The number and its usage in Arabic | الْعَدَدُ

In Arabic,  العَدَدُ are the numbers and الْمَعْدُودُ is the counted noun.  

 

 

The cardinal numbers – العَدَدُ الأَسَاسِي

 

 

The Arabic numerals are the trickiest features of written Arabic. They are not governed by a single rule, but in general terms, they are treated as declinable nouns as their ending harakah are changed according to their cases.

 

 

1. The number 1 is used as:

 

 

• Masculine: أَحَدٌ / وَاحِدٌ
• Feminine:  إِحْدَى / وَاحِدَةٌ

 

 

قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَا إِلَـٰهُكُمْ إِلَـٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ

 

 

Say, “I am only a man like you, to whom has been revealed that your god is one God. (18:110)

 

 

فَإِنَّمَا هِيَ زَجْرَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ فَإِذَا هُمْ يَنظُرُونَ

 

 

It will be only one shout, and at once they will be observing. (37:19)

 

 

 وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدًا

 

 

 and not associate in the worship of his Lord anyone.” (18:110)

 

 

وَإِذْ يَعِدُكُمُ اللَّـهُ إِحْدَى الطَّائِفَتَيْنِ أَنَّهَا لَكُمْ

 

 

[Remember, O believers], when Allah promised you one of the two groups – that it would be yours (8:7)

 

 

2. The number 2 is used as:

 

 

• Masculine – nominative case: اِثْنَانِ
• Masculine – accusative and genitive case: اِثْنَيْنِ

 

 

• Feminine – nominative case: اِثْنَتَانِ
• Feminine – accusative and genitive case: اِثْنَتَيْنِ

 

 

حِينَ الْوَصِيَّةِ اثْنَانِ ذَوَا عَدْلٍ

 

 

at the time of bequest – [that of] two just men from among you  (5:106) 

 

 

 وَمِنَ الْإِبِلِ اثْنَيْنِ وَمِنَ الْبَقَرِ اثْنَيْنِ ۗ قُلْ آلذَّكَرَيْنِ حَرَّمَ أَمِ الْأُنثَيَيْنِ أَمَّا اشْتَمَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ أَرْحَامُ الْأُنثَيَيْنِ

 

 

And of the camels, two and of the cattle, two. Say, “Is it the two males He has forbidden or the two females or that which the wombs of the two females contain? (6:144)

 

 

Note: The number two i.e. اِثْنَانِ is seldom used with a noun as the dual ending of the noun gives its meaning.

 

Example: بَيْتَانِ – two houses. If we write ابَيْتَانِ اِثْنَانِ, some emphasis is implied.  

 

3. Number from 3-10

 

 

Masculine

• 3 – ثَلاثٌ
• 4 – أَرْبَعٌ
• 5 – خَمْسٌ
• 6 – سِتٌّ
• 7 – سَبْعٌ
• 8 – ثَمَانٍ also written ثَمَنٍ
• 9 – تِسْعٌ
• 10 – عَشَرٌ

 

 

Feminine

• 3 – ثَلاثَةٌ
• 4 – أَرْبَعَةٌ
• 5 – خَمْسَةٌ
• 6 – سِتَّةٌ
• 7 – سَبْعَةٌ
• 8 – ثَمَانِيَّةٌ
• 9 – تِسْعَةٌ
• 10 – عَشَرَةٌ

 

The feminine is made by adding ة (ta marboota) to the masculine. From 3 to 10 the phrases are in a possessive – الإِضَافَةُ construction. The number will be the possessor, المُضاف can be declined. The counted noun is the possessed – المضاف إِلَيْهِ and will always be genitive, plural and indefinite.

 

If the counted noun (always plural) is masculine, the number will be feminine and vice versa. Example:  

 

 قَالَ رَبِّ اجْعَل لِّي آيَةً ۚ قَالَ آيَتُكَ أَلَّا تُكَلِّمَ النَّاسَ ثَلَاثَ لَيَالٍ سَوِيًّا

 

 

[Zechariah] said, “My Lord, make for me a sign.” He said, “Your sign is that you will not speak to the people for three nights, [being] sound.” (19:10)

 

 

فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ

 

 

But whoever cannot find [or afford it] – then a fast of three days [is required]. (5:89)

 

 

فَشَهَادَةُ أَحَدِهِمْ أَرْبَعُ شَهَادَاتٍ بِاللَّـهِ ۙ إِنَّهُ لَمِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ

 

 

then the witness of one of them [shall be] four testimonies [swearing] by Allah that indeed, he is of the truthful. (24:6)

 

 

وَقَدَّرَ فِيهَا أَقْوَاتَهَا فِي أَرْبَعَةِ أَيَّامٍ سَوَاءً لِّلسَّائِلِينَ

 

 

therein its [creatures’] sustenance in four days without distinction – for [the information] of those who ask. (41:10)

 

 

سَيَقُولُونَ ثَلَاثَةٌ رَّابِعُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ خَمْسَةٌ

 

 

They will say there were three, the fourth of them being their dog; and they will say there were five (18:22)

 

 

إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ اللَّـهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ 

 

 

Indeed, your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and earth in six days  (7:54)

 

 

وَقَالَ الْمَلِكُ إِنِّي أَرَىٰ سَبْعَ بَقَرَاتٍ سِمَانٍ يَأْكُلُهُنَّ سَبْعٌ عِجَافٌ

 

 

And [subsequently] the king said, “Indeed, I have seen [in a dream] seven fat cows being eaten by seven [that were] lean, (12:43)

 

 

لَهَا سَبْعَةُ أَبْوَابٍ لِّكُلِّ بَابٍ مِّنْهُمْ جُزْءٌ مَّقْسُومٌ

 

 

It has seven gates; for every gate is of them a portion designated.” (15:44)

 

 

ثَمَانِيَةَ أَزْوَاجٍ ۖ مِّنَ الضَّأْنِ اثْنَيْنِ وَمِنَ الْمَعْزِ اثْنَيْنِ

 

 

[They are] eight mates – of the sheep, two and of the goats (6:143)

 

 

 سَخَّرَهَا عَلَيْهِمْ سَبْعَ لَيَالٍ وَثَمَانِيَةَ أَيَّامٍ

 

 

Which Allah imposed upon them for seven nights and eight days (69:7)

 

 

وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ تِسْعَ آيَاتٍ بَيِّنَاتٍ

 

 

And We had certainly given Moses nine evident signs (17:101)

 

 

وَكَانَ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ تِسْعَةُ رَهْطٍ يُفْسِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا يُصْلِحُونَ

 

 

And there were in the city nine family heads causing corruption in the land and not amending [its affairs]. (27:48)

 

 

مَن جَاءَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُ عَشْرُ أَمْثَالِهَا

 

 

Whoever comes [on the Day of Judgement] with a good deed will have ten times the like thereof [to his credit] (6:160)

 

 

فَكَفَّارَتُهُ إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَاكِينَ مِنْ أَوْسَطِ مَا تُطْعِمُونَ أَهْلِيكُمْ أَوْ كِسْوَتُهُمْ أَوْ تَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ

 

 

So its expiation is the feeding of ten needy people from the average of that which you feed your [own] families or clothing them or the freeing of a slave. (5:89)

 

  Note: the masculine form ثَمَانٍ “eight” belongs to the defective nous – ناقِص يائي. When followed by a noun the missing “ى” is restored and will thus assume the following forms:   Example:  

 

ثَمَانِيَةَ أَزْوَاجٍ ۖ مِّنَ الضَّأْنِ اثْنَيْنِ وَمِنَ الْمَعْزِ اثْنَيْنِ

 

 

[They are] eight mates – of the sheep, two and of the goats (6:143)

 

 

 سَخَّرَهَا عَلَيْهِمْ سَبْعَ لَيَالٍ وَثَمَانِيَةَ أَيَّامٍ

 

 

Which Allah imposed upon them for seven nights and eight days (69:7)

 

 

4. Numbers from 11 to 19

 

 

All the numbers are indeclinable except 12. They are followed by a singular noun in the accusative case as it is a specification – تَمْيِيزٌ.

 

 

Masculine

• 11 – أَحَدَ عَشَرَ
• 12 – Nomative case اِثْنَا عَشَرَ, accusative and genitive case اِثْنَيْ عَشَرَ
• 13 – ثلاثةَ عَشَرَ
• 14 – أَرْبَعَةَ عَشَرَ
• 15 – خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ
• 16 – سِتَّةَ عَشَرَ
• 17 – سَبْعَةَ عَشَرَ
• 18 – ثَمَانِيَّةَ عَشَرَ
• 19 – تِسْعَةَ عَشَرَ

 

 

Feminine

• 11 – إِحْدَى عَشْرَةِ
• 12 – Nomative case اِثْنَتَا عَشْرَةِ, accusative and genitive case اِثْنَتَيْ عَشْرَةِ
• 13 – ثلاثَ عَشْرَةِ
• 14 – أَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةِ
• 15 – خَمْسَ عَشْرَةِ
• 16 – سِتَّ عَشْرَةِ
• 17 – سَبْعَ عَشْرَةِ
• 18 – ثَمَانِيَّ عَشْرَةِ
• 19 – تِسْعَ عَشْرَةِ

 

  Examples:

 

إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوْكَبًا 

 

 

“O my father, indeed I have seen [in a dream] eleven stars  (12:4)

 

 

إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُورِ عِندَ اللَّـهِ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا 

 

 

Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months  (9:36)

 

 

فَانفَجَرَتْ مِنْهُ اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ عَيْنًا

 

 

And there gushed forth from it (2:60)

 

 

وَبَعَثْنَا مِنْهُمُ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ نَقِيبًا

 

 

We delegated from among them twelve leaders. (5:12)

 

 

5. Numbers 20 to 90

 

  The multiples of 10, from 20 to 90 are common to both masculine and feminine.

 

All numbers from 20 to 99 are followed by the noun of specification in the accusative singular. this is similar to the case of numbers from 11 to 19.

 

 

Nominative case

• 20 – عِشْرُونَ
• 30 – ثَلاثُوْنَ
• 40 – أَرْبَعُوْنَ
• 50 – خَمْسُوْنَ
• 60 – سِتُّونَ
• 70 – سَبْعُونَ
• 80 – ثَمَانُونَ
• 90 – تِسْعُوْنَ

 

 

Accusative and genitive case

• 20 – عِشْرِينَ
• 30 – ثَلاثِينَ
• 40 – أَرْبَعِنَ
• 50 – خَمْسِينَ
• 60 – سِتِّيْنَ
• 70 – سَبْعِينَ
• 80 – ثَمَانِينَ
• 90 – تِسْعِينَ

 

 

إِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ عِشْرُونَ صَابِرُونَ

 

 

If there are among you twenty [who are] steadfast

 

 

وَحَمْلُهُ وَفِصَالُهُ ثَلَاثُونَ شَهْرًا

 

 

and his gestation and weaning [period] is thirty months. (46:15)

 

 

وَوَاعَدْنَا مُوسَىٰ ثَلَاثِينَ لَيْلَةً 

 

 

And We made an appointment with Moses for thirty nights (7:142)

 

 

وَإِذْ وَاعَدْنَا مُوسَىٰ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً

 

 

And [recall] when We made an appointment with Moses for forty nights. (2:51)

 

 

حَتَّىٰ إِذَا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُ وَبَلَغَ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً

 

 

[He grows] until, when he reaches maturity and reaches [the age of] forty years (46:15)

 

 

فَلَبِثَ فِيهِمْ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ إِلَّا خَمْسِينَ عَامًا 

 

 

and he remained among them a thousand years minus fifty years (29:14)

 

 

فَمَن لَّمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَإِطْعَامُ سِتِّينَ مِسْكِينًا

 

 

and he who is unable – then the feeding of sixty poor persons (58:4)

 

 

ثُمَّ فِي سِلْسِلَةٍ ذَرْعُهَا سَبْعُونَ ذِرَاعًا فَاسْلُكُوهُ

 

 

Then into a chain whose length is seventy cubits insert him.” (69:32)

 

 

وَاخْتَارَ مُوسَىٰ قَوْمَهُ سَبْعِينَ رَجُلًا لِّمِيقَاتِنَا

 

 

And Moses chose from his people seventy men for Our appointment. (7:155)

 

 

 فَاجْلِدُوهُمْ ثَمَانِينَ جَلْدَةً

 

 

 lash them with eighty lashes (24:4)

 

 

6. Numbers 21 to 99

 

 

these numbers are formed by placing a وَ between the units and tens.

 

  Masculine:

 

• 21 – وَاحِدٌ وَ عِشْرُوْنَ
• 22 – اِثْنَانِ وَ عِشْرُوْنَ

 

  Feminine:

 

• 21 – اِحْدَى وَ عِشْرُوْنَ – وَاحِدَةٌ وَ عِشْرُوْنَ
• 22 – اِثْنَتَانِ وَ عِشْرُوْنَ

 

  Example:  

 

إِنَّ هَـٰذَا أَخِي لَهُ تِسْعٌ وَتِسْعُونَ نَعْجَةً وَلِيَ نَعْجَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ

 

 

Indeed this, my brother, has ninety-nine ewes, and I have one ewe (38:23)

 

 

7. Numbers 100 and above

 

• 100 – مِئَةٌ
• 200 – مَئَتَيْنِ / مِئَتَانِ
• 300 – ثَلاثُ مِئَةٍ
• 400 – أَرْبَعُ مِئَةٍ
• 500 – خَمْسُ مِئَةٍ
• 600 – سِتُّ مِئَةٍ
• 700 – سَبْعُ مِئَةٍ
• 800 – ثَمَانِيْ مِئَةٍ
• 900 –  تِسْعُ مِئَةٍ
• 1000 – أَلْفٌ
• 2000 – أَلْفَيْنِ – أَلْفَانِ
• 3000 – ثَلاثَةُ آلافٍ
• 4000 – أَرْبَعُ آلافٍ
• 5000 – خَمْسَةُ آلافٍ
• 100 000 – مِئَةُ أَلْفٍ

 

Examples:  

 

إِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ عِشْرُونَ صَابِرُونَ يَغْلِبُوا مِائَتَيْنِ

 

 

If there are among you twenty [who are] steadfast, they will overcome two hundred. (8:65)

 

 

وَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُم مِّائَةٌ يَغْلِبُوا أَلْفًا 

 

 

And if there are among you one hundred [who are] steadfast (8:65)

 

 

 إِذْ تَقُولُ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَلَن يَكْفِيَكُمْ أَن يُمِدَّكُمْ رَبُّكُم بِثَلَاثَةِ آلَافٍ مِّنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ مُنزَلِينَ 

 

 

[Remember] when you said to the believers, “Is it not sufficient for you that your Lord should reinforce you with three thousand angels sent down? (3:124)

 

 

بَلَىٰ ۚ إِن تَصْبِرُوا وَتَتَّقُوا وَيَأْتُوكُم مِّن فَوْرِهِمْ هَـٰذَا يُمْدِدْكُمْ رَبُّكُم بِخَمْسَةِ آلَافٍ مِّنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ مُسَوِّمِينَ

 

 

Yes, if you remain patient and conscious of Allah and the enemy come upon you [attacking] in rage, your Lord will reinforce you with five thousand angels having marks [of distinction] (3:125)

 

 

 وَأَرْسَلْنَاهُ إِلَىٰ مِائَةِ أَلْفٍ أَوْ يَزِيدُونَ

 

 

And We sent him to [his people of] a hundred thousand or more. (37:147)

 

 

فَلَبِثَ فِيهِمْ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ إِلَّا خَمْسِينَ عَامًا 

 

 

and he remained among them a thousand years minus fifty years (29:14)