctly, in French means around 3 dozen or around 36... I have been penalised for saying about 36 and not choosing the 3 dozen which means precisely 36 and should, therefore, be wrong.. or am I missing something?

Asked 4 years ago
CécileNative French expert teacher in KwiziqCorrect answer

Hi Mark,

I think about 36 isn't a plausible answer. If you wanted for instance three dozen eggs you would expect 3 boxes of 12 eggs.

I also think that using apples is not a great example as you don't normally buy fruit by the unit in France, ( that always surprised me when I first came to the UK, when people would buy 2 apples, 1 orange ).

You would buy 

une livre de pommes = a pound of apples ( 500g)

un kilo d'oranges = a kilo of oranges ( 1,000g)

In addition to eggs, the things you buy by the dozen are -

snails (escargots), oysters ( huitres), roses, and precise numbers will be expected.

You can buy -

Une demi-douzaine = half a dozen

of those too.

Hope this helps!

Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Une douzaine can have two meanings in French: a dozen (i.e., exactly 12) or about 12. It depends on the context. However, the other numerals with -aine all mean "about that much".

Une dizaine, etc. -- about 10, etc.
Une douzaine -- about 12 / a dozen.

Problem with miniKwiz

Your question: What does "Je voudrais trois douzaines de pommes, s'il vous plaît" mean?

This is confusing me... in English  three dozen, means three dozen or 36 but if I am reading this correctly, in French means around 3 dozen or around 36... I have been penalised for saying about 36 and not choosing the 3 dozen which means precisely 36 and should, therefore, be wrong.. or am I missing something?

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