Language/Standard-arabic/Vocabulary/Count-to-10
Hi Standard Arabic learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn how to count to 10 in Standard Arabic. Knowing numbers is essential not only for day-to-day communication but also for telling time and expressing quantities.
Don't hesitate to look into these other pages after completing this lesson: Geography, Fish and Seafood, Buildings & Parts of the Body.
Cardinal numbers[edit | edit source]
In Standard Arabic, counting from 1 to 10 is quite straightforward. The numbers are:
Standard Arabic | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
واحد | wāhid | one |
اثنان | ithnān | two |
ثلاثة | thalātha | three |
أربعة | arbaʿa | four |
خمسة | khamsa | five |
ستة | sitta | six |
سبعة | sabʿa | seven |
ثمانية | thamāniya | eight |
تسعة | tisʿa | nine |
عشرة | ʿashara | ten |
Here are some examples of how to use these numbers:
- Person 1: أنا عندي (anā ʿindi) (I have) ثلاث (thalātha) قطط. (three cats)
- Person 2: واو، كثير! (waw, kathīr!) (Wow, that's a lot!)
Ordinal numbers[edit | edit source]
Ordinal numbers are used to indicate the order or sequence of something. In Standard Arabic, ordinal numbers are formed by adding the suffix ـَمْ (am) to the cardinal number, except for the numbers 1, 3 and 8, which have irregular forms.
Standard Arabic | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
الأوّل | al-awwal | first |
الثاني | al-thānī | second |
الثالث | al-thālith | third |
الرابع | al-rābiʿ | fourth |
الخامس | al-khāmis | fifth |
السادس | al-sādis | sixth |
السابع | al-sābiʿ | seventh |
الثامن | al-thāmin | eighth |
التاسع | al-tāsiʿ | ninth |
العاشر | al-ʿāshir | tenth |
An example dialogue using ordinal numbers:
- Person 1: هل عندك حفلة هذا الأسبوع؟ (hal ʿindak ḥafla hādhā al-usbūʿ?) (Do you have a party this week?)
- Person 2: نعم، يوم الجمعة. (naʿam, yawm al-jumuʿa) (Yes, on Friday.)
- Person 1: أنا سأحضر. ما هي المرتبة التي ستجلس فيها؟ (anā sa-ḥaḍir. mā hī al-murtabaẗu allatī satujlis fīhā?) (I will attend. What is the seat number you will sit in?)
- Person 2: الخامسة. (al-khāmisa) (Fifth.)
Interesting facts[edit | edit source]
- In many Arab countries, particularly in the Gulf and the Levant, people use their fingers to count up to 10. For example, the thumb represents 1, the index finger represents 2, and so on. - The word "zero" in Arabic is صفر (sifr), which literally means "empty". This word was later borrowed by European languages, and it evolved into the English word "cipher", which was used to refer to numerical zero. - Standard Arabic has a rich system of numerals, including both Hindu-Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc.) and Eastern Arabic numerals, which are used in newspapers, books, and official documents. Eastern Arabic numerals have different forms depending on their position in the number (ones, tens, hundreds, etc.)
Practice Exercise[edit | edit source]
Now, let's test your knowledge of the Standard Arabic numbers from 1 to 10. Write the correct Standard Arabic number for each English description. Answers are provided below.
English | Standard Arabic |
---|---|
two | ? |
six | ? |
ten | ? |
five | ? |
nine | ? |
Answers: اثنان (ithnān), ستة (sitta), عشرة (ʿashara), خمسة (khamsa), تسعة (tisʿa)
More Practice[edit | edit source]
To improve your Standard Arabic Vocabulary, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
Sources[edit | edit source]
➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- 8 Memorization Tips to Make Arabic Vocabulary Stick
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- Asking Directions
- Drinks
- Flowers
- Shapes
- Buildings
- Cooking
- Economics
- Soccer