Numbers are everywhere — on price tags, bus routes, phone numbers, and dates. Learning to count in Arabic is one of the most practical skills you can develop. Arabic numbers follow specific patterns that depend on the gender of the noun being counted, so mastering numbers 1–10 gives you a strong foundation for all higher numbers.
Counting 1–10
| Number | Arabic | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | واحد | waahid | one |
| 2 | اثنان | ithnaan | two |
| 3 | ثلاثة | thalaatha | three |
| 4 | أربعة | arba’a | four |
| 5 | خمسة | khamsa | five |
| 6 | ستة | sitta | six |
| 7 | سبعة | sab’a | seven |
| 8 | ثمانية | thamaaniya | eight |
| 9 | تسعة | tis’a | nine |
| 10 | عشرة | ashara | ten |
Pattern: Notice that numbers 3–10 end in ـة (taa’ marbuuṭa). This is the standard pattern for these numbers.
Masculine vs. Feminine Numbers
Arabic numbers behave strangely — they reverse the gender of the noun they count:
| Noun Gender | Number Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine noun | Feminine number (with ة) | ثلاثة كتب (thalaatha kutub) — three books |
| Feminine noun | Masculine number (without ة) | ثلاثة سيارات (thalaatha sayyaaraat) — three cars |
This reversal is one of the trickiest aspects of Arabic numbers for English speakers. The rule is:
- When counting masculine nouns, use the feminine form of the number (with ة)
- When counting feminine nouns, use the masculine form of the number (without ة)
Numbers in Sentences
| Arabic | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| عندي ثلاثة كتب | 3indī thalaatha kutub | I have three books |
| عندي خمسة أصدقاء | 3indī khamsa asdiqaa’ | I have five friends |
| في الحقيبة أربعة كتب | fī al-ḥaqība arba’a kutub | In the bag there are four books |
| عند🐑 six cats | 3indee sitt qiṭaṭ | I have six cats |
| يوجد سبعة أيام في الأسبوع | yuwajjad sab3at ayyām fil-usbu3 | There are seven days in the week |
Using Numbers with Nouns
When using numbers with nouns in Arabic, the noun comes after the number and is in the accusative (manṣūs) case for numbers 3–10:
| Arabic | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| كتاب واحد | kitaabun waahid | one book |
| كتابان | kitaabān | two books |
| ثلاثة كتب | thalaatha kutub | three books |
| أربعة كتب | arba’a kutub | four books |
| خمسة كتب | khamsa kutub | five books |
Numbers in Daily Life
Numbers are essential for many daily activities:
Shopping:
- كم السعر؟ — How much does it cost?
- واحد ريال — One riyal
- خمسة ريالات — Five riyals
Time:
- الساعة واحدة — It is one o’clock
- الساعة ثلاثاً — It is three o’clock
Phone Numbers: Arabic phone numbers are read digit by digit:
- صفر واحد اثنان ثلاثة أربعة خمسة — 012345
Listen and Repeat
One
waahid
Two
ithnaan
Three
thalaatha
Four
arba'a
Five
khamsa
Six
sitta
Seven
sab'a
Eight
thamaaniya
Nine
tis'a
Ten
ashara
Practice
How do you say 'five' in Arabic?
hint: Think of the Pentagon — five sides
What is special about numbers 3–10 in Arabic?
hint: Look at the pattern of the numbers
How do you say 'I have three books' in Arabic?
hint: Use 'عندي' for 'I have'
Match each pair — start with Arabic (left)
0 / 10Arabic
English
← Select an Arabic word, then tap its meaning →
Ready to learn 11–20? Continue to Numbers 2.
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