lesson 14

Lesson 14: Cardinal Numbers
Cardinal Numbers:
A cardinal number tells you “how many”. They are referred to as “counting numbers” because
they show quantity.
For example: twelve cars, three children
In the Qur’an, we can find all the cardinal numbers up to twelve, and above that, then the only
numbers which involve units are nineteen and ninety-nine (and 309 by periphrasis.). The Qur’an
also mentions the tens (twenty, thirty etc) as well as some larger numbers such as 100, 200, 300,
1000, 5000 and 100000 etc.
We have already learnt that in Arabic, there are 3 separate noun values:
1. Singular – meaning one of something
2. Dual – meaning specifically two of something
3. Plural – meaning three or more
Imagine there are three books which you have read. You might say:
I read three books
From this statement, we can identify that the counted noun is “books” (counted noun meaning the
thing which you are counting) and the number of them is three.
Just to confirm we have the right information lets check:
How many of the counted
noun are there?
three
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We will see that when dealing with counted nouns in Arabic, it is important to know what is its
grammatical gender in the singular.
It is important to remember that grammatical gender in the singular and its plural counterpart can
sometimes be different,
So lets ask:
What is the grammatical
gender of the counted
noun in the singular?
ٌ‫ِكتاب‬
It is masculine
Next, let us look to see what is the grammatical position of the counted noun in the sentence, so
that we can determine its case.
What is the grammatical
case of the counted noun
within the sentence?
“books” is the object
of the verb “read”
therefore, it is
‫صوب‬
ُ ‫َم ْن‬
From this worked example, we have asked 3 questions:
1
2
3
How many of the
What is the grammatical
What is the grammatical case
counted noun are
gender of the counted
of the counted noun within
there?
noun in the singular?
the sentence?
When dealing with sentences using number and a counted noun, the way it will be constructed will
be based on the first question “How many are there?”.
This is because numbers are divided into different groups, and each group has their own set of
rules!
Important:
Something else to be aware of, is the individual digits which make up a number. For
example, number 28 is comprised of 2 separate digits: 20 and 6.
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Number 1 (singular)
To express “one sun” all you need to do is use the singular word for sun:
ٌ‫َش ْمس‬
Or, for added emphases, you can add the word
ٌ‫واحد‬
ِ (meaning “one”)
as an adjective.
ٌ‫واح َدة‬
ِ ٌ‫َش ْمس‬
Note:
ٌ‫ َش ْمس‬is feminine, therefore the adjectiveٌ‫واحد‬
ِ ٌmust also be feminine. (remember,
adjectives must agree with the noun they describe in gender)
ٌ‫واحد‬
ِ feminine by adding taa’marbootah instead of using the
feminine ‫ح َدى‬
ْ ِ‫ إ‬listed in the vocab?‫ٌاحد‬
-But why have we made
In the vocab list we find “one” translated as:
‫إِحْ دَ ى‬
‫أَ َحد‬
Fem
Masc
Compound Numbers:
A quantity expressed in two or more
different but related units.
i.e: 11, 34, 103
3 hours and 10 seconds,
5 feet 2 inches.
Idiom:
An expression that doesn’t carry its literal
meaning.
i.e: “raining cats and dogs” – meanings
raining heavily
‫" – ال أَ َحد‬no one”
‫ أَ َحد‬and ‫ إِحْ دَ ى‬mean “one” and are used in compound numbers and some idioms only.
Therefore, when describing something in the singular “one”,
ٌ‫واحد‬
ِ or its feminine counterpart ٌ‫واح َدة‬
ِ are used as normal.
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Number 2 (2 of something)
To express 2 of something, then you must use the rule for dual
(see lesson 13).
So take the counted noun in its singular form, and make dual by
ٌ‫ان‬
ٌِ ‫ ْي‬when ‫ مجرور‬or
ِ when ‫ مرفوع‬or adding ‫ن‬
‫منصوب‬
For example to express two paths, we will take the singular for path ‫س ِبيل‬
َ and make it dual:
adding
‫بيالن‬
‫َس‬
ِ
Two paths / ways/roads
‫َس ِبيل‬
path / way / road
Similarly, as we did to emphasise “one” of something, by adding the word
ٌ‫واحد‬
ِ meaning “one” as
an adjective, we can do the same to emphasise two of something:
This is done by adding the word
ٌ‫ اِ ْثنَا ِن‬meaning “two” as an adjective
i.e:
ٌ‫تان‬
‫َس‬
ِ َ‫بيالنٌ ْاثن‬
ِ
Two paths / ways / roads
Note:
 Adjectives must agree with noun in gender, case, definiteness and number – so make sure
matches the noun it is describing.

In the case of “two” of something -
ٌ‫ ْاثنَتا ِن‬and ‫نان‬
ِ ‫ ا ِْث‬are already dual – so you do not need
to add an extra dual suffix!

‫ َس ِبيل‬although does not display taa’marboota, it is a feminine word.
Therefore, the feminine ‫ن‬
ٌِ ‫ ْاثنَتا‬has been used instead of the masculine counterpart ‫نان‬
ِ ‫ا ِْث‬
In this example above,
Numbers 3-10 of something
This group includes all numbers from 3 to 10 only.
To say the number of a given counted noun (i.e: number of noun)
1. Take the singular counted noun and note its gender
2. Make the singular counted noun plural (see lesson 2: plurals)
3. Make it indefinite
4. Make it genitive
‫( َم ْج ُرور‬it is going to form an idaafa – because it is going to directly follow
a number – which is also a noun, therefore will be in the position of mudaaf ilayhi)
5. Put the number before the counted noun in the opposite gender.
6. The number case will depend on its position in the sentence
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For example, to express “three men”
1. Take singular of men and note grammatical gender
ٌ‫َرجُل‬
2. Make it plural, indefinite and
(man) is masculine
‫َم ْج ُرور‬
ٌ‫( ِرجال‬men)
3. Put the number before the counted noun in the opposite gender. –
therefore, because
ٌ‫ َرجُل‬is masculine, the number must be
feminine. (look at what grammatical position in the sentence the
number is to determine its case)
Idaafa construction
Masculine
ٌ‫ثَالثَ ٌةُ ِرجال‬
Opposite gender to counted nounFeminine
(three men)
Note about masculine and feminine numbers
In the vocab list, you will notice that masculine numbers actually end with taa’marbootah and
feminine numbers without!
Numbers 11 and 12 of something
This group includes numbers 11 and 12 only.
ٌ‫ أَ َح ٌَد َع َش َر‬eleven
‫ ِا ْثنا َع َش َر‬twelve
Units digit
To express 11
of something
To express 12
of something
Each digit is
written
separately in
Arabic
(literally one and ten)
(literally two and ten)
Tens digit
Both digits have to agree in gender with the counted
noun
and have permanent fathas
Both digits agree in gender with the counted noun.
changes for case in same
permanent fatha
way as the dual
Counted noun
indefinite,
singular
‫صوب‬
ُ ‫َم ْن‬
Note: remember although
the counted noun is in
fact plural, it is written in
the singular!
*Note: numbers 2-10; we learnt form an idaafa construction with the counted noun, therefore the noun would be majroor.
However, here with numbers 11 &12 are no longer an idafa constructions with the noun – instead the counted noun is
called tamyeez, which we will learn more about in term 3 in shaa' Allaah, so is mansoob (all counted nouns from 11-99 are
mansoob.) Don’t worry about this point in this lesson, just understand its mansoob
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For example:
Eleven of something:
Permanent fatha
on both digits
Masculine
Counted noun is masculine so both digits agree and are masculine
ٌ‫أَ َح ٌَد َع َش ٌَر َك ْو َكبا‬
Indefinite, singular and mansoob
Eleven stars
Counted noun is feminine so both digits agree and are feminine
Feminine
ٌ‫إَحْ َدى َع ْش َر ٌةَ َمدينَة‬
Indefinite, singular and mansoob
Eleven cities
Twelve of something:
Permanent fatha on ten
Counted noun is feminine so both digits agree and are feminine
Is a feminine word
ٌ‫اِ ْثنَتا َع ْش َر ٌةَ َعيْنا‬
Indefinite, singular and mansoob
Unit (two) Changes case
depending on position in
sentence
Twelve springs
Counted noun is masculine So both digits agree and are masculine
Masculine
ٌ‫ي َع َش ٌَر بَيْتا‬
ٌْ َ‫ت اِ ْثن‬
ٌُ ‫تَ َر ْك‬
Permanent fatha on ten
I left twelve houses
Why is the “two” in “twelve” in this example


Unit (two) Changes case
depending on position in
sentence –
Here it is the object of the
verb -so is mansoob.
(see explanation below)
ْ‫ ِا ْث َني‬and not ‫? ِا ْثنا‬
ُ ‫ تَ َر ْك‬Is a verb conjugation “I left”.
ٌ‫ت‬
ْ‫( ِا ْث َني‬as part of ‫ ) ا ِْث َنيْ َع َش َر‬is the object of the verb therefore is ‫صوب‬
ُ ‫– َم ْن‬so instead of ending ٌ
‫ ان‬as it does when it is marfu (‫ ) ِا ْثنان‬it ends ‫ْن‬
ٌِ ‫( ي‬remember ‫ ِا ْثنان‬works as a dual)
–Therefore this means that…

ٌ‫ي َع َش َر‬
ٌْ َ‫ اِ ْثن‬is an idaafa, therefore, the final ‫ ن‬of ‫ اِ ْثنَيْن‬has been dropped, leaving us with
ٌْ َ‫( اِ ْثن‬remember in lesson 7 and 13 we learnt that mudaf sound masc plurals and duals loose final ‫)ٌن‬
‫ي‬
Because
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Notice the form of “ten” used with feminine nouns:
The form of ten used with feminine nouns does not only change with the addition of taa,marbootah.
But also notice that above
ٌْ‫ ش‬is sukoon, rather than the fatha as is found in the masculine.
َ‫َع َش ٌَر َع ْش َر ٌة‬
Numbers 13-19 of something
These rules apply to numbers 13-19 only.
Units digit
Tens digit
Counted noun
disagrees in gender with
the counted noun
agrees in gender with the counted
noun
indefinite,
singular
Both digits have permanent fathahs,
so don’t need to worry about case
For example:
Ten digit agrees in gender with
counted noun, so is also masculine
masculine
Indefinite, singular and
mansoob
ٌ‫تِ ْس َعةٌَ َع َش ٌَر َملِكا‬
‫صوب‬
ُ ‫َم ْن‬
Note: remember although
the counted noun is in fact
plural, it is written in the
singular!
Counted noun is masculine –
therefore unit digit is opposite so
is feminine
Nineteen angels
Numbers 20, 30, 40 etc
Multiple number of ten
(ie: 20, 30, 40, 50 etc)
Counted noun
These numbers are sound masculine plurals,
and are used with both genders.
indefinite,
singular
The only thing which will alter with these
numbers is case ending
‫صوب‬
ُ ‫َم ْن‬
Note: remember although the counted noun is in fact
plural, it is written in the singular!
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For example:
ْ
ٌ‫ين ِمسْكينا‬
ٌَ ّ‫إطعا ُمٌ ِست‬
Indefinite, singular and mansoob
The feeding of sixty of the poor
Compound numbers ie: 21, 36, 79 etc
These rules apply to compound numbers.
When expressing compound numbers in Arabic, it is constructed in the same way as the nursery
rhyme “four and twenty black birds baked in a pie…”.
So for example, to say thirty-two messengers, we would say “two and thirty messengers”.
The units will react to gender in the same way as we have learnt for units up to 9 already. So 1
and 2 agree in gender with the counted noun, whereas 3-9 disagree.
The “tens” are sound masculine plurals therefore the case for gender does not arise – the same is
used for both.
Units digit
rule
Tens digit rule
Counted noun
1 and 2
Agrees in gender with the
counted noun.
Is a sound masculine
plural that is used with
both genders.
Indefinite
Singular
3–9
Disagrees in gender with
the counted noun
Is effected by case
depending on grammatical
position in sentence
All digits 1-9
If digit can normally take
tanween, then the tanween
must not be dropped.
‫صوب‬
ُ ‫َم ْن‬
Case changes depending
of position in the sentence.
For example:
masculine
Indefinite, singular and mansoob
َ‫نان وث‬
ٌ‫الثون ِرسول‬
ٌَ
ٌِ ‫اِ ْث‬
Digit “2” – agrees in gender with
counted noun so is also masculine
Thirty-two messengers
(Literally: two and thirty messengers)
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Numbers 100, 200 / 1000, 2000 etc
With these numbers, the number and the counted noun do form an idaafa.
With numbers 100, 200, 1000 and 2000 there is no issue of gender – the same rules apply to
these numbers as with numbers 1 and 2 following the singular and the dual.
Number
Rule
100
1000
Follows pattern for singular:
Reflects changes in case, not
gender
200
2000
Follows pattern for dual:
Reflects changes in case, not
gender
Counted noun
Indefinite
Singular
‫َم ْج ُرور‬
ٌ‫ألفا رجل‬
Two thousand men
1000
‫ ألف‬has been made dual by adding ‫ ان‬to make 2000.
Because this is mudaf – it looses the final ‫ن‬
ٌ‫ِمائ ٌةُ عام‬
One hundred years
Constructions such as 300, 500, 8000 etc do not appear in the Qur’an with a counted noun, but
rather the word
ٌ‫ ِمائَة‬or ٌ‫ أَ ْلف‬are treated as the counted noun.
ٌ‫ثَالثَ ٌةُ آلفٌ من ال َمالئِ َك ِة‬
Three thousand angels
‫ من‬is used here in this example in the Qur’an as periphrasis. – meaning, if we were to say
‫ ثَالثَة آلفٌ ال َمالئِ َك ٌِة‬verbally- we could stress the words THREE THOUSAND in our voice
to make it seem like a big number. But as we can not do that in writing, the use of ‫ من‬helps to
emphasise this number instead. – this is why in translation, ‫ من‬is omitted.
The
Arabic Gems-Lesson 14 Page:9
Lesson 14: Quick revision summary
1- Agrees in gender
All you have to do is mention singular counted noun. To add emphasis add
case must agree with noun in gender. So if feminine
ٌ‫واحد‬
ِ as an adjective – in which
ٌ‫واح َدة‬
ِ
2 - Agrees in gender
Follows rule for dual – take singular counted noun and make dual.


ٌ‫ان‬
ِ when ‫مرفوع‬
ٌِ ‫ ْي‬when ‫ مجرور‬or ‫منصوب‬
‫ن‬
3-10- opposite gender of singular counted noun
 Number placed before counted noun and forms an idaafa

Put singular counted noun into plural, indefinite and

Number Case changes
‫( َم ْج ُرور‬as is mudaf ilayhi)
11-12- agree in gender
 All digits take permanent fathas except for the unit “2” of “12” which changes for case same as dual

Counted noun is indefinite, singular
‫صوب‬
ُ ‫َم ْن‬
13-19
 Units- opposite gender of counted noun.
 Tens – agree gender as counted noun

Counted noun- indefinite, singular
Both digits take permanent fathas
‫صوب‬
ُ ‫َم ْن‬
Whole multiples of 10 (12, 20, 30 etc)
 Are sound masculine plurals used with both genders.
 Only case ending that changes.

Counted noun is indefinite, singular
‫صوب‬
ُ ‫َم ْن‬
Compound numbers (ie 11, 34 etc) remember “four and twenty blackbirds”
 Digit 1 & 2 – same rules as singular and dual
If takes tanween can not drop it
(agree gender as noun)
Case changes
 Digit 3 – 9 – opposite gender of noun
 Tens – SMP used both genders. Case changes

Counted noun- indefinite, singular

‫صوب‬
ُ ‫َم ْن‬
100, 1000, 200, 2000 – forms idafa with noun
 100 & 1000 – follows singular pattern. Case changes. Agrees gender with noun.
 200, 2000 – follows dual pattern. Case changes. Agrees gender with noun.

Counted noun Indefinite Singular
‫َم ْج ُرور‬
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