🔢 Arabic Numbers: Your First Counting Adventure!

Imagine you’re a treasure hunter. To find the treasure, you need a secret map with numbers. But wait—this map is in Arabic! Don’t worry. By the end of this journey, you’ll read Arabic numbers like a pro and unlock the treasure of Arabic conversations!

🌟 The Magic of Arabic Numerals

Here’s something cool: you already know Arabic numerals!

The numbers 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 that we use every day? They came from Arabic! The world calls them “Arabic numerals.”

But Arabic speakers also use their own special number symbols. Think of it like having two alphabets—one you share with the world, and one that’s your secret code.

The Arabic Number Family (٠ to ٩)

Fun Fact: The word “zero” comes from the Arabic word صِفر (sifr)! Arabs invented the concept of zero. Pretty amazing, right?

📊 Cardinal Numbers: Counting Things

Cardinal numbers tell us how many. Like counting apples, friends, or stars.

Numbers 1-10: The Building Blocks

Think of these like LEGO pieces—once you know them, you can build ANY number!

واحِد، اثنان، ثَلاثة، أربَعة، خَمسة، سِتّة، سَبعة، ثَمانية، تِسعة، عَشَرة

Memory Trick:

• واحِد (waahid) = ONE → sounds like “wa-heed” (imagine a superhero named Waheed who is #1!)
• اثنان (ithnaan) = TWO → “ith-naan” (two naans—those yummy flatbreads!)
• ثَلاثة (thalaatha) = THREE → “tha-laa-tha” (three “la-la-la” sounds)

Numbers 11-20: Teen Numbers

Pattern Alert! 🎯 See how 11-19 all have عَشَر (ashar = ten) at the end? It’s like saying “one-ten, two-ten, three-ten…”

Bigger Numbers: Tens & Hundreds

Example: 25 = خَمسة وَعِشرون (khamsa wa-'ishruun) → “five and twenty” (like old English!)

🏆 Ordinal Numbers: First, Second, Third…

Ordinal numbers tell us the position or order of things. Who came first in the race? What’s the second chapter?

The Ordinal Family

Why two forms? 🤔 Arabic has gender! Use masculine for boys/male things, feminine for girls/female things.

Examples:

• الباب الأوَّل = the first door (door is masculine)
• الصفحة الأولى = the first page (page is feminine)

🍎 Numbers with Nouns: The Counting Dance

Here’s where Arabic gets interesting! When you count things, the number and the noun do a little dance together.

The Rules of the Dance

Rule 1: Numbers 1-2 → The noun comes first!

• كِتاب واحِد = one book
• كِتابان = two books (the “aan” ending means two!)

Rule 2: Numbers 3-10 → Opposite gender game!

• If the noun is masculine, use feminine number
• If the noun is feminine, use masculine number

Rule 3: Numbers 11-99 → Number comes first, noun is singular!

• خَمسة عَشَر كِتاباً = 15 books

graph TD
    A[Want to count<br>something?] --> B{How many?}
    B -->|1-2| C[Noun first<br>كِتاب واحِد]
    B -->|3-10| D[Number + Plural<br>Opposite gender!]
    B -->|11-99| E[Number + Singular<br>Same pattern]

⏰ Telling Time: What Hour Is It?

The Key Phrase: كَم الساعة؟ (kam as-saa’a?) = What time is it?

Hours

• الساعة الواحِدة (as-saa’a al-waahida) = 1:00
• الساعة الثانية (as-saa’a ath-thaaniya) = 2:00
• الساعة الثالِثة (as-saa’a ath-thaalitha) = 3:00

Pattern: الساعة + ordinal number (feminine form, because ساعة/hour is feminine!)

Minutes & Half Hours

Key Words:

• وَالنِصف (wan-nisf) = and half (:30)
• وَالرُبع (war-rub’) = and quarter (:15)
• إلا رُبع (illa rub’) = minus quarter (:45)

Real Conversation:

👤 كَم الساعة؟ (What time is it?)

👥 الساعة الخامِسة وَالنِصف (It’s 5:30)

🎂 Age Expressions: How Old Are You?

The Magic Question: كَم عُمرُك؟ (kam 'umruk?) = How old are you?

Answering About Age

Structure: عُمري + number + سَنة/سَنوات

Key Vocabulary:

• عُمري ('umrii) = my age
• عُمرُك ('umruk) = your age (to a male)
• عُمرُكِ ('umruki) = your age (to a female)
• سَنة (sana) = year
• سَنوات (sanawaat) = years

Real Conversation:

👤 كَم عُمرُك؟ (How old are you?)

👥 عُمري ثَمان سَنوات! (I am 8 years old!)

👤 ماشاء الله! (Wonderful!)

🎯 Quick Practice Examples

At the Market 🛒

“أريد ثَلاث تُفاحات” (I want three apples)

“الثَمَن خَمسة دَراهِم” (The price is five dirhams)

Meeting New Friends 👋

“أنا في الصَف الرابِع” (I’m in the fourth grade)

“لي أربَعة إخوة” (I have four siblings)

Daily Schedule 📅

“المَدرَسة تَبدأ الساعة الثامِنة” (School starts at 8:00)

“أنام الساعة التاسِعة” (I sleep at 9:00)

🌈 Remember This!

graph TD
    A[Arabic Numbers] --> B[Numerals ٠-٩]
    A --> C[Cardinals: How many?]
    A --> D[Ordinals: What position?]
    A --> E[With Nouns: Gender dance!]
    A --> F[Time: الساعة + ordinal]
    A --> G[Age: عُمري + number + سَنة]

You Did It! 🎉 You now know:

• ✅ Arabic numerals (٠ to ٩)
• ✅ Cardinal numbers (counting)
• ✅ Ordinal numbers (ordering)
• ✅ How numbers dance with nouns
• ✅ How to tell time
• ✅ How to talk about age

The treasure map is now readable. The treasure? Confidence in Arabic numbers!

Next time someone asks “كَم الساعة؟” or “كَم عُمرُك؟”—you’ll answer like a native speaker! 🌟