When counting with compound numbers from 21 to 99, the unit comes first, joined to the tens by و (and). The noun being counted must always be singular and accusative.
Unlike numbers 3 through 9, when a compound number ends in 1 or 2, the unit matches the gender of the noun you are counting.
Agreement for Number 1
When the unit is 1, use واحد for masculine nouns and the special form إحدى for feminine nouns. The tens (like عشرون) remain in their default nominative form (ending in ـون) when the number acts as the subject of the sentence.
| one, one of | إحدىihdâ |
| There are twenty-one properties listed in the market. | هناك واحد وعشرون عقارا معروضا في السوق.hunâka wâhidun wa'ishrûna 'aqâran ma'rûdan fî as-sûq. |
| The agent has twenty-one luxurious villas. | عند الوكيل إحدى وعشرون فيلا فخمة.inda al-wakîli 'ihdâ wa ishruna fîlâ fakhmatan |
Agreement for Number 2
When the unit is 2, it also matches the noun's gender. Because the number 2 behaves like a dual noun, it changes its ending based on its grammatical role (subject vs. object or genitive).
- Masculine: اثنان (subject) / اثنين (object or after a preposition)
- Feminine: اثنتان (subject) / اثنتين (object or after a preposition)
When the number is the object of a verb, both the unit and the tens take their accusative forms (اثنين/اثنتين and ـين).
| We met twenty-two brokers. | قابلنا اثنين وعشرين سمسارا.qâbalnath-nayni waishrîna simsâran. |
| We prepared twenty-two halls. | جهزنا اثنتين وعشرين صالة.jahhaznâ ithnatayni wa'ishrîna sâlah. |
Case Changes in Context
The entire compound number shifts its case depending on its role in the sentence.
If a number ending in 1 is the object of a verb, the masculine واحد takes an accusative marking to become واحدا, and the tens change to ـين. (The feminine إحدى does not change its spelling).
| The agent sold thirty-one luxurious properties. | باعت الوكيلة واحدا وثلاثين عقارا فخما.bâ'ati al-wakîlatu wâhidan wa thalâthîna 'aqâran fakhman. |
| There are thirty-one villas listed here. | هناك إحدى وثلاثون فيلا معروضة هنا.hunâka ihdâ wa thalâthûna fîlan maruudatan hunâ. |
Likewise, if a number ending in 2 follows a preposition (genitive case), it uses the exact same endings as the accusative object (اثنين/اثنتين and ـين). If it is the subject, it uses the nominative endings (اثنان/اثنتان and ـون).
| The broker communicated with forty-two investors. | تواصلت السمسارة مع اثنين وأربعين مستثمرا.tawâṣalati as-simsâratu ma'athnayni wa-arba'îna mustathmiran |
| There are forty-two halls in the hotel. | في الفندق اثنتان وأربعون صالة.fi al-funduqi ithnatâni wa arba'ûna ṣâlatan |
Seeing the endings
This course writes Arabic the way books and newspapers print it, without the short-vowel marks, so the ending this lesson is about is something you hear in the audio but never see in the drills. Here are some of them with every vowel written out:
| as written | fully vocalized | case of the number |
|---|---|---|
| هناك واحد وعشرون عقارا معروضا في السوق. | هُنَاكَ وَاحِدٌ وَعِشْرُونَ عَقَارًا مَعْرُوضًا فِي السُّوقِ. | nominative |
| قابلنا اثنين وعشرين سمسارا. | قَابَلْنَا اثْنَيْنِ وَعِشْرِينَ سِمْسَارًا. | accusative |
| جهزنا اثنتين وعشرين صالة. | جَهَّزْنَا اثْنَتَيْنِ وَعِشْرِينَ صَالَةً. | accusative |
Both halves of the number take the case of their place in the sentence. As a subject they are وَاحِدٌ وَعِشْرُونَ. As an object they are اثْنَيْنِ وَعِشْرِينَ, and the ـين shows it in writing. The counted noun is always singular and accusative. سِمْسَارًا shows its alif, but صَالَةً only lets you hear it.
