diff --git a/lib/src/english/NumeralEng.gf b/lib/src/english/NumeralEng.gf
index 7dbce228a..c612cc365 100644
--- a/lib/src/english/NumeralEng.gf
+++ b/lib/src/english/NumeralEng.gf
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ lin pot1to19 d = {s = d.s ! teen} ** {n = Pl} ;
 lin pot0as1 n = {s = n.s ! unit}  ** {n = n.n} ;
 lin pot1 d = {s = d.s ! ten} ** {n = Pl} ;
 lin pot1plus d e = {
-   s = \\o,c => d.s ! ten ! NCard ! Nom ++ "-" ++ e.s ! unit ! o ! c ; n = Pl} ;
+   s = \\o,c => d.s ! ten ! NCard ! Nom ++ BIND ++ "-" ++ BIND ++ e.s ! unit ! o ! c ; n = Pl} ;
 lin pot1as2 n = n ;
 lin pot2 d = {s = \\o,c => d.s ! unit ! NCard ! Nom ++ mkCard o "hundred" ! c}  ** {n = Pl} ;
 lin pot2plus d e = {
diff --git a/lib/src/french/NumeralFre.gf b/lib/src/french/NumeralFre.gf
index 3d9a439b6..2a5359d2f 100644
--- a/lib/src/french/NumeralFre.gf
+++ b/lib/src/french/NumeralFre.gf
@@ -111,13 +111,13 @@ lin pot1 d =
 lin pot1plus d e =
   {s = \\g => table {
   p@(indep | postpo) => (d.s ! (NCard Masc) ! tenplus) ++ (table {{p1 = Sg
-  ; p2 = Sg} => "et" ; {p1 = Sg ; p2 = pl} => "-" ; {p1 = Pl ; p2 =
-  Sg} => "-" ; {p1 = Pl ; p2 = pl} => "-"} ! {p1 = d.n ; p2 =
+  ; p2 = Sg} => "et" ; {p1 = Sg ; p2 = pl} => hyphen ; {p1 = Pl ; p2 =
+  Sg} => hyphen ; {p1 = Pl ; p2 = pl} => hyphen} ! {p1 = d.n ; p2 =
   e.inh}) ++ e.s ! g ! {p1 = d.inh ; p2 = p} ; 
   attr => (d.s ! (NCard Masc) !
   tenplus) ++ (table {{p1 = Sg ; p2 = Sg} => "et" ; {p1 = Sg ; p2 =
-  pl} => "-" ; {p1 = Pl ; p2 = Sg} => "-" ; {p1 = Pl ; p2 = pl} =>
-  "-"} ! {p1 = d.n ; p2 = e.inh}) ++ e.s ! g ! {p1 = d.inh ; p2 =
+  pl} => hyphen ; {p1 = Pl ; p2 = Sg} => hyphen ; {p1 = Pl ; p2 = pl} =>
+  hyphen} ! {p1 = d.n ; p2 = e.inh}) ++ e.s ! g ! {p1 = d.inh ; p2 =
   indep}} ; n = Pl} ;
 lin pot1as2 n = n ;
 lin pot2 d =
@@ -139,6 +139,8 @@ lin pot3plus n m =
   {s = \\g => (n.s ! NCard Masc !  attr) ++  "mille" ++ m.s ! g ! postpo ; n =
   Pl} ;
 
+oper hyphen = BIND ++ "-" ++ BIND ;
+
 
 -- numerals as sequences of digits