Arabic Numbers: Learn To Count From Zero To A Billion

If you’re learning Arabic, you need to learn Arabic numbers.

Arabic numbers are vital for various purposes, including travel, business, and accessing information presented in Arabic. Understanding prices, schedules, addresses, and dates requires familiarity with numerals and number words.

They provide context for the history of mathematics and numeral systems, as the number system used globally today (0, 1, 2, 3…) was, in fact, transmitted to the West via the Arab world, having originated in India.

It’s important to distinguish between different terms:

• Hindu-Arabic numerals (or Western Arabic numerals): These are the symbols 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 used widely around the world.
• Eastern Arabic numerals: These are the symbols ٠, ١, ٢, ٣, ٤, ٥, ٦, ٧, ٨, ٩, used in conjunction with Arabic script in many Arab countries.
• Arabic number words: These are the spoken words for numbers in the Arabic language.

This guide will teach the Eastern Arabic numerals and the Arabic words for numbers.

I’ll focus on Modern Standard Arabic (I’ll cover spoken dialects in a separate guide as they differ considerably).

The scope of my guide here covers the numerals and words for numbers from zero through large figures like thousands and millions.

I’ll explain how to recognize the numerals, combine them, pronounce the corresponding Arabic words, and read multi-digit numbers.

The learning approach emphasizes identifying patterns within the number system to aid memorization. The number words presented here are all based on Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), which is the formal standard across Arabic-speaking regions.

The Foundation: Numbers 0-9

The Arabic number system, like the Western system, is a base-10 (decimal) system. This means it uses ten unique symbols to represent the digits zero through nine. All other numbers are formed by combining these basic digits.

We will focus on the Eastern Arabic Numerals, which are commonly used in the Arab Mashriq (eastern Arab world) and the Arabian Peninsula.

Here are the fundamental digits from 0 to 9:

IMPORTANT: Reading direction

Pay close attention to this:

For example, the number 123 is written using Eastern Arabic numerals as ١٢٣.

You read this starting from the leftmost digit: ١ (one), then ٢ (two), then ٣ (three).

So, ١٢٣ represents “one hundred twenty-three”, not “three hundred twenty-one”.

This convention applies even when the number is embedded within right-to-left Arabic text. Always read the sequence of digits itself from left to right.

Confusing, I know, but that’s one of Arabic’s quirks. ☺️

Note on Western Arabic numerals

It’s worth noting that the Western Arabic numerals (0, 1, 2, 3…) are also widely understood and used in many parts of the Arab world, particularly in the Maghreb region (North Africa west of Egypt) and often in digital contexts globally.

However, it’s still a good idea to get familiar with the Eastern Arabic numerals (٠, ١, ٢…) so you can read printed content in other parts of the Arab world.

Numbers 10-19

Once you know the digits 0-9, the next step is learning the numbers from ten to nineteen. This range includes the number ten itself and the “teen” numbers.

Similar to “eleven” and “twelve” in English, the Arabic numbers 11 and 12 have slightly unique forms, while 13 through 19 follow a more discernible pattern.

Number 10

First, the number ten:

• Numeral: ١٠
• Arabic Name: عَشَرَة
• Transliteration: ʿasharah
• Pronunciation (Approx.): (ash-ar-ah)

Numbers 11-19

These numbers are compound, meaning they are formed from combining elements.

The “-ashar” structure

Observe the numbers from 13 to 19. They follow a pattern:

1. The unit digit name (3-9) comes first, but often slightly modified. Notice the final -ah sound (represented by ة, tāʾ marbūṭah) in the standalone digit words (thalāthah, ʾarbaʿah, etc.) changes to an -ata sound (thalāthata, ʾarbaʿata) when part of these compound numbers.
2. This is followed immediately by the word ʿashar (عَشَر), which is related to ʿasharah (ten).

Numbers 11 and 12 are slightly irregular:

• 11 (ʾaḥada ʿashar): Uses ʾaḥad (related to wāḥid, one) instead of wāḥid.
• 12 (ithnā ʿashar): Uses ithnā (related to ithnān, two) instead of ithnān.

Memorizing 11 and 12 specifically, and then understanding the “unit + ʿashar” pattern for 13-19, will help solidify this group of numbers.

The Tens: Numbers 20, 30… 90

After mastering the numbers up to 19, the next logical step is learning the multiples of ten: 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90.

Fortunately, these numbers follow a highly consistent and predictable pattern in Arabic, making them relatively straightforward to learn.

The Pattern: The “-ūn” suffix

The key pattern for forming the tens from 30 to 90 is as follows:

1. Take the root of the corresponding unit digit’s name (3 through 9). Usually, this involves dropping the final -ah ending (the ة, tāʾ marbūṭah) from the unit name.
2. Add the suffix -ūn (ـون).

The number 20 (ʿishrūn) is formed similarly, deriving from the word for ten (ʿasharah), and also uses the -ūn suffix.

Listing the Tens

Here are the multiples of ten from 20 to 90:

Recognizing the connection between the unit digit names (3-9) and the corresponding tens names (30-90), along with the consistent -ūn ending, is key to mastering these numbers efficiently.

Combining tens and units: Numbers 21-99

Now that you know the individual digits (1-9) and the multiples of ten (20, 30… 90), combining them to form any number between 21 and 99 is straightforward.

Arabic uses a simple and consistent structure for these numbers.

The key pattern: “Unit and Ten”

The structure for numbers from 21 to 99 (excluding the multiples of ten themselves) is:

Unit (1-9) + wa (وَ) + Ten (20, 30, …, 90)

The word wa (وَ) means “and”.

So, you literally say the unit digit, then “and”, then the multiple of ten.

Example (21): You say “one and twenty”.

• Numeral: ٢١
• Structure: ١ (wāḥid) + وَ (wa) + ٢٠ (ʿishrūn)
• Arabic: واحِد وعِشْرون (wāḥid wa ʿishrūn)

Example (57): You say “seven and fifty”.

• Numeral: ٥٧
• Structure: ٧ (sabʿah) + وَ (wa) + ٥٠ (khamsūn)
• Arabic: سَبْعَة وخَمْسون (sabʿah wa khamsūn)

More examples

Let’s look at a few more examples to solidify the pattern:

Number 25:

• Numeral: ٢٥
• Structure: ٥ (khamsah) + وَ (wa) + ٢٠ (ʿishrūn)
• Arabic Name: خَمْسَة وعِشْرون
• Transliteration: khamsah wa ʿishrūn
• Pronunciation (Approx.): (kham-sah wa ish-roon)

Number 33:

• Numeral: ٣٣
• Structure: ٣ (thalāthah) + وَ (wa) + ٣٠ (thalāthūn)
• Arabic Name: ثَلاثَة وثَلاثون
• Transliteration: thalāthah wa thalāthūn
• Pronunciation (Approx.): (tha-laa-tha wa tha-laa-thoon)

Number 78:

• Numeral: ٧٨
• Structure: ٨ (thamāniyah) + وَ (wa) + ٧٠ (sabʿūn)
• Arabic Name: ثَمانِيَة وسَبْعونَ
• Transliteration: thamāniyah wa sabʿūn
• Pronunciation (Approx.): (tha-maa-nee-yah wa sab-oon)

Number 99:

• Numeral: ٩٩
• Structure: ٩ (tisʿah) + وَ (wa) + ٩٠ (tisʿūn)
• Arabic Name: تِسْعَة وتِسْعونَ
• Transliteration: tisʿah wa tisʿūn
• Pronunciation (Approx.): (tis-ah wa tis-oon)

Practice tip

This “Unit + wa + Ten” structure is fundamental and applies consistently across this range of numbers. Practice constructing these numbers by recalling the unit names (1-9), adding wa, and then adding the appropriate ten name (20-90).

This pattern is a crucial building block for forming larger numbers as well.

Hundreds (100-999)

With the numbers 1-99 covered, we now move on to the hundreds, covering the range from 100 to 999.

This involves learning the word for 100 and understanding how it combines with units and tens.

Number 100

• Numeral: ١٠٠
• Arabic Name: مِائَة (or مائة)
• Transliteration: miʾah
• Pronunciation (Approx.): (mi-ah)

Number 200: The dual form

Arabic grammar includes a “dual” form to indicate exactly two of something.

For 200, the dual form of miʾah is used:

• Numeral: ٢٠٠
• Arabic Name: مِائَتان (or مائتان)
• Transliteration: miʾatān
• Pronunciation (Approx.): (mi-a-taan)

Numbers 300-900: Combining Units and Hundred

For multiples of one hundred from 300 to 900, a pattern emerges again.

You combine the unit digit name (3-9) with the word for hundred (miʾah). Grammatically, this often forms a “construct state” (iḍāfah), where the unit word attaches to miʾah, sometimes causing slight changes to the unit word’s ending and fusing them into a single concept.

• 300 (٣٠٠): ثَلاثُمِائَة (thalāthumiʾah) - (tha-laa-thu-mi-ah) - from thalāthah (3) + miʾah
• 400 (٤٠٠): أرْبَعُمِائَة (ʾarbaʿumiʾah) - (ar-ba-oo-mi-ah) - from ʾarbaʿah (4) + miʾah
• 500 (٥٠٠): خَمْسُمِائَة (khamsumiʾah) - (kham-su-mi-ah) - from khamsah (5) + miʾah
• 600 (٦٠٠): سِتُّمِائَة (sittumiʾah) - (sit-tu-mi-ah) - from sittah (6) + miʾah
• 700 (٧٠٠): سَبْعُمِائَة (sabʿumiʾah) - (sab-oo-mi-ah) - from sabʿah (7) + miʾah
• 800 (٨٠٠): ثَمانُمِائَة (thamānumiʾah) - (tha-maa-nu-mi-ah) - from thamāniyah (8) + miʾah
• 900 (٩٠٠): تِسْعُمِائَة (tisʿumiʾah) - (tis-oo-mi-ah) - from tisʿah (9) + miʾah

Notice the consistent structure: Unit (modified form) + miʾah.

Combining Hundreds, Tens, and Units (101-999)

To form numbers between the hundreds (like 101, 234, 987), Arabic follows a structure where the largest value is stated first, connected to the rest by wa (and).

The general structure is: Hundred Value + wa + [Remainder (1-99)]

The remainder (the part less than 100) is expressed using the rules learned in previous sections (Sections II, III, V).

Example (101): “One hundred and one”

• Numeral: ١٠١
• Structure: ١٠٠ (miʾah) + وَ (wa) + ١ (wāḥid)
• Arabic: مِائَة وواحِد (miʾah wa wāḥid)

Example (115): “One hundred and fifteen”

• Numeral: ١١٥
• Structure: ١٠٠ (miʾah) + وَ (wa) + ١٥ (khamsata ʿashar)
• Arabic: مِائَة وخَمْسَةَ عَشَر (miʾah wa khamsata ʿashar)

Example (234): “Two hundred and four and thirty”

• Numeral: ٢٣٤
• Structure: ٢٠٠ (miʾatān) + وَ (wa) + ٤ (ʾarbaʿah) + وَ (wa) + ٣٠ (thalāthūn)
• Arabic: مِائَتان وأرْبَعَة وثَلاثون (miʾatān wa ʾarbaʿah wa thalāthūn)

Example (650): “Six hundred and fifty”

• Numeral: ٦٥٠
• Structure: ٦٠٠ (sittumiʾah) + وَ (wa) + ٥٠ (khamsūn)
• Arabic: سِتُّمِائَة وخَمْسون (sittumiʾah wa khamsūn)

Reading Practice

Let’s practice reading a few numbers in this range:

• 123 (١٢٣): مِائَة وثَلاثَة وعِشْرون (miʾah wa thalāthah wa ʿishrūn) - (100 and 3 and 20)
• 506 (٥٠٦): خَمْسُمِائَة وسِتَّة (khamsumiʾah wa sittah) - (500 and 6)
• 987 (٩٨٧): تِسْعُمِائَة وسَبْعَة وثَمانون (tisʿumiʾah wa sabʿah wa thamānūn) - (900 and 7 and 80)

Understanding the structure of hundreds and how they combine with the previously learned rules for numbers 1-99 allows you to construct and understand any number up to 999.

Thousands and beyond: Large numbers

Thousands, millions, and billions.

The principles remain similar, building upon the structures already learned.

Number 1,000

• Numeral: ١٠٠٠ (or ١٬٠٠٠)
• Arabic Name: ألْف
• Transliteration: ʾalf
• Pronunciation (Approx.): (alf)

Number 2,000: The dual form

Similar to 200, the number 2,000 uses the dual form of ʾalf:

• Numeral: ٢٠٠٠ (or ٢٬٠٠٠)
• Arabic Name: ألْفان
• Transliteration: ʾalfān
• Pronunciation (Approx.): (al-faan)
• Note: This means “two thousands”.

Numbers 3,000-10,000: Using the plural

For thousands from 3,000 to 10,000, you use the number (3-10) followed by the plural of thousand, which is ʾālāf (آلاف).

Note that the number words 3-10 often take a feminine ending (-ah/-at) when counting masculine nouns like ʾālāf (which is grammatically masculine plural, treated as feminine singular for agreement in this range).

• 3,000 (٣٠٠٠): ثَلاثَة آلاف (thalāthatu ʾālāf) - (tha-laa-tha-tu aa-laaf) - Three thousands
• 4,000 (٤٠٠٠): أرْبَعَة آلاف (ʾarbaʿatu ʾālāf) - (ar-ba-a-tu aa-laaf) - Four thousands
• …
• 10,000 (١٠٠٠٠ or ١٠٬٠٠٠): عَشَرَة آلاف (ʿasharatu ʾālāf) - (ash-ar-a-tu aa-laaf) - Ten thousands

Combining Thousands (e.g., 1,001 - 999,999)

To construct numbers involving thousands combined with hundreds, tens, and units, you follow the same principle: state the largest component first, connected by wa (and).

Structure: Thousands Part + wa + Hundreds Part + wa + [Tens and Units Part]

Example (5,742): “Five thousand and seven hundred and two and forty”

• Numeral: ٥٧٤٢ (or ٥٬٧٤٢)
• Structure: ٥٠٠٠ (khamsatu ʾālāf - using number 5 + plural) + وَ (wa) + ٧٠٠ (sabʿumiʾah) + وَ (wa) + ٢ (ithnān) + وَ (wa) + ٤٠ (ʾarbaʿūn)
• Arabic: خَمْسَة آلاف وسَبْعُمِائَة واثْنان وأرْبَعون
• Transliteration: khamsatu ʾālāf wa sabʿumiʾah wa ithnān wa ʾarbaʿūn

Millions and Billions

The system extends logically to even larger numbers.

Million (1,000,000):

• Numeral: ١٬٠٠٠٬٠٠٠
• Arabic Name (Singular): مَلْيون (malyūn) - (mal-yoon)
• Arabic Name (Plural): مَلايين (malāyīn) - (ma-laa-yeen)

Billion (1,000,000,000):

• Numeral: ١٬٠٠٠٬٠٠٠٬٠٠٠
• Arabic Name (Singular): مِلْيار (milyār) - (mil-yaar) - This is common, though bilyūn is sometimes used.
• Arabic Name (Plural): مِلْيارات (milyārāt) - (mil-yaa-raat)

These combine similarly:

• 2,000,000 (٢٬٠٠٠٬٠٠٠): مليونان (malyūnān - dual form) - (mal-yoo-naan)
• 3,000,000 (٣٬٠٠٠٬٠٠٠): ثَلاثَة مَلايين (thalāthatu malāyīn) - (tha-laa-tha-tu ma-laa-yeen) - Three millions
• 5,000,000,000 (٥٬٠٠٠٬٠٠٠٬٠٠٠): خَمْسَة مِلْيارات (khamsatu milyārāt) - (kham-sa-tu mil-yaa-raat) - Five billions

Putting it all together: Reading any number

I’ve covered the building blocks to count from zero to billions.

Now let’s quickly recap the main rules and read a large number combining these elements.

Writing vs. speaking

Writing Numerals: Arabic numerals (both Eastern ٠١٢… and Western 012…) are always written with the highest place value digit on the left, and the lowest on the right.

You read the digits visually from left-to-right. For example:

• ١٢٣ is 100 + 20 + 3.
• ٥٧٤٢ is 5000 + 700 + 40 + 2.

Speaking Numbers: When saying the number name in Arabic, you generally start with the largest component (billions, millions, thousands, hundreds) and connect subsequent lower components using wa (and).

The final component will be the number 1-99, expressed according to the rules learned earlier (e.g., unit, teen, ten, or “Unit + wa + Ten”).

Example: Reading a large number

Let’s read the number 2,345,678.

This is numeral: ٢٬٣٤٥٬٦٧٨

Break it down into its components:

• Millions part: 2 Million = مليونان (malyūnān)
• Thousands part: 345 Thousand = ثلاثمائة وخمسة وأربعون ألفاً (thalāthumiʾah wa khamsah wa ʾarbaʿūn ʾalfan) Note: Here, 345 is constructed as “three hundred and five and forty”, followed by “thousand” (ʾalfan, accusative singular after compound numbers > 10).
• Hundreds/tens/units part: 678 = ستمائة وثمانية وسبعون (sittumiʾah wa thamāniyah wa sabʿūn) - (six hundred and eight and seventy)

Now, combine these using wa:

Million part + wa + Thousand part + wa + Hundred/ten/unit part

This is how you write it in Arabic:

While long, the structure follows the consistent pattern of naming the place values from largest to smallest, connected by “and” (wa), and using the established rules for forming each component number.

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You now have the fundamental tools to understand and use Arabic numbers, from the basic digits (٠-٩) and the left-to-right reading rule, to the core “Unit + wa + Ten” structure and the patterns for forming hundreds, thousands, and beyond.

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