Arabic Numbers Made Super Easy

Arabic Numbers Made Easy

الأعداد في اللغة العربية

Saalam Alaikum

Reading numbers in the Arabic language is a little different, and it has some cool grammar rules. Some rules are easy; others are a bit tricky (the famous “opposite gender” rule). Don’t worry; by the end of this lesson, you will know them all.

Part 1: The Ten Digits

Arabic uses ten digits, just like English. They are written from left to right (yes, even though Arabic words go right to left). Let’s meet them:

0
٠
صِفْر
sifr
1
١
واحِد
wāḥid
2
٢
اِثْنان
ithnān
3
٣
ثَلاثة
thalātha
4
٤
أَرْبَعة
arbaʿa
5
٥
خَمْسة
khamsa
6
٦
سِتّة
sitta
7
٧
سَبْعة
sabʿa
8
٨
ثَمانية
thamāniya
9
٩
تِسْعة
tisʿa
Fun fact: The word “zero” in English comes from the Arabic word صِفْر (sifr), which means “empty”!

Reading a bigger number

To read a number like ٣٧٥, read the digits left to right just like English: three, seven, five, so “three hundred seventy-five”.

Part 2: Two Families of Numbers

FamilyArabic nameWhat they doExample
Cardinalالأَعْداد الأَصْلِيّةCount thingsone, two, three
Ordinalالأَعْداد التَّرْتِيبِيّةPut things in orderfirst, second, third

In this lesson we focus on cardinal numbers, because they have the famous grammar rules.

Part 3: The One Big Idea You Must Know First

Before the rules, you need to understand one Arabic idea: every noun is either masculine (مُذَكَّر) or feminine (مُؤَنَّث).

NounMeaningGenderHow to tell
كِتابbookMasculineNo ة at the end
سَيّارةcarFeminineEnds in ة
قَلَمpenMasculineNo ة
مَدْرَسةschoolFeminineEnds in ة
Quick trick: If a noun ends in ة (tā’ marbūṭa), it is almost always feminine. There are a few exceptions, but this trick works most of the time.

Part 4: The Seven Rules of Counting

Here is the full map of rules. Each rule covers a group of numbers. Learn them one at a time.

Rule 1

Numbers 1 and 2: They Agree

The numbers واحِد (1) and اِثْنان (2) behave like adjectives. They come after the noun, and they agree with it in gender.

كِتابٌ واحِدٌone book (masculine + masculine)
سَيّارةٌ واحِدةٌone car (feminine + feminine)
كِتابانِ اثْنانِtwo books (masculine dual)
سَيّارتانِ اثْنَتانِtwo cars (feminine dual)
In real speech, Arabs often drop the “one” or “two” because the noun itself already shows it is singular or dual. So “two books” is usually just كِتابانِ.
Rule 2

Numbers 3 to 10: The Opposite Rule (the tricky one!)

This is the most famous rule in Arabic grammar. For numbers 3 through 10, the number takes the OPPOSITE gender of the noun it is counting.

  • If the noun is masculine, the number has the feminine ة.
  • If the noun is feminine, the number has NO ة.
  • The noun comes after the number, it is plural, and it is in the مجرور (genitive) case.
ثَلاثةُ كُتُبٍthree books (كتاب is masculine, so number gets ة)
ثَلاثُ سَيّاراتٍthree cars (سيارة is feminine, so number drops ة)
خَمْسةُ أَوْلادٍfive boys (masculine, so number has ة)
خَمْسُ بَناتٍfive girls (feminine, so no ة)
Don’t forget: This “opposite gender” rule (مُخالَفة) is why students love and hate numbers 3 to 10. Practice it a lot!
Rule 3

Numbers 11 and 12: Everyone Agrees

For 11 and 12, both parts of the number agree with the noun. No opposites here; life is easy for a moment.

  • The counted noun comes after, is singular, and is in the منصوب (accusative) case with a tanwīn fatḥa ending.
أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كِتاباًeleven books (masculine)
إِحْدى عَشْرةَ سَيّارةًeleven cars (feminine)
اثْنا عَشَرَ كِتاباًtwelve books (masculine)
اثْنَتا عَشْرةَ سَيّارةًtwelve cars (feminine)
Rule 4

Numbers 13 to 19: Split Personality

These numbers have two parts: the ones (3, 4, 5, …) and the word عَشَر (ten). The two parts follow different rules:

  • The ones part takes the OPPOSITE gender (like Rule 2).
  • The tens part (عَشَر / عَشْرة) AGREES with the noun (like Rule 3).
  • The noun is singular and in منصوب case.
ثَلاثةَ عَشَرَ كِتاباًthirteen books: ones = ثلاثة (opposite, has ة for masc noun); tens = عشر (agrees, no ة)
ثَلاثَ عَشْرةَ سَيّارةًthirteen cars: ones = ثلاث (opposite, no ة for fem noun); tens = عشرة (agrees, has ة)
Notice how the two parts “cross over” in their endings. One has ة, the other does not. It flips like a switch!
Rule 5

Tens: 20, 30, 40, … 90

The “round” tens (عِشْرون، ثَلاثون، أَرْبَعون, and so on) use the same form for both masculine and feminine nouns. No opposites, no agreement worries.

  • The noun is singular and in منصوب case.
عِشْرونَ كِتاباًtwenty books
عِشْرونَ سَيّارةًtwenty cars (same form!)
خَمْسونَ طالِباًfifty students
Rule 6

Compound Numbers: 21 to 99

Numbers like 21, 35, or 78 are made of two parts joined by وَ (and): ones + tens. Each part follows its own rule:

  • The ones follow Rule 1 or Rule 2 (depending on the digit).
  • The tens follow Rule 5.
  • The counted noun is singular and in منصوب case.
واحِدٌ وَعِشْرونَ كِتاباً21 books
ثَلاثةٌ وَعِشْرونَ كِتاباً23 books (ones has ة because noun is masc)
ثَلاثٌ وَعِشْرونَ سَيّارةً23 cars (ones has no ة because noun is fem)
Rule 7

Hundred and Thousand: 100 and 1000

مِئة (100) and أَلْف (1000) behave like nouns themselves. They keep the same form for any counted noun.

  • The counted noun is singular and in مجرور case.
مِئةُ كِتابٍ100 books
مِئةُ سَيّارةٍ100 cars
أَلْفُ طالِبٍ1000 students

Part 5: The Rules at a Glance

Here is everything in one table. Print it, stick it on your wall, review it before a test!

NumberGender of numberNoun formNoun case
1, 2Agrees with nounSingular / DualAny case
3 to 10Opposite of nounPluralمجرور (genitive)
11, 12Both parts agreeSingularمنصوب (accusative)
13 to 19Ones opposite; tens agreesSingularمنصوب (accusative)
20, 30, … 90Same for both gendersSingularمنصوب (accusative)
21 to 99Mix: each part by its ruleSingularمنصوب (accusative)
100, 1000Same for both gendersSingularمجرور (genitive)

Part 6: The Decision Tree

Stuck on a number? Follow this tree from top to bottom and you will always know what to do.

What number is it? 1 or 2 3 to 10 11, 12, or 13 to 19 20, 30, … 90 100 or 1000 Number AGREES with noun gender Comes after noun OPPOSITE gender Noun plural Noun مجرور the tricky rule! 11, 12: both agree 13-19: split rule Noun singular Noun منصوب Same for both genders Noun singular Noun منصوب Same for both Noun singular Noun مجرور Examples from each branch: كتابٌ واحدٌ ; ثلاثةُ كتبٍ ; أحدَ عشرَ كتاباً ; عشرونَ كتاباً ; مئةُ كتابٍ Memory Hook 3 to 10 (plural & opposite) ; 11 to 99 (singular منصوب) ; 100 & 1000 (singular مجرور) “Plural opposite, singular منصوب, hundred keeps it مجرور”

Part 7: Worked Examples

Let’s walk through three problems together.

Example 1: “seven pens”

The noun is قَلَم (pen). Is it masculine or feminine? It has no ة, so it is masculine.

The number is 7 (in the 3-10 range), so we use Rule 2: the number takes the OPPOSITE gender (so it needs ة), and the noun is plural مجرور.

سَبْعةُ أَقْلامٍseven pens ✓

Example 2: “nine schools”

The noun is مَدْرَسة (school). It ends in ة, so it is feminine.

Number 9 is in the 3-10 range, so Rule 2 again: opposite gender means the number has NO ة; noun is plural مجرور.

تِسْعُ مَدارِسَnine schools ✓

Example 3: “fifteen girls”

The noun بِنْت (girl) is feminine. Number 15 is in the 13-19 range, so Rule 4 applies.

The ones part (5) takes the OPPOSITE of feminine, so no ة: خَمْسَ. The tens part AGREES with feminine, so it has ة: عَشْرةَ. The noun is singular منصوب.

خَمْسَ عَشْرةَ بِنْتاًfifteen girls ✓

Part 8: Common Mistakes to Avoid

Saying ثَلاثُ كُتُبٍ (no ة) for “three books”. Since كِتاب is masculine, the correct form is ثَلاثةُ كُتُبٍ (with ة). Remember: OPPOSITE gender!
Using the plural noun after 11-99. The correct form uses the singular: say عِشْرونَ كِتاباً, not عِشْرونَ كُتُباً.
Forgetting that 1 and 2 come AFTER the noun, not before. Say كِتابٌ واحِدٌ, not واحِدُ كِتابٍ.

Part 9: Practice Exercises

Now it is your turn! Try each problem, then click “Show Answer” to check.

Q1: Complete the phrase for “four books” (the word for book, كِتاب, is masculine):

_______ كُتُبٍ

Show Answer

أَرْبَعةُ كُتُبٍ (because 3-10 takes opposite gender; masculine noun means number needs ة)

Q2: How do you say “six cars” in Arabic? (سَيّارة = car, feminine)
Show Answer

سِتُّ سَيّاراتٍ (feminine noun; number drops the ة; noun is plural مجرور)

Q3: Translate “twenty students” (طالِب = student, masculine):
Show Answer

عِشْرونَ طالِباً (Rule 5: same form for both genders; noun is singular منصوب)

Q4: Correct or wrong? ثَلاثُ أَوْلادٍ (for “three boys”, where وَلَد is masculine).
Show Answer

Wrong! The noun وَلَد is masculine, so the number (3 to 10) must take the OPPOSITE gender, meaning it needs ة. The correct form is ثَلاثةُ أَوْلادٍ.

Q5: Say “seventeen girls” in Arabic (بِنْت = girl, feminine).
Show Answer

سَبْعَ عَشْرةَ بِنْتاً (Rule 4: ones is opposite, so سَبْعَ drops ة; tens agrees, so عَشْرةَ keeps ة; noun is singular منصوب)

Q6: Translate “one hundred pens” (قَلَم = pen).
Show Answer

مِئةُ قَلَمٍ (Rule 7: 100 keeps its form; noun is singular مجرور)

Q7: Fill in the blank: خَمْسةٌ وَ_______ كِتاباً for “twenty-five books”.
Show Answer

عِشْرونَ, giving خَمْسةٌ وَعِشْرونَ كِتاباً. The ones part (5) follows Rule 2 (opposite, so ة for masculine noun), and the tens follows Rule 5.

Q8 (Challenge): Why is it ثَلاثَ عَشْرةَ سَيّارةً and not ثَلاثةَ عَشَرَ سَيّارةً?
Show Answer

Because the noun سَيّارة is feminine. In Rule 4, the ones part takes the OPPOSITE gender, so ثَلاثَ (no ة). The tens part AGREES with the noun, so عَشْرةَ (with ة). Both have to match the feminine noun through this split rule.

Part 10: Quick Recap

If you remember only three things
1. For numbers 3 to 10: the number and the noun have OPPOSITE genders. The noun is plural مجرور.
2. For numbers 11 to 99: the noun is always singular, in the منصوب case.
3. For 100 and 1000: the noun is singular, in the مجرور case, and the number stays the same shape for both genders.

Congratulations! 🎉 You now know the core grammar of Arabic numbers. Keep practicing with real sentences, and soon the “opposite rule” will feel as easy as 1, 2, 3.

بِالتَّوْفِيق!

May Allah Make it Easy for you

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