Learn Arabic (Modern Standard): طول هذه الورقة عشرون سنتيمترا. - The length of this paper is twenty centimeters.

طول هذه الورقة عشرون سنتيمترا.tûlu hâdhihi l-waraqati 'ishrûna santîmitran

The length of this paper is twenty centimeters.

Breakdown of طول هذه الورقة عشرون سنتيمترا.

paper / card (playing card)

عشرون'ishrûna

twenty

Questions & Answers about طول هذه الورقة عشرون سنتيمترا.

Why is the number twenty written as عشرون instead of عشرين here?

عشرون is the predicate of this equational (verbless) sentence, telling us what the length is. Because it is the predicate, it must be in the nominative case. Numbers from 20 to 90 take the -ūn ending in the nominative case, and -īn in the accusative or genitive cases.

Why does the word for centimeter (سنتيمترا) have an extra alif at the end, and why isn't it plural?

In Arabic, the noun counted by any number from 11 to 99 must be singular and in the accusative case. The accusative case on an indefinite noun is usually marked by an extra alif at the end (tanwin fatha). So, instead of a plural word for 'centimeters', Arabic uses the singular, accusative سنتيمترا.

How does the phrase طول هذه الورقة (the length of this paper) work without the word 'of'?

This is an Idafa (possession) structure. The word طول (length) is the possessed item, and هذه الورقة (this paper) is the possessor. Even though طول doesn't have 'al-' (the), it is definite because it is possessed. The word الورقة needs 'al-' because it directly follows the demonstrative هذه to show it is 'this specific paper'.