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When forming numbers from 13 to 19, the number consists of a unit (3-9) followed by the word for ten. Just like with other numbers from 11 to 99, the noun being counted must always be singular and accusative.

### The Reverse Agreement Rule

For numbers 13 through 19, the two parts of the number follow completely different gender agreement rules:
- The **unit** (3-9) takes the **opposite** gender of the noun. 
- The **ten** (10) **matches** the gender of the noun.

When you count a feminine noun, the unit drops the *taa marbuta* (taking a masculine form, like ثلاث), while the ten keeps the *taa marbuta* (taking a feminine form, عشرة).

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### Counting from 15 to 19

The same rule applies all the way up to 19. Notice how the units (خمس, ست, سبع, ثماني, تسع) are all in their masculine forms to contrast with the feminine nouns they are counting (such as شجرة or زهرة), while عشرة remains feminine.

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### Comparing Masculine and Feminine

To see this reverse agreement rule in action, look at what happens when we count both a masculine noun (نوع, type) and a feminine noun (نبتة, plant) in the same sentence. 

For the masculine noun, the unit gets the *taa marbuta* (أربعة) and the ten drops it (عشر). For the feminine noun, it is exactly the reverse!

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Compound number agreement for 3 to 9

adjective

adverb

conjunction

determiner

interjection

interrogative

noun

numeral

particle

prefix

preposition

pronoun

sentence

verb

The definite article and locatives (الـ)

Basic noun gender (ة)

Sun and moon letters

Singular subject pronouns (أنا، أنت، هو، هي)

Indefinite nouns and nominal sentences (ـٌ)

Demonstrative pronouns for 'this' (هذا / هذه)

Separate prepositions (في، من، إلى، على)

Attributive adjectives

Predicative adjectives

Yes/No questions (هل، أ)

Basic questions (من، ما، أين)

Singular possessive pronouns (ـي، ـك، ـه، ـها)

Plural subject pronouns (نحن، أنتم، هم)

Plural possessive pronouns (ـنا، ـكم، ـهم)

Noun possession

Attached prepositions (بـ، لـ، كـ)

Pronouns with prepositions

Having and possessing (عند، لـ، مع)

Regular plural nouns (ـون، ـين، ـات)

Broken plurals

Dual nouns (ـان / ـين)

Plural and distant demonstratives (هؤلاء، ذلك، تلك)

Non-human plural agreement

Present tense singular verbs

Verbal sentences (VSO)

Present tense plural verbs

Topicalized sentences (SVO)

The indefinite accusative case (ـاً)

Verb object pronouns (-ني، -ك، -ه)

Present tense negation (لا)

Question words with verbs (متى، كيف...)

Adverbs of time and place

The future tense (سـ / سوف)

Intentions and desires (أن)

Negating states and possession (ليس)

Past tense singular suffixes

Past tense plural suffixes

Negating past events (ما)

Singular commands

Numbers 1 to 10

Number agreement for 1 and 2 (واحد، اثنان)

Asking how many (كم)

Numbers 3 to 10 (ثلاثة إلى عشرة)

Ordinal numbers 1 to 10 (الأول، الثاني)

Basic conjunctions (فـ، أو، لكن)

Ordering at a café (واحد، اثنان)

Food and drink with conjunctions (و، ف، أو، لكن)

There is and there are (هناك / ليس هناك)

Direct address (يا)

Giving reasons (لأنّ)

Relative pronouns (الذي / التي)

Quantifiers (كل / بعض)

The past tense of 'to be' (كان)

Past possession

Numbers 11 to 19 and tens to 80

Telling time (الساعة)

This book vs this is a book (هذا الكتاب، هذا كتاب)

Greetings (مرحبا، السلام عليكم)

How are you? and goodbye (كيف حالك، مع السلامة)

Nationalities (مصري، مصرية)

Roots and patterns (كتب، كتاب، مكتب)

Politeness (من فضلك، آسف)

Complex possession chains

Colors and traits (أفعل / فعلاء)

Plural colors and traits (فُعْل)

Comparative adjectives (أفعل من)

Superlative adjectives (أفعل)

Adverbs of manner (ـاً)

The nominative case (ـُ)

The genitive case (ـِ)

The accusative case (ـَ)

Dual noun cases (ـان / ـين)

Masculine plurals and 'the best of' (أفضل النجارين)

Emphasizing sentences (إنّ)

Connecting clauses (أنّ)

Reporting speech (قال إنّ)

Expressing contrast (لكنّ)

Comparison and probability (كأنّ, لعلّ)

Distant plural pointing (أولئك)

Plural relative pronouns (الذين, اللواتي)

Past habits (كان + present)

Ongoing actions (ما زال)

Masculine plurals online (مبرمجون، مؤثرون)

Perfective past (قد)

Probability (قد)

The subjunctive mood (أن)

Question	Answer
thirteen	ثلاث عشرةthalâtha 'ashrata
plant	نبتةnabta
greenhouse	دفيئةdafee'a
There are thirteen plants in the greenhouse.	هناك ثلاث عشرة نبتة في الدفيئة.hunâka thalâtha ashrata nabtatan fid-dafee'ah
fourteen	أربع عشرةarba'a 'ashrata
He said that he found fourteen new plants.	قال إنه وجد أربع عشرة نبتة جديدة.qâla innahu wajada arba'a 'ashrata nabtatan jadîdatan.
fifteen	خمس عشرةkhamsa ashrata
We will plant fifteen trees in the new greenhouse.	سوف نزرع خمس عشرة شجرة في الدفيئة الجديدة.sawfa nazrau khamsa ashrata shajaratan fi ad-dafi'ati al-jadidati
sixteen	ست عشرةsitta 'ashrata
Do not pick a flower, we only have sixteen flowers.	لا تقطف زهرة، عندنا ست عشرة زهرة فقط.lâ taqtif zahratan, indanâ sitta ashrata zahratan faqat.
seventeen	سبع عشرةsab'a 'ashrata
The female student had studied seventeen plants.	كانت الطالبة قد درست سبع عشرة نبتة.kânati ttâlibatu qad darasat sab'a ashrata nabtatan
eighteen	ثماني عشرةthamâniya 'ashrata
My brother bought eighteen very beautiful plants.	اشترى أخي ثماني عشرة نبتة جميلة جدا.ishtarâ akhî thamâniya 'ashrata nabtatan jamîlatan jiddan.
nineteen	تسع عشرةtis'a 'ashrata
There are nineteen large trees in this greenhouse.	هناك تسع عشرة شجرة كبيرة في هذه الدفيئة.hunâka tisa ashrata shajaratan kabîratan fî hâdhihi d-dafî'ati
We have fourteen types and fourteen plants.	عندنا أربعة عشر نوعا وأربع عشرة نبتة.'indanâ arba'ata 'ashara naw'an wa-arba'a 'ashrata nabtatan
These are the most beautiful trees, we have planted sixteen trees here.	هذه أجمل الأشجار، لقد زرعنا ست عشرة شجرة هنا.hâdhihi ajmalu al-ashjâri, laqad zaranâ sitta ashrata shajaratan hunâ
Maryam found thirteen plants and seventeen flowers in the garden.	وجدت مريم ثلاث عشرة نبتة وسبع عشرة زهرة في الحديقة.wajadat maryamu thalâtha 'ashrata nabtatan wa sab'a 'ashrata zahratan fil-hadîqah.
I want fifteen plants and eighteen trees, please.	أريد خمس عشرة نبتة وثماني عشرة شجرة من فضلك.uridu khamsa 'ashrata nabtatan wa thamâniya 'ashrata shajaratan min fadlik.
Fatima built nineteen greenhouses for the new project.	بنت فاطمة تسع عشرة دفيئة للمشروع الجديد.banat fâtimatu tis'a 'ashrata dafee'atan lilmashroo'i aljadeed

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