If you've seen "I want 30 apple" in an example and wondered whether it was a mistake: it isn't. In Arabic, the form of the noun depends on the number in front of it, and from 11 upwards the noun is singular.
The rule
| Number | Noun form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | singular (+ waa7ad for emphasis) | كتاب ktaab |
| 2 | dual (-ein) | كتابين ktaabein |
| 3 to 10 | plural | تلات كتب tlat kutub |
| 11 and up | singular | عشرين كتاب 3ishriin ktaab |
So 3 to 10 is the only range that uses the plural. From 11 on, including 20, 100 and 1,000, the noun stays singular.
- بدي تلاتين تفّاحةbaddi tlaatiin tiffaa7aI want thirty apples.
- معه مية دولارma3o miit dolaarHe has a hundred dollars.
- عشرين سنة3ishriin sinetwenty years
11 to 19
| Number | Levantine | Number | Levantine |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | حدعش 7da3sh | 16 | ستعش sitta3sh |
| 12 | تنعش tna3sh | 17 | سبعتعش saba3ta3sh |
| 13 | تلتعش tlatta3sh | 18 | تمنتعش tmanta3sh |
| 14 | أربعتعش arba3ta3sh | 19 | تسعتعش tis3ta3sh |
| 15 | خمستعش khamsta3sh |
Before a noun, these usually add -ar: tna3shar sine (twelve years).
Tens, hundreds, thousands
| Number | Levantine | Number | Levantine |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | عشرين 3ishriin | 60 | ستين sittiin |
| 30 | تلاتين tlaatiin | 70 | سبعين sab3iin |
| 40 | أربعين arb3iin | 80 | تمانين tmaaniin |
| 50 | خمسين khamsiin | 90 | تسعين tis3iin |
| 100 | مية miyye (مِيت miit before a noun) | 1,000 | ألف alf |
Numbers like 25: units first
Say the units first, then w ("and"), then the tens:
- خمسة وعشرينkhamse w 3ishriintwenty-five