French Phrase
On attend environ cinquante personnes.
Meaning
The sentence states that roughly fifty people are expected to attend an event, meeting, or gathering. It conveys an estimate rather than an exact count.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need to give an approximate head‑count for a planned event, a conference, a party, or any situation where the exact number is not yet known.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Onattendenvironcinquantepersonnes
On (impersonal pronoun)
Used like 'we' or 'one' in informal French, especially in spoken language and organizational contexts.
attend (present of attendre)
Third‑person singular present; means 'to wait for' or 'to expect' when used with a direct object.
environ (adverb of approximation)
Placed before the number it modifies, it means 'about, roughly'.
cinquante (cardinal number)
The number fifty; stays unchanged regardless of gender.
personnes (plural noun)
Means 'people'; note the final -s is silent but the plural article is required.
🗨In Conversation
Combien de participants avez‑vous pour la conférence ?
How many participants do you have for the conference?
On attend environ cinquante personnes.
We are expecting about fifty people.
✕Common Mistakes
On attend cinquante environ personnes.
Place "environ" directly before the number; "cinquante environ personnes" is incorrect.
On attend environ cinquante personne.
Using the singular "personne" changes the meaning to "nobody"; the plural "personnes" is required for a group.
Nous attendons environ cinquante personnes.
While grammatically correct, using "nous" sounds more formal; "on" is preferred in casual spoken French.
↔Alternatives
Nous attendons environ cinquante personnes.
We are expecting about fifty people.
Il y aura environ cinquante personnes.
There will be about fifty people.
Environ cinquante personnes sont attendues.
About fifty people are expected.
Cultural Tip
In everyday French, "on" replaces "nous" in many spoken contexts, especially in business or event‑planning talk. "Environ" is the go‑to word for approximations; avoid using "vers" with numbers, as it can sound vague or informal. Also, remember that "personnes" is plural; the singular "personne" means 'person' or 'nobody' depending on context.