Number

Numerals

اَلْعَدَدْ

Cardinal Numbers:

A Cardinal Number is a number that says how many of something there are, such as one, two, three, four, five.
A Cardinal Number answers the question "How Many?"

Arabic Cardinal numbers:
Cardinal numbers in arabic are declinable.

Number  Masculine Feminine
1               وَاحِدٌ وَاحِدَةٌ
2           اِثْنَانِ اِثْنَتَانِ
3           ثَلاثٌ ثَلاثَةٌ
4           أَرْبَعٌ أَرْبَعَةٌ
5           خَمْسٌ خَمْسَةٌ
6            سِتٌّ سِتَّةٌ
7            سَبْعٌ سَبْعَةٌ
8            ثَمَانٌ ثَمَانِيَةٌ
9            تِسْعٌ تِسْعَةٌ
10           عَشْرٌ عَشَرَةٌ



Rules for one and two:

The number (al-'adad) follow the noun/madud (al-ma'dud).
The number is treated as adjective i.e follow noun in case ending, singular/plural, masculine/feminine

Examples:

1. Masculine noun
One book
كِتَابٌ وَاحِدٌ

Explanation:
The number  وَاحِدٌ has followed the noun كِتَابٌ
The number is treated as adjective, it have :
same gender as noun (masculine)
same case ending (nominative/marfoo')
same number (singular)

2. Masculine noun
Two pens
كَتَابَانِ اِثْنَانِ

3. Feminine noun
One bus
حَافِلَةٌ وَاحِدةٌ

4. Feminine noun
حَافِلتَانِ اِثْنَتَانِ



Rules for 3-10

The numbers from 3-10 do not agree with noun/madud (noun being counted).
If the noun is masculine the number will be feminine
If the noun is feminie the number will be masculine
The number preced the noun. It makes idafa(possessive phrase) with the noun.
So the noun following the number will be genitive/majroor


Examples:

1. Three
Three books
ثَلاثَةُ كُتُبٍ

Three bags
ثَلاَثُ مُدَرِّسَاتٌ

2. Four
Three books
أرْبَعَةُ كُتُبٍ

Three bags
أرْبَعُ مُدَرِّسَاتٌ

3. Ten
Ten books
عَشَرَةُ كُتُبٍ

Ten bags 
عَشَرُ مُدَرِّسَاتٌ