Lesson 26
Composite Numerals 11–99
الأعداد المركبة
Numbers 11–99 follow specific agreement patterns. Numbers 11–12 are invariable in one sense; 13–19 reverse the polarity rule differently; the tens 20–90 are simple. Ordinal numbers (first, second...) are also introduced.
Numbers 11–19 Agreement Pattern
NumberWith masc. nounWith fem. nounNote
11أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كِتَاباًإِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ مَدْرَسَةًboth parts agree with noun
12اِثْنَا عَشَرَ كِتَاباًاِثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ مَدْرَسَةًdual form used
13ثَلَاثَةَ عَشَرَ كِتَاباًثَلَاثَ عَشْرَةَ مَدْرَسَةًpolarity on first part only
15خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ طَالِباًخَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ طَالِبَةًpolarity on first part only
Tens 20–90 and Hundreds
NumberArabicAcc./Gen. formNoun follows in
20عِشْرُونَعِشْرِينَsingular genitive
30ثَلَاثُونَثَلَاثِينَsingular genitive
100مِئَةمِئَةsingular genitive
1000أَلْفأَلْفsingular genitive
Ordinal Numbers (أعداد ترتيبية)
Ordinal (m)Ordinal (f)Meaning
أَوَّلأُولَىfirst
ثَانٍثَانِيَةsecond
ثَالِثثَالِثَةthird
رَابِعرَابِعَةfourth
فِي الْمَدْرَسَةِ خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ طَالِباً اشْتَرَيْتُ خَمْسًا وَعِشْرِينَ كِتَاباً
Fī l-madrasati khamsat ʿashara ṭāliban Ishtaraytu khamsan wa-ʿishrīna kitāban
There are fifteen students in the school. I bought twenty-five books.
هَذَا الدَّرْسُ الأَوَّلُ الطَّالِبُ الثَّالِثُ فِي الصَّفِّ يَدْرُسُ جَيِّداً
Hādhā d-darsu l-awwalu Aṭ-ṭālibu th-thālithu fī ṣ-ṣaffi yadrusu jayyidan
This is the first lesson. The third student in the row studies well.
- Numbers 11–19: the counted noun is singular accusative (not genitive plural like 3–10).
- Compound numbers (21, 22...): units come first, then tens: وَاحِدٌ وَعِشْرُونَ (21).
- Tens 20–90: counted noun is singular genitive عِشْرِينَ طَالِباً.
- 100 and 1000: always followed by singular genitive مِئَةُ كِتَابٍ، أَلْفُ رِجَالٍ.
- Ordinals agree with the noun in gender: الدَّرْسُ الأَوَّلُ (m) / الْمَرَّةُ الأُولَى (f).