Tag: Numerals in Arabic

Arabic numbers This lesson covers a very widely used element in Arabic which is the numbers. It will help you understand the numbers (cardinal numbers) in Arabic and enable you to use them in real-world applications. Arabs make use of two kinds of numerical systems. A Western system commonly known as "Arabic numerals" which are the ten digits (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9) widely used in North African countries from Libya to Morocco. Unlike African Arabic countries Eastern Arabic numerals (٠.١.٢.٣.٤.٥.٦.٧.٨.٩) known as "Hindi numerals" are used in the Middle East. How to say the Arabic Numbers from zero to ten (0-10): 0Zero٠Sifrصفر1One١Wāḥidوَاحٍدْ2Two٢Ithnānإِثْنان3Three٣Thalāthahثَلاَثَة4Four٤Arba'ahأَرْبَعة5Five٥Khamsahخَمْسَة6Six٦Sittahسِتَّة7Seven٧Saba'ahسَبْعَة8Eight٨Thamāniahثَمَانِيَة9Nine٩Tisa'ahتِسْعَة10Ten١٠‘Ashraعَشْرَة Note: The number “one” wāḥid (at)-, functions as a regular adjective: One childwaladun wāḥidولد واحدOne girlbintun wāḥidatunبنت واحدة The number “two” as a pronoun or needed to emphasize the dual —which is all that is normally necessary for “two”—also functions as a regular dual adjective. Two children (nom.)waladāni 'ethnāniولدان اثنانTwo children (obl.)waladayni 'ethnayniولدين اثنينTwo girls (nom.)bintāni 'ethnatāniبنتان اثنتانTwo girls (obl.)bintayni 'ethnatayniبنتين اثنتين The Arabic numbers from three through ten exhibit a unique phenomenon called chiastic concord: A numeral in masculine gender should agree with a feminine referrer and vice versa. In other words, if the singular of the noun being counted is masculine, the number appears feminine with tā' marbūṭa (ة). If the singular is feminine, the number appears masculine with no tā' marbūṭa. Three childrenthalāthatu ‘awlādثلاثة اولادThree girlsthalathu banātثلاث بنات Notes: While Arabic letters are written from right to left, numbers in Arabic are written from left to right.e.g. ١٧٢٨ is the number “1728” not “8271”. The numbers 11 and 12 are irregular numbers, so for now, just remember how to write them. 11١١eḥadā ‘asharإحدى عشر12١٢ithnā ‘asharإثنا عشر From 13 to 19 you just place the Arabic number before ten just like in the number 13 which is formed by placing the number three before ten, instead of thirteen in English, 15 is five ten in Arabic, and so on. From 21 to 99, you just need to reverse the numbers and add "wa-" which means "and" between the two numbers. For example, 67 would be seven + wa- + sixty instead of sixty-seven in English (Saba'ah wa-sittūn). 13١٣thalathata ‘asharثلاثة عشر14١٤arba’ata ‘asharأربعة عشر15١٥khamsata ‘asharخمسة عشر16١٦sittata ‘asharستة عشر17١٧sab’ata ‘asharسبعة عشر18١٨thamāniyata ‘asharثمانية عشر19١٩tis’ata ‘asharتسعة عشر20٢٠‘ishrūnعشرون21٢١wahedun wa-’ishrūnواحد و عشرون30٣٠thalathūnثلاثون40٤٠arba’ūnأربعون50٥٠khamsūnخمسون60٦٠sittūnستون70٧٠sab’ūnسبعون80٨٠thamānūnثمانون90٩٠tis’ūnتسعون100١٠٠mi'ahمائة1000١٠٠٠alfألف As you can see, forming numbers in Arabic is quite an easy process, except when matching the gender and the number. This rule will be much more intuitive once you get used to it and you shouldn’t be put off by it if you find it complicated. Please feel free to comment using the form below or subscribe to our feed for more lessons.

Tag: Numerals in Arabic

Learn the Arabic Numbers

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