Arabic numbers for beginners

Arabic Numbers for Beginners: A Complete Guide (1 to 100+)

How to write the numbers themselves. In most of the Arab world, they don’t use 1, 2, 3 as we do in the West. They use their own numerals: ٠, ١, ٢, ٣, ٤, ٥, ٦, ٧, ٨, ٩.

The Words: How to say the numbers. For example, the word for “one” is واحد (Wahid), and “two” is اثنان (Ithnan).

Arabic Numbers Table:

0 Sifir 30 Tlateen
1 Wahid 40 Ara’been
2 Itnaym 50 Khamseen
3 Talaata 60 Sitten
4 Arb’a 70 Sebeen
5 Khamsa 80 Tamannen
6 Sitta 90 Tiseen
7 Sab’a 100 Miyya
8 Tamanya 101 Miyya wa-wahid
9 Tes’a 150 Miyya Khamseen
10 Ashra 200 Mitayn
11 E-Daish 500 Khamsa Miyya
12 Tnish 1000 Alf
13 Tletaish 2000 Alfayn
14 Arb’ataish 3000 Talaat Alaaf
15 Khamistaish 100000 Meet Alaaf
20 Ashreen Million Millyoun
1/2 Nous 1/4 Robah

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Learn Arabic Numbers: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

At first glance, Arabic numbers might look intimidating. The squiggles and curves seem completely foreign to an English speaker. But here is the secret that changes everything: the numbers you already use every day (1, 2, 3) are actually Arabic numerals.

That’s right. The numeral system we call “Arabic” in the West (1, 2, 3) originated in North Africa. Meanwhile, in the Middle East, they use a different set of symbols (١, ٢, ٣).

The good news? Both systems are easy to learn if you take it step by step. Let’s begin.

Step 1: The Two Systems – Don’t Get Confused

Before you learn a single number, you need to know which “version” of Arabic numbers you are learning.

Western Arabic Numerals (What you already know): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5… (Used in most math and Western contexts).
Eastern Arabic Numerals (Used in the Arab world): ١, ٢, ٣, ٤, ٥…

For this guide, we will focus on the Eastern Arabic numerals used in newspapers, street signs, and markets in countries like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.

Value	Eastern Arabic	Western Arabic
0	٠	0
1	١	1
2	٢	2
3	٣	3

Step 2: Master the Digits 0 to 9

Your first goal is to connect the symbol to the sound. Practice writing these while saying the Arabic word out loud.

0 – صفر (Sifr) – From this word, we get the English word “zero” and “cipher.”
1 – واحد (Waaḥid)
2 – اثنان (Ithnān)
3 – ثلاثة (Thalātha)
4 – أربعة (Arbaʿa)
5 – خمسة (Khamsa)
6 – ستة (Sitta)
7 – سبعة (Sabʿa)
8 – ثمانية (Thamāniya)
9 – تسعة (Tisʿa)

Pro Tip: The letter ʿ represents a “guttural stop” – a sound not found in English. Think of the catch in your throat when you say “uh-oh.”

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Step 3: Count from 10 to 99 (The Easy Pattern)

Here is where Arabic becomes logical. Numbers 10-19 are unique, but once you hit 20, it’s a simple formula: Tens + and + Ones.

The Teens (11-19)

To say 15, you say “five-ten” (khamsa-ta’ashar). Notice the word for ten changes slightly.

10 – عشرة (ʿAshara)
11 – أحد عشر (Aḥad ʿashar)
12 – اثنا عشر (Ithnā ʿashar)
13 – ثلاثة عشر (Thalāthat ʿashar)
20 – عشرون (ʿIshrūn)

The 20s, 30s, and beyond (20-99)

Learn the tens, then simply add the unit.

The Tens:

20 – عشرون (ʿIshrūn)
30 – ثلاثون (Thalāthūn)
40 – أربعون (Arbaʿūn)
50 – خمسون (Khamsūn)
60 – ستون (Sittūn)
70 – سبعون (Sabʿūn)
80 – ثمانون (Thamānūn)
90 – تسعون (Tisʿūn)

To build a number: Say the ten, then the word wa (and), then the unit.

25 = 20 + 5 = ʿIshrūn wa khamsa (عشرون و خمسة)
47 = 40 + 7 = Arbaʿūn wa sabʿa (أربعون و سبعة)
82 = 80 + 2 = Thamānūn wa ithnān (ثمانون و اثنان)

Step 4: The “Gender Flip” Rule (The Tricky Part)

This is where beginners usually give up, but don’t worry. Here is the rule in plain English:

For numbers 3 to 10, the number’s gender opposes the noun’s gender.

Arabic nouns are either masculine or feminine.
The word for “car” (sayyara) is feminine. So you use the masculine form of the number.
The word for “book” (kitāb) is masculine. So you use the feminine form of the number.

Example:

Three books (masculine noun) → Thalāthatu kutub (Use feminine form: Thalāthat)
Three cars (feminine noun) → Thalāthu sayyarātin (Use masculine form: Thalāth)

Don’t memorize the grammar now! Just be aware it exists. For your first month, people will understand you even if you get this wrong.

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Step 5: Hundreds, Thousands, and Big Numbers

Arabic builds big numbers exactly like English, reading from largest to smallest.

Hundreds:

100 – مائة (Miʾa)
200 – مئتان (Miʾatān)
300 – ثلاثمائة (Thalāth miʾa) – literally “three hundred”
1,000 – ألف (Alf)

Read this number: 1,245
Alf wa miʾatān wa khamsa wa arbaʿūn (One thousand, two hundred, five and forty).

Notice the order is: Thousands → Hundreds → Tens → Ones.

Step 6: Practical Use (Phone Numbers & Prices)

You don’t need to be a mathematician to speak Arabic. Focus on real-life situations.

Phone Numbers: Say each digit individually, just like in English.

010 234 5678 → Sifr waaḥid sifr, ithnān thalātha arbaʿa, khamsa sitta sabʿa thamāniya

Prices at a market:

“How much?” = Bikam?
“Five” (hold up 5 fingers) = Khamsa
“Twenty” = ʿIshrīn

Time:

3:00 = Al-sāʿa al-thālitha (The third hour)
7:15 = Al-sāʿa al-sābʿa wa rubʿ (The seventh hour and a quarter).

Your 7-Day Practice Plan

Days 1-2: Write the symbols ٠ to ٩ ten times each. Say the word aloud every time you write.
Day 3: Count objects in your house (pens, spoons, windows) from 1 to 20.
Day 4: Learn the tens (20-90). Create flashcards.
Day 5: Practice phone numbers from your contact list. Read them aloud in Arabic.
Day 6: Go to a market (or online store) and say the prices out loud.
Day 7: Write out your birth year (e.g., 1990) and your house number in Arabic script.

Start today: Write your own phone number in Eastern Arabic numerals. You have just taken step one.

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