Language/Standard-arabic/Vocabulary/Numbers
Hello and welcome to our lesson about Arabic numerals!
Whether you're shopping at the market, giving your age, or providing your phone number, having a solid grasp of numbers and the ability to count in Arabic can be incredibly valuable.
Throughout this lesson, we'll be delving into the fundamentals of counting in standard Arabic. By the end of this lesson, you'll have a strong foundation in Arabic numerals and be able to confidently use them in a variety of settings.
Consider broadening your understanding by checking out these related lessons: Fish and Seafood, Breakfast, Popular Arabic sports & To know.
What are Arabic Numerals?[edit | edit source]
Arabic numerals are a set of ten digits (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) that are widely used in the world today to represent numbers in mathematical operations and in everyday life. These numerals originated in India around the 6th or 7th century and were later adopted and refined by Arab mathematicians in the 9th century.
The term "Arabic numerals" is somewhat of a misnomer, as the numerals were not actually invented by Arabs, but rather they were introduced to Europe by Arab scholars during the Middle Ages. The use of Arabic numerals eventually became widespread in Europe, and they replaced the Roman numerals that had been used for centuries.
One of the key features of Arabic numerals is the decimal system, which is based on the idea of using ten digits to represent all numbers. This system makes arithmetic operations much simpler and more efficient than other number systems that have been used in the past.
Today, Arabic numerals are used in virtually all mathematical and scientific calculations, as well as in everyday life for tasks such as telling time, reading street addresses, and tracking financial transactions.
Cardinal Numbers[edit | edit source]
To learn Arabic numbers and digits, you will first need to know the numbers 0 to 9 by heart.
It is from them that the other numbers of the Arabic numbering are made up!
From 0 to 9[edit | edit source]
Number | Literary Arabic | Writing | Writing (number) |
---|---|---|---|
0 | Sifr | صفر | ٠ |
1 | Wahid | واحد | ١ |
2 | I thnan | إثنان | ٢ |
3 | Thalaathah | ثلاثة | ٣ |
4 | Arbahah | أربع | ٤ |
5 | Khamsah | خمسة | ٥ |
6 | Sittah | ستة | ٦ |
7 | Sabhah | سبعة | ٧ |
8 | Thamaniyah | ثمانية | ٨ |
9 | Tishah | تسعة | ٩ |
From 10 to 19[edit | edit source]
A little comparison with other languages:
- In French, and unlike other languages with fewer exceptions, between the numbers 11 and 19, you will find 6 exceptions. From 11 to 16. Only then will we begin to associate the tens with the final figure.
- In Spanish, you have to wait for the number 16 for that (dieciséis).
- English waits for the number 13 to proceed with the association (thirteen).
The Arabic numbers are a kind of exception, on the 11, but then resume the logic of association of the ten with the unit.
Let’s say it’s easier to learn Arabic numbers than French numbers when it is a foreign language.
Number | Literary Arabic | Writing | Writing (number) |
---|---|---|---|
10 | Hasharah | عَشَرة | ١٠ |
11 | Ahad ’ashar | أحَدَ عَشَر | ١١ |
12 | Isna ’ashar | إثنا عَشَر | ١٢ |
13 | Salasata ’ashar | ثلاثة عَشَر | ١٣ |
14 | Arba’ata ’ashar | أربَعة عَشَر | ١٤ |
15 | Hamsata ’ashar | خَمْسة عَشَر | ١٥ |
16 | Sittata ’ashar | سِتّة عَشَر | ١٦ |
17 | Sab’ata ’ashar | سَبْعة عَشَر | ١٧ |
18 | Samaniyata ’ashar | ثَمانية عَشَر | ١٨ |
19 | Tis’ata ’ashar | تِسْعة عَشَر | ١٩ |
From 20 to 29[edit | edit source]
It is from the number 20 that the Arabic numbering completely resumes its logic of association:
Number | Literary Arabic | Writing | Writing (number) |
20 | ’ishroun | عِشْرون | ٢٠ |
21 | Wahid wa-’ishroun | وَاحِد وَعِشْرون | ٢١ |
22 | Isnan wa-’ishroun | إثنان وَعِشْرون | ٢٢ |
23 | Salasah wa-’ishroun | ثلاثة وَعِشْرون | ٢٣ |
24 | Arba’ah wa-’ishroun | أربَعة وَعِشْرون | ٢٤ |
25 | Hamsah wa-’ishroun | خَمْسة وَعِشْرون | ٢٥ |
26 | Sittah wa-’ishroun | سِتّة وَعِشْرون | ٢٦ |
27 | Sab’ah wa-’ishroun | سَبْعة وَعِشْرون | ٢٧ |
28 | Samaniyah wa-’ishroun | ثَمانية وَعِشْرون | ٢٨ |
29 | Tis’ah wa-’ishroun | تِسْعة وَعِشْرون | ٢٩ |
from 30 to 100[edit | edit source]
It will be relatively easy for you to learn Arabic numbers in terms of tens. Why that ?
Quite simply because if "20" does not look like two and must be learned by heart, this is no longer the case for the next dozen. Thus, from 30 to 90, each ten takes root from 3 to 9:
Number | Literary Arabic | Writing | Writing (number) |
---|---|---|---|
Trente | Thalaathoune | ثلاثون | ٣٠ |
Quarante | Arbahoune | أربعون | ٤٠ |
Cinquante | Khamsoune | خمسون | ٥٠ |
Soixante | Sittoune | ستون | ٦٠ |
Soixante-dix | Sabhoune | سبعون | ٧٠ |
Quatre-vingt | Thamaniyoune | ثمانون | ٨٠ |
Quatre-vingt-dix | Tishoune | تسعون | ٩٠ |
Cent | Mia | مئة | ١٠٠ |
From 101 to one bilion[edit | edit source]
English | Arabic | Pronunciation |
---|---|---|
one hundred and one | مئة وواحد | mia'a wa wahed |
two hundred | مئتان | mia'atan |
three hundred | ثلاثمئة | thalathu mia'a |
four hundred | اربعمئة | arba'au mia'a |
five hundred | خمسمئة | khamsu mia'a |
six hundred | ستمئة | sittu mia'a |
seven hundred | سبعمئة | saba'u mia'a |
eight hundred | ثمانمئة | thamanu mia'a |
nine hundred | تسعمئة | tiso'u mia'a |
one thousand | ألف | alf |
ten thousand | عشرة آلاف | asharatu alaf |
one hundred thousand | مئة ألف | mi'at alf |
million | مليون | malyon |
one bilion | مليار | miliyar |
Ordinal numbers[edit | edit source]
Ordinal numbers in Arabic are derived from numbers and they are used as adjectives. Therefore, they need the masculine or feminine form.
From 1st to 10th:
English | Arabic masculine | Pronunciation | Arabic feminine | Pronunciation |
---|---|---|---|---|
First | الأول | Al-Awal | الأولى | Oula |
Second | الثاني | A-Thani | الثانية | Thania |
Third | الثالث | Thaleth | الثالثة | Thaletha |
Fourth | الرابع | Rabe3 | الرابعة | Rabe3a |
Fifth | الخامس | Khames | الخامسة | Khaamesa |
Sixth | السادس | Sadis | السادسة | Sadisa |
Seventh | السابع | Sabe3 | السابعة | Sabe3a |
Eighth | الثامن | Thamen | الثامنة | Thamena |
Ninth | التاسع | Tase3 | التاسعة | Tase3a |
Tenth | العاشر | 3acher | العاشرة | achera |
Adverbial Numbers[edit | edit source]
English | Arabic | Pronunciation |
---|---|---|
once | مرّة | Marrah |
twice | مرتين | Marratayn |
Three times | ثلاث مرات | Thalath Marrat |
Eleven times | إحدى عشرة مرة | ihda ashara marrah |
twenty times | عشرون مرة | Oshroon Marrah |
Double | الضعف | alda'af |
Triple | ثلاثة أضعاف | thalathata ada'af |
four fold | أربعة أضعاف | Arba'ata ada'af |
Ten fold | عشرة أضعاف | Asharata ada'af |
Hundred fold | مئة ضعف | Mia'at da'af |
Listen to the pronunciation of Arabic numbers[edit | edit source]
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]