Lesson 20
Numbers 1–10 Feminine
الأعداد ١–١٠ مؤنث
The same numbers 3–10 with feminine nouns the number now drops the tāʾ marbūṭa (ة), appearing in its "masculine" form. This is the other side of the polarity rule.
Numbers 3–10 with Feminine Nouns
NumberArabicWith مَدْرَسَة (f)Meaning
3ثَلَاثثَلَاثُ مَدَارِسَthree schools
4أَرْبَعأَرْبَعُ سَيَّارَاتٍfour cars
5خَمْسخَمْسُ غُرَفٍfive rooms
6سِتّسِتُّ طَالِبَاتٍsix female students
7سَبْعسَبْعُ شَجَرَاتٍseven trees
10عَشْرعَشْرُ طَالِبَاتٍten female students
Full Polarity Contrast Table
NumberWith Masculine NounWith Feminine Noun
3ثَلَاثَةُ كُتُبٍثَلَاثُ مَدَارِسَ
5خَمْسَةُ رِجَالٍخَمْسُ سَيَّارَاتٍ
7سَبْعَةُ أَوْلَادٍسَبْعُ غُرَفٍ
فِي الْمَدِينَةِ ثَلَاثُ مَسَاجِدَ كَبِيرَةٍ عِنْدِي خَمْسُ سَيَّارَات
Fī l-madīnati thalāthu masājida kabīratin ʿIndī khamsu sayyārāt
In the city there are three large mosques. I have five cars.
دَرَسَتْ فِي سَبْعِ مَدَارِسَ فِي الشَّارِعِ عَشْرُ سَيَّارَاتٍ
Dalasat fī sabʿi madārisa Fī sh-shāriʿi ʿashru sayyārātin
She studied in seven schools. In the street there are ten cars.
Sample Dialogue
أ: كَمْ سَيَّارَةً فِي الشَّارِعِ؟ ب: هُنَاكَ خَمْسُ سَيَّارَاتٍ. أ: وَكَمْ مَدْرَسَةً فِي الْمَدِينَةِ؟ ب: فِيهَا ثَلَاثُ مَدَارِسَ كَبِيرَة.
A: Kam sayyāratan fī sh-shāriʿ? B: Hunāka khamsu sayyārāt. A: Wa-kam madrasatan fī l-madīna? B: Fīhā thalāthu madārisa kabīra.
A: How many cars are in the street? B: There are five cars. A: And how many schools in the city? B: There are three large schools.
- Feminine noun → number WITHOUT ة (the "masculine" form) polarity from the other side.
- The counted noun is always in the genitive plural, regardless of the noun's gender.
- مَسَاجِد (broken plural of مَسْجِد) is a diptote takes fatḥa instead of kasra in genitive: مَسَاجِدَ.
- هُنَاكَ (hunāka = there is/are) very useful presentational word, equivalent to "there is."
- Pattern drill: 3 books = ثَلَاثَةُ كُتُبٍ (m); 3 schools = ثَلَاثُ مَدَارِسَ (f). Practice the contrast.