French Phrase
Suis les numéros des portes.
Meaning
Literally, ‘Follow the numbers of the doors.’ In everyday French it is a short instruction telling someone to look at the door numbers and use them to navigate a building, an office block, a school, etc.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are giving directions inside a multi‑room building, especially when the listener needs to locate a specific office, classroom, or apartment by its door number.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Suislesnumérosdesportes.
Imperative of suivre
‘Suis’ is the informal singular imperative form of the verb ‘suivre’ (to follow).
Definite article ‘les’
‘les’ marks a plural noun that is known to both speakers – here the door numbers.
Plural noun ‘numéros’
‘numéros’ is the plural of ‘numéro’; it agrees with the article ‘les’.
Contraction ‘des’
‘des’ = ‘de + les’, meaning ‘of the’. It links ‘numéros’ with the noun it qualifies.
Plural noun ‘portes’
‘portes’ is the plural of ‘porte’ (door). The whole phrase refers to the numbers that belong to the doors.
🗨In Conversation
Je cherche la salle de réunion 3.
I’m looking for meeting room 3.
Suis les numéros des portes, la salle 3 est juste après la porte 12.
Follow the door numbers; room 3 is right after door 12.
✕Common Mistakes
Suivez les numéros de porte.
‘de porte’ is singular and does not match the plural ‘numéros’; use ‘des portes’ or keep ‘numéros’ singular with ‘de la porte’.
Suis le numéro des portes.
Mixes singular ‘le numéro’ with plural ‘des portes’; either make both singular or both plural.
Suiv les numéros des portes.
Missing the final ‘e’ on the imperative; the correct form is ‘Suis’.
↔Alternatives
Suivez les numéros des portes.
Follow the door numbers. (formal / plural)
Regarde les numéros des portes.
Look at the door numbers.
Cherche le numéro de la porte.
Look for the door’s number.
Cultural Tip
In French‑speaking countries doors in apartment blocks, schools and offices are almost always numbered sequentially, and the numbers are usually painted or affixed near the handle. Public announcements in elevators or reception desks often use the formal imperative ‘Suivez…’ rather than the informal ‘Suis…’, so adjust the level of politeness to the context.