Counting from One to Five
When reciting numbers, reading an identifier (like a room or bus number), or giving a phone number, Arabic uses a standard set of cardinal numbers. Here are the numbers from one to five in their default counting form:
| Digit | Arabic |
|---|---|
| 1 | واحد |
| 2 | اثنان |
| 3 | ثلاثة |
| 4 | أربعة |
| 5 | خمسة |
To identify a specific item by its number, such as "Room number one" or "Project number three," state the item, followed by the word رقم (number), and then the specific digit.
| What is the room number? The room number is one. | ما رقم الغرفة؟ رقم الغرفة واحد.mâ raqmu al-ghurfati? raqmu al-ghurfati wâhid. |
| The apartment number is two. | رقم الشقة اثنان.raqmu ash-shaqqati ithnân |
| Project number three is important. | المشروع رقم ثلاثة مهم.al-mashrû'u raqmu thalâthatin muhimmun |
Counting from Six to Ten
Continuing our list, here are the numbers from six to ten. Notice that the numbers from three to ten all end with the letter ة (ta' marbuta) in this default counting form.
| Digit | Arabic |
|---|---|
| 6 | ستة |
| 7 | سبعة |
| 8 | ثمانية |
| 9 | تسعة |
| 10 | عشرة |
Just like the first five numbers, you can use these to label nouns like buses, questions, or teams using the exact same pattern.
| Bus number six is here. | الحافلة رقم ستة هنا.alhâfilatu raqmu sittatin hunâ. |
| Question number seven is very difficult. | السؤال رقم سبعة صعب جدا.as-su'âlu raqamu sab'atin sa'bun jiddan. |
| Team number ten is excellent. | الفريق رقم عشرة ممتاز.al-farîqu raqamu 'ashratin mumtâzun |
Stringing Numbers Together
When giving a sequence of digits, such as a phone number, an account number, or a specific code, simply read the individual cardinal numbers one after the other without any connectors.
| The phone number is three four five. | رقم الهاتف ثلاثة أربعة خمسة.raqmu al-hâtif thalâtha arba'a khamsa |