Arabic Numbers 1-100: Essential Vocabulary Guide
Learning Arabic vocabulary numbers is one of the first steps for any student of the language. Numbers are essential for everyday conversations—from telling time and shopping to sharing your phone number. This guide will help you learn Arabic numbers with clear pronunciation guides and practical examples.
Essential Numbers Vocabulary
These are the core Arabic words for numbers that every learner needs to master. Arabic numbers have unique features, including different forms for counting versus describing nouns.
| Word | Pronunciation | English | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| صِفْر | sifr | zero | الرَّقْم صِفْر – The number is zero |
| واحِد | wāḥid | one | عِنْدي كِتاب واحِد – I have one book |
| اِثْنان | ithnān | two | اِثْنان مِن القَهْوة – Two coffees |
| ثَلاثة | thalātha | three | ثَلاثة أيّام – Three days |
| أَرْبَعة | arbaʿa | four | أَرْبَعة أَصْدِقاء – Four friends |
| خَمْسة | khamsa | five | خَمْسة دَنانير – Five dinars |
| سِتّة | sitta | six | سِتّة شُهور – Six months |
| سَبْعة | sabʿa | seven | سَبْعة أَوْلاد – Seven boys |
| ثَمانِية | thamāniya | eight | ثَمانِية ساعات – Eight hours |
| تِسْعة | tisʿa | nine | تِسْعة كُتُب – Nine books |
| عَشَرة | ʿashara | ten | عَشَرة دَقائِق – Ten minutes |
| عِشْرون | ʿishrūn | twenty | عِشْرون طالِبًا – Twenty students |
| ثَلاثون | thalāthūn | thirty | ثَلاثون يَوْمًا – Thirty days |
| مِئة | miʾa | one hundred | مِئة دولار – One hundred dollars |
| أَلْف | alf | one thousand | أَلْف شُكْر – A thousand thanks |
| نِصْف | niṣf | half | نِصْف ساعة – Half an hour |
| رُبْع | rubʿ | quarter | رُبْع كيلو – A quarter kilo |
Common Phrases
When you learn Arabic numbers, knowing how to use them in phrases is just as important as memorizing individual digits. Here are essential expressions you'll use frequently.
| Word | Pronunciation | English | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| كَمْ | kam | how many/much | كَمْ عُمْرُك؟ – How old are you? |
| رَقْم | raqm | number | ما رَقْم هاتِفِك؟ – What is your phone number? |
| أَوَّل | awwal | first | هٰذا هُوَ البَيْت الأَوَّل – This is the first house |
| ثاني | thānī | second | الطّابِق الثّاني – The second floor |
| آخِر | ākhir | last | هٰذا هُوَ الرَّقْم الآخِر – This is the last number |
| مَرَّة | marra | time (occurrence) | مَرَّة واحِدة – One time |
| بِكَمْ | bikam | how much (price) | بِكَمْ هٰذا؟ – How much is this? |
| السّاعة | as-sāʿa | the hour/o'clock | السّاعة الثّالِثة – Three o'clock |
Usage Notes
Understanding these grammatical and cultural notes will help you use Arabic vocabulary numbers correctly in conversation.
- Gender agreement: Numbers 3-10 take the opposite gender of the noun they modify. For example, ثَلاثة رِجال (three men) uses the feminine form, while ثَلاث نِساء (three women) uses the masculine form. This may seem counterintuitive but is a fundamental rule.
- Counting vs. listing: When simply counting (1, 2, 3...), use the masculine forms. When describing quantities of nouns, apply gender agreement rules.
- Eastern Arabic numerals: While Arabic speakers understand Western numerals (1, 2, 3), many countries use Eastern Arabic numerals (١، ٢، ٣). Learn both to read prices, phone numbers, and addresses.
- Numbers 11-19: These are compound numbers. For example, 11 is أَحَدَ عَشَر (aḥada ʿashar) and 12 is اِثْنا عَشَر (ithnā ʿashar).
- Dual form: Arabic has a special dual form for two items. Instead of saying "two books," you often use كِتابان (kitābān) – the noun with the dual ending.
- Cultural note: The number five is considered protective in Arab culture, often represented by the "Hand of Fatima" (خَمْسة). You may hear people say خَمْسة وخَميسة to ward off the evil eye.
Practice Sentences
Use these example sentences to practice Arabic words for numbers in context. Try reading them aloud to improve your pronunciation.
- عُمْري خَمْسة وعِشْرون سَنة
ʿumrī khamsa wa-ʿishrūn sana
I am twenty-five years old. - أُريدُ ثَلاثة كيلوغرامات مِن البُرْتُقال
urīdu thalātha kīlūghrāmāt min al-burtuqāl
I want three kilograms of oranges. - المَوْعِد السّاعة السّابِعة مَساءً
al-mawʿid as-sāʿa as-sābiʿa masāʾan
The appointment is at seven o'clock in the evening. - في الفَصْل عِشْرون طالِبًا وخَمْسَ عَشْرة طالِبة
fī al-faṣl ʿishrūn ṭāliban wa-khams ʿashrata ṭāliba
In the class there are twenty male students and fifteen female students. - رَقْم هاتِفي هُوَ صِفْر خَمْسة واحِد...
raqm hātifī huwa ṣifr khamsa wāḥid...
My phone number is zero five one... - الثَّمَن مِئة وخَمْسون دينارًا
ath-thaman miʾa wa-khamsūn dīnāran
The price is one hundred and fifty dinars. - أَسْكُنُ في الطّابِق الرّابِع
askunu fī aṭ-ṭābiq ar-rābiʿ
I live on the fourth floor. - وُلِدْتُ في عام أَلْف وتِسْعِمِئة وتِسْعين
wulidtu fī ʿām alf wa-tisʿimiʾa wa-tisʿīn
I was born in the year 1990.