Understanding Arabic Numbers 1-20 in English

Arabic numbers are an essential part of learning the Arabic language. They are used in everyday life, from telling time to shopping. Here’s a guide to help you understand and remember the Arabic numbers from 1 to 20.

Arabic Numbers 1-20

1. واحد (Wahid) – One
2. اثنان (Ithnan) – Two
3. ثلاثة (Thalatha) – Three
4. أربعة (Arba’a) – Four
5. خمسة (Khamsa) – Five
6. ستة (Sitta) – Six
7. سبعة (Sab’a) – Seven
8. ثمانية (Thamaniya) – Eight
9. تسعة (Tis’a) – Nine
10. عشرة (Ashara) – Ten

After 10, the numbers start to combine with “ten” to form numbers 11 to 19:

11. أحد عشر (Ahad Ashar) – Eleven
12. اثنا عشر (Ithna Ashar) – Twelve
13. ثلاثة عشر (Thalatha Ashar) – Thirteen
14. أربعة عشر (Arba’a Ashar) – Fourteen
15. خمسة عشر (Khamsa Ashar) – Fifteen
16. ستة عشر (Sitta Ashar) – Sixteen
17. سبعة عشر (Sab’a Ashar) – Seventeen
18. ثمانية عشر (Thamaniya Ashar) – Eighteen
19. تسعة عشر (Tis’a Ashar) – Nineteen

Finally, for twenty, it is:

20. عشرون (Ishrun) – Twenty

Here’s a table showing Arabic numerals 1 to 20 along with their Arabic script and pronunciation:

Number	Arabic Numerals	Arabic Script	Pronunciation
1	١	واحد	Wahid
2	٢	اثنان	Ithnan
3	٣	ثلاثة	Thalatha
4	٤	أربعة	Arba’a
5	٥	خمسة	Khamsa
6	٦	ستة	Sitta
7	٧	سبعة	Sab’a
8	٨	ثمانية	Thamaniya
9	٩	تسعة	Tis’a
10	١٠	عشرة	Ashara
11	١١	أحد عشر	Ahad Ashar
12	١٢	اثنا عشر	Ithna Ashar
13	١٣	ثلاثة عشر	Thalatha Ashar
14	١٤	أربعة عشر	Arba’a Ashar
15	١٥	خمسة عشر	Khamsa Ashar
16	١٦	ستة عشر	Sitta Ashar
17	١٧	سبعة عشر	Sab’a Ashar
18	١٨	ثمانية عشر	Thamaniya Ashar
19	١٩	تسعة عشر	Tis’a Ashar
20	٢٠	عشرون	Ishrun

This table uses Arabic numerals (Eastern Arabic numerals) in their native script.

Here’s a table showing the masculine and feminine forms of Arabic numbers from 1 to 20:

Number	Masculine Form	Feminine Form
1	واحد (Wahid)	واحدة (Wahidah)
2	اثنان (Ithnan)	اثنتان (Ithnatan)
3	ثلاثة (Thalatha)	ثلاث (Thalath)
4	أربعة (Arba’a)	أربع (Arba’)
5	خمسة (Khamsa)	خمس (Khams)
6	ستة (Sitta)	ست (Sitt)
7	سبعة (Sab’a)	سبع (Sab’)
8	ثمانية (Thamaniya)	ثماني (Thaman)
9	تسعة (Tis’a)	تسع (Tis’)
10	عشرة (Ashara)	عشر (Ashr)
11	أحد عشر (Ahad Ashar)	إحدى عشرة (Ihda Ashar)
12	اثنا عشر (Ithna Ashar)	اثنتا عشرة (Ithnata Ashar)
13	ثلاثة عشر (Thalatha Ashar)	ثلاث عشرة (Thalath Ashar)
14	أربعة عشر (Arba’a Ashar)	أربع عشرة (Arba’a Ashar)
15	خمسة عشر (Khamsa Ashar)	خمس عشرة (Khams Ashar)
16	ستة عشر (Sitta Ashar)	ست عشرة (Sitta Ashar)
17	سبعة عشر (Sab’a Ashar)	سبع عشرة (Sab’a Ashar)
18	ثمانية عشر (Thamaniya Ashar)	ثمان عشرة (Thamaniya Ashar)
19	تسعة عشر (Tis’a Ashar)	تسع عشرة (Tis’a Ashar)
20	عشرون (Ishrun)	عشرون (Ishrun)

Notes:

• For numbers 1 and 2, the feminine forms are different from the masculine ones.
• From numbers 3 to 10, the feminine forms are generally made by removing the final “ة” (taa’ marbuta) from the masculine form, with some exceptions.
• For compound numbers (11-20), the feminine forms follow specific patterns.

This table helps illustrate how numbers change according to gender in Arabic.

In Arabic, numbers 1 (واحد – wāḥid) and 2 (اِثْنَان – ithnān) function like adjectives and must agree with the noun in gender, definiteness, and case:

• Number 1 (واحد – wāḥid): Follows the noun it modifies, agreeing in gender and definiteness.
• Masculine: كِتَابٌ وَاحِد (kitābun wāḥid) – One book
• Feminine: سَيَّارَةٌ وَاحِدَة (sayyāra wāḥida) – One car
• Number 2 (اِثْنَان – ithnān): Also follows the noun, agreeing in gender and case.
• Masculine: رَجُلان اِثْنَان (rajulān ithnān) – Two men
• Feminine: سَيَّارَتَان اِثْنَتَان (sayyāratān ithnatān) – Two cars

Numbers 3 to 10

• Placement: The number precedes the noun.
• Example: ثَلاثَة كُتُب (thalātha kutub) – Three books
• No Tanwin or Alif-Lam: They do not have tanwin or alif-lam.
• Example: سَبْعَة كُتُب (sabʿa kutub) – Seven books
• Noun Case: The noun is in the genitive case (majrur) and must be plural.
• Example: ثَمَانِيَة أَوْلاد (thamāniya awlād) – Eight boys
• Gender Agreement: The number and noun must have opposite genders.
• Example: خَمْسَة طُلَّاب (khamsa ṭullāb) – Five students (ṭullāb is masculine, so the number “five” is feminine)
• Example: أَرْبَع سَيَّارَات (arbaʿ sayyārāt) – Four cars (sayyārāt is feminine, so the number “four” is masculine)

READ MORE: Arabic 1 10 Numbers: Learn to Count in Arabic

Arabic Numbers: 11 to 20

When learning Arabic numbers, it’s important to understand how they function grammatically. Here’s a detailed guide to Arabic numbers 11 through 20, focusing on their structure and usage.

Numbers 11 to 19

In Arabic, numbers from 11 to 19 are compound words, consisting of two parts:

1. The first part indicates the number 1-9.
2. The second part indicates “ten.”

Both parts of the compound number are indeclinable, meaning they do not change form. However, there are some rules to follow:

1. Gender Agreement:

• The first part of the number is opposite in gender to the noun being counted. For example, if the noun is feminine, the first part will be masculine.
• The second part of the number agrees with the gender of the noun being counted.

2. Case and Declension:

• Tamyeez: The number is always in the singular and accusative case (mansub), which is known as tamyeez.
• Exceptions for 2: Numbers 2 (اثنان) and 2 (اثنتان) are exceptions. In the genitive and accusative cases, they become اثني and اثنتي.

Here’s a breakdown of numbers 11 to 19:

11. أحد عشر (Ahad Ashar) – Eleven
12. اثنا عشر (Ithna Ashar) – Twelve
13. ثلاثة عشر (Thalatha Ashar) – Thirteen
14. أربعة عشر (Arba’a Ashar) – Fourteen
15. خمسة عشر (Khamsa Ashar) – Fifteen
16. ستة عشر (Sitta Ashar) – Sixteen
17. سبعة عشر (Sab’a Ashar) – Seventeen
18. ثمانية عشر (Thamaniya Ashar) – Eighteen
19. تسعة عشر (Tis’a Ashar) – Nineteen

Number	Masculine Form	Feminine Form
11	أحد عشر (Ahad Ashar)	إحدى عشرة (Ihda Ashar)
12	اثنا عشر (Ithna Ashar)	اثنتا عشرة (Ithnata Ashar)
13	ثلاثة عشر (Thalatha Ashar)	ثلاث عشرة (Thalath Ashar)
14	أربعة عشر (Arba’a Ashar)	أربع عشرة (Arba’a Ashar)
15	خمسة عشر (Khamsa Ashar)	خمس عشرة (Khams Ashar)
16	ستة عشر (Sitta Ashar)	ست عشرة (Sitta Ashar)
17	سبعة عشر (Sab’a Ashar)	سبع عشرة (Sab’a Ashar)
18	ثمانية عشر (Thamaniya Ashar)	ثمان عشرة (Thamaniya Ashar)
19	تسعة عشر (Tis’a Ashar)	تسع عشرة (Tis’a Ashar)

The Number Twenty

The number 20 in Arabic is unique:

• Form: عشرون (Ishrun) – Twenty
• Pattern: It follows the same pattern as the sound masculine plural. This means it has a consistent form regardless of the gender of the noun being counted.
• Noun Case: The noun being counted is always in the singular and accusative case (mansub), known as tamyeez. This rule applies to numbers from 11 to 99.

Practical Tips

1. Practice Gender Agreement: Ensure you correctly match the gender of the noun with the second part of the number.
2. Use Tamyeez: Remember to use the singular and accusative case for the noun being counted.
3. Understand Exceptions: Pay attention to the exceptions with the number 2 and adjust accordingly in the genitive and accusative cases.

By following these guidelines, you’ll enhance your understanding and use of Arabic numbers in everyday situations. Practice regularly to become proficient in using these numbers correctly in both writing and conversation.

Here are some examples demonstrating the rules for Arabic numbers 11-19 with both masculine and feminine nouns:

1. أحد عشر (Ahad Ashar) – Eleven

• Masculine: أحد عشر كتابًا (Ahad Ashar Kitaban) – Eleven books
• Feminine: إحدى عشرة مدرسة (Ihda Ashar Madrasah) – Eleven schools

2. اثنا عشر (Ithna Ashar) – Twelve

• Masculine: اثنا عشر طالبًا (Ithna Ashar Taliban) – Twelve students
• Feminine: اثنتا عشرة معلمة (Ithnata Ashar Mualimah) – Twelve teachers

3. ثلاثة عشر (Thalatha Ashar) – Thirteen

• Masculine: ثلاثة عشر رجلًا (Thalatha Ashar Rajulan) – Thirteen men
• Feminine: ثلاث عشرة امرأة (Thalath Ashar Imra’ah) – Thirteen women

4. أربعة عشر (Arba’a Ashar) – Fourteen

• Masculine: أربعة عشر حاسوبًا (Arba’a Ashar Hasuban) – Fourteen computers
• Feminine: أربع عشرة ساعة (Arba’a Ashar Sa’ah) – Fourteen hours

5. خمسة عشر (Khamsa Ashar) – Fifteen

• Masculine: خمسة عشر درهمًا (Khamsa Ashar Dirhaman) – Fifteen dirhams
• Feminine: خمس عشرة فكرة (Khams Ashar Fikrah) – Fifteen ideas

Rules Applied:

• The number is singular and in the accusative case (tamyeez).
• For numbers 11-19, the first part of the compound number (1-9) agrees in gender with the noun, while the second part (ten) remains constant.
• Numbers 2 (اثنان and اثنتان) have specific forms in the genitive and accusative cases.

Here are some examples demonstrating the rules for the Arabic number 20 (عشرون – Ishrun) with both masculine and feminine nouns:

1. عشرون كتابًا (Ishrun Kitaban) – Twenty books

• Masculine: عشرون كتابًا (Ishrun Kitaban) – The noun “كتاب” (book) is masculine and in the accusative case (tamyeez).

2. عشرون مدرسة (Ishrun Madrasah) – Twenty schools

• Feminine: عشرون مدرسة (Ishrun Madrasah) – The noun “مدرسة” (school) is feminine, but the number “عشرون” remains the same for both masculine and feminine nouns.

3. عشرون قلمًا (Ishrun Qalam) – Twenty pens

• Masculine: عشرون قلمًا (Ishrun Qalam) – The noun “قلم” (pen) is masculine and in the accusative case (tamyeez).

4. عشرون سيارة (Ishrun Sayyarah) – Twenty cars

• Feminine: عشرون سيارة (Ishrun Sayyarah) – The noun “سيارة” (car) is feminine, but the number “عشرون” remains unchanged.

5. عشرون شجرة (Ishrun Shajarah) – Twenty trees

• Feminine: عشرون شجرة (Ishrun Shajarah) – The noun “شجرة” (tree) is feminine, and the number “عشرون” is used without change.

Rules Applied:

• The number 20 (عشرون) uses the same form regardless of the gender of the noun being counted.
• The noun being counted is singular and in the accusative case (tamyeez).

Learning these numbers will help you with various activities in Arabic-speaking environments, from ordering food to understanding prices. Practice saying and writing these numbers to become more comfortable with them!