Arabic Numbers
Welcome to this complete guide on Numbers in Arabic, where we’ll explore the fascinating way this language handles counting and numerals. Arabic numbers aren’t just about memorizing digits—they follow specific rules that add structure and elegance to the language.
We’ll start with the foundation: صِفر (sifr), the Arabic word for zero. It’s not just a starting point but a concept that revolutionized how numbers are used worldwide. From there, we’ll move step-by-step, introducing numbers from one to ten, and showing you how they match or contrast with the nouns they describe. As we progress, we’ll uncover how Arabic numbers beyond ten, like 23 or 45, combine units and tens logically yet in a rhythmic way.
Along the way, we’ll explain important grammar rules—like how numbers agree or disagree with the gender of nouns when to use -oon and -een endings in tens, and how to keep the noun in singular form no matter how large the number. We will end with some insights into hundreds in Arabic.
So, hopefully, by the end of this comprehensive article, you’ll have a clear understanding of how Arabic numbers work and the confidence to use them correctly in everyday contexts.
We have also prepared a quick quiz on Numbers in Arabic. So, keep reading till the end and take the quiz to test your information.
Are you ready?
Zero in Arabic
In Arabic, the journey of numbers begins with صِفر (sifr), the word for zero. Far from being just a placeholder, sifr revolutionized mathematics by introducing the concept of “nothingness” as a number, enabling calculations that were impossible in earlier systems. This innovation, first developed in ancient India, was adopted and popularized by Arab mathematicians like Al-Khwarizmi, whose work later influenced the global numeral system.
Arabic Numbers 1 - 19
Learning the numbers from one to ten is essential to learning the Arabic numbers and how to count in Arabic.
Number
Pronunciation
Writing
1
Wahid
واحد
2
Ithnan
اثنان
3
Thalatha
ثلاثة
4
Arba’a
أربعة
5
Khamsa
خمسة
6
Sitta
ستة
7
Sab’a
سبعة
8
Thamaniya
ثمانية
9
Tis’a
تسعة
10
Ashra
عشرة
11
Ahada ‘ashar
أحد عشر
12
Ithna ‘ashar
اثنا عشر
13
Thalatha-ta ‘ashar
ثلاثة عشر
14
Arba’a-ta ‘ashar
أربعة عشر
15
Khamsa-ta ‘ashar
خمسة عشر
16
Sitta-ta ‘ashar
ستة عشر
17
Sab’a-ta ‘ashar
سبعة عشر
18
Thamaniya-ta ‘ashar
ثمانية عشر
19
Tisʻata ʻashar
تِسعةَ عَشَر
Numbers one (واحِد) and two (اِثنان) are unique in Arabic because they follow the noun they describe, instead of preceding it like other numbers. They also match the noun in gender, meaning the number is masculine when the noun is masculine and feminine when the noun is feminine. Additionally, in some cases, the dual form of a noun inherently expresses the number two, making the explicit use of “اِثنان” unnecessary.
Here are examples to illustrate these rules:
One book
Kitābun wāḥid
كِتابٌ واحِد
One apple
Tufāḥatun wāḥidh
تُفاحةٌ واحِدة
Two books
Kitābāni ithnān
كِتابانِ اثنان
Two apples
Tufāḥatāni ithnatān
تُفاحَتانِ اثنَتان
I have a book.
Ladayya kitābun
لَدَيَّ كِتابٌ
I bought two books.
Ishtaraytu kitābayn
اِشتَرَيتُ كِتابَين
Numbers from three (ثِلاثة) to nine (تِسعة) precede the noun and are opposite in gender to it.
Three books
كتاب (M)
Thalāthatu kutubin
ثَلاثَةُ كُتُبٍ
Six apples
تفاحة (F)
Sittu tuffāḥātin
سِتُّ تُفّاحاتٍ
Eight pens
قلم (M)
Thamāniyatu aqlāmin
ثَمانِيةُ أقلامٍ
Five hours
ساعة (F)
Khamsu sāʻātin
خَمسُ ساعاتٍ
Nine cities
مدينة (F)
Tisʻu mudunin
تِسعُ مُدُنٍ
Number ten (عشرة) follows the noun and is opposite to it in gender. A masculine noun takes عشرة, while a feminine noun takes عشر. By adding the letter ة to عشر masculine number becomes feminine.
Ten books
كتاب (M)
ʿashratu kutubin
عَشرةُ كُتُب
Ten cars
سيّارة (F)
ʿashru sayyārātin
عَشرُ سَيّارات
Numbers eleven (أحد عشر) and twelve (اثنا عشر) follow a two-part construction, and the two parts agree with the noun in gender. The noun remains singular and takes the accusative case.
Eleven books
كتاب (M)
ʾaḥada ʿashar kitāban
أحَدَ عشَر كتابًا
Eleven bags
حقيبة (F)
ʾiḥdā ʿashr ḥaqībatan
إحدى عشرةَ حقيبةً
Twelve chairs
كرسي (M)
ithnā ʿashar kursīyan
اثنا عشَر كُرسيًّا
Twelve cars
سيارة (F)
ithnatā ʿashr sayyāratan
اثنتا عشرةَ سيّارةً
Numbers from thirteen (ثلاثة عشر) to nineteen (تسعة عشر) also follow a two-part construction. The first part (3–9) is opposite in gender to the noun, while the second part (عشر) agrees with it in gender. The noun remains singular and in the accusative case.
Fifteen students
طالب (M)
khamsa ʿashar ṭāliban
خَمسةَ عَشر طالِبًا
Fifteen (female) students
طالبة (F)
khams ʿashrata ṭālibatan
خَمس عَشرةَ طالِبةً
Tens in Arabic
Numbers like twenty (عُشرون) and its multiples (ثلاثون, أربعون, etc.) precede the noun and do not change based on the gender of the noun. The noun remains singular and in the accusative case. They also have two endings—-oon and -een—to reflect grammatical case. The -oon ending is used in the nominative case (e.g., when the number is the subject of a sentence), while the -een ending is used in the accusative or genitive case (e.g., when the number is the object or follows a preposition). For example, “Twenty students are in the class” is عُشرونَ طالِبًا, while “I saw twenty students” is رأيتُ عِشرينَ طالِبًا. These variations ensure grammatical precision in Arabic’s case-based system.
Number in English
Arabic Numerals
Pronunciation
Writing
Twenty
20
Ishrun
عشرون
Thirty
30
Thalathun
ثلاثون
Forty
40
Arba’un
أربعون
Fifty
50
Khamsun
خمسون
Sixty
60
Sittun
ستون
Seventy
70
Sab’un
سبعون
Eighty
80
Thamanun
ثمانون
Ninety
90
Tis’un
تسعون
Numbers beyond the tens, like 23, 45, and 66, follow a structured system that combines units (1–9) with tens (20, 30, etc.). This system has clear grammatical rules, which are consistent and easy to apply once understood.
For example, to say 23 in Arabic, the unit (three) ثلاثة comes first, followed by the word “and” (و), and then the ten (twenty). The result is ثلاثةٌ وعِشرون (thalātha wa-ʿishrūn) or “Three and twenty”. If you’re describing objects, the unit must follow the opposite gender rule: a masculine noun takes a feminine unit, and a feminine noun takes a masculine unit.
Twenty-three books
كتاب (M)
thalātha wa-ʿishrūn kitāban
ثَلاثةٌ وعِشرونَ كِتابًا
Twenty-three cars
سيّارة (F)
thalāthun wa-ʿishrūn sayyāratan
ثَلاثٌ وعِشرونَ سيّارةً
Hundreds in Arabic
Numbers like one hundred (مِئة) and its multiples are consistent regardless of gender. The noun remains singular and in the genitive case when connected with “hundreds” in the construct state.
The problem that many students have is that they have difficulties learning numbers in Arabic. This is basically because they are dealing with each number by itself. This can only make things harder for them.
Number
Pronunciation
Writing
100
Me’a
مئة
200
Me’atan
مئتان
300
Thathme’a
ثلاثمئة
400
Arba’mea
أربعمئة
500
Khamsme’a
خمسمئة
600
Sitme’a
ستمئة
700
Sab’me’a
سبعمئة
800
Thanme’a
ثمانمئة
900
Tis’me’a
تسعمئة
Numbers like one hundred (مِئة) and its multiples are consistent regardless of gender. The noun remains singular and in the genitive case when connected with “hundreds” in the construct state.
One hundred books
كتاب (M)
miʾat kitāb
مِئةُ كِتاب
One hundred cars
سيّارة (F)
miʾat sayyāra
مِئةُ سيّارة
For numbers beyond one hundred, combine the relevant “hundred” with smaller numbers following their respective rules.
Two hundred and three books
كتاب (M)
miʾatān wa-thalātha kutub
مِئتانِ وثَلاثةُ كُتُبٍ
Final word
Arabic numbers aren’t just about counting—they’re a window into the language’s structure and elegance. Whether you’re counting objects, describing quantities, or using numbers in conversation, you now have the tools to do it with confidence and accuracy.
Keep practicing, and you’ll soon find that Arabic numbers feel as natural as your own native numerals.
Great job, and happy learning!
