It is so common to speak of euros - a few or several thousand depending on the situation - that we tend to forget that the name of European currency is actually written "euro". It is the French language which adds an "s" when this term is used in the plural.
Until then, nothing particularly unusual. Yes, but here it is: have you already taken the time to observe the coins and notes in your wallet? On closer inspection, you will see that behind the value entered in figures, the "euro" unit does not take "s". Thus, the denominations indicate “5 euro”, “10 euro”, “20 euro” and so on. The same goes for the "2 euro" coins. However, in the days of the franc, coins and notes did indeed bear the mark of the plural.
A need for uniformity
This little quirk actually comes from a concern for translation. This is none other than the Banque de France which explains this in a booklet published in 2002 and intended to answer all the questions linked to the transition to the single currency in the European Union. On banknotes and coins, the name "euro" is invariable because these methods of payment "must circulate throughout the territory of the twelve countries of the Monetary Union [today there are nineteen states, editor's note] which plural rules differ ".
In addition to this need for uniformity which also led to the adoption of the invariable mode on the red coins stamped “2 euro cent” and “5 euro cent”, a second translation problem arose in this area. It is indeed the word "cent", the official name of the subdivision of the euro, which has posed difficulties for the French authorities. "As recommended by the General Commission for Terminology and the National Consumer Council, to avoid embarrassing namesakes for understanding and therefore the convenient use of money, the term" centime "must be used in France", specifies the Bank of France. Think about it the next time you write the amount of your purchase down on a check.
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