Introduction
In Arabic, العَدَدُ refers to numbers, while الْمَعْدُودُ denotes the noun being counted.
A. The cardinal numbers — العَدَدُ الأَسَاسِي
Arabic numerals represent one of the more intricate features of the Arabic language. Rather than following a single rule, they function like declinable nouns (مُعْرَب), with their endings changing according to their grammatical case.
1. Numbers from 1 to 10
In Arabic, numbers from 1 to 10 agree or disagree with the counted noun (المعدود) in gender depending on the number itself:
- 1 and 2 — agree in gender with the noun they modify.
- 3 to 10 — are of the opposite gender of the noun they modify.
The counted noun after numbers 3–10 appears in the plural and genitive case.
Examples:
وَبَعَثْنَا مِنهُمُ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ نَقِيبًا
And We raised among them twelve leaders. (5:12)
فَخُذْ أَرْبَعَةً مِّنَ الطَّيْرِ
Then take four birds. (2:260)
سَخَّرَهَا عَلَيْهِمْ سَبْعَ لَيَالٍ وَثَمَانِيَةَ أَيَّامٍ
He imposed it upon them for seven nights and eight days. (69:7)
2. Numbers from 11 to 19
Numbers from 11 to 19 are indeclinable (they do not change form). They are composed of two parts: the first agrees in gender with the counted noun, while the second part always appears in the accusative case.
Examples:
إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوْكَبًا
Indeed, I saw eleven stars. (12:4)
اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِي كِتَابِ اللَّـهِ
Twelve months are ordained by Allah’s decree. (9:36)
إِنَّ اللَّـهَ اصْطَفَاهُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَزَادَهُ بَسْطَةً فِي الْعِلْمِ وَالْجِسْمِ
Indeed, Allah has chosen him above you and increased him abundantly in knowledge and physique. (2:247)
3. Numbers from 20 to 99
Numbers from 20 to 99 are compound numbers. The first part follows the rule of gender opposition (like numbers 3–9), while the second part (عِشْرُونَ, ثَلَاثُونَ, etc.) is indeclinable and plural in form.
Examples:
وَلَبِثُوا فِي كَهْفِهِمْ ثَلَاثَ مِائَةٍ سِنِينَ وَازْدَادُوا تِسْعًا
And they remained in their cave for three hundred years and added nine. (18:25)
فَصِيَامُ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ فِي الْحَجِّ وَسَبْعَةٍ إِذَا رَجَعْتُمْ
Then fasting for three days during Hajj and seven when you return. (2:196)
4. The number 100 and above
Numbers such as hundred (مِائَة), thousand (أَلْف), and their multiples act as nouns. The noun following them (المعدود) is singular and appears in the genitive case.
Examples:
فَإِن لَّمْ تَكُونُوا مِائَةً صَابِرَةً يَغْلِبُوا مِائَتَيْنِ
If there are a hundred steadfast, they will overcome two hundred. (8:66)
إِنَّ اللَّـهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ
Indeed, Allah is with the patient. (8:66)
يَوَدُّ أَحَدُهُمْ لَوْ يُعَمَّرُ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ
One of them would wish to be granted a life of a thousand years. (2:96)
5. Agreement of gender between number and counted noun
Arabic numbers have specific gender agreement rules:
- 1 and 2 agree in gender with the noun.
- 3–10 take the opposite gender.
- 11 and 12 agree in gender.
- 13–19 show mixed agreement: the first part disagrees, the second agrees.
- 20 and above usually remain masculine and indeclinable.
The study of numbers in Arabic grammar thus combines syntax, morphology, and gender agreement in a unique way.
Conclusion
This lesson concludes our overview of Arabic cardinal numbers. Insha’Allah, the next session will discuss ordinal numbers in Arabic.
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1. The number 1 is used as:
- Masculine: أَحَدٌ / وَاحِدٌ
- Feminine: إِحْدَى / وَاحِدَةٌ
قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَا إِلَـٰهُكُمْ إِلَـٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ
Say, “I am only a man like you, to whom has been revealed that your god is one God. (18:110)
فَإِنَّمَا هِيَ زَجْرَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ فَإِذَا هُمْ يَنظُرُونَ
It will be only one shout, and at once they will be observing. (37:19)
وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدًا
and not associate in the worship of his Lord anyone.” (18:110)
وَإِذْ يَعِدُكُمُ اللَّـهُ إِحْدَى الطَّائِفَتَيْنِ أَنَّهَا لَكُمْ
[Remember, O believers], when Allah promised you one of the two groups – that it would be yours (8:7)
2. The number 2 is used as:
- Masculine – nominative case: اِثْنَانِ
- Masculine – accusative and genitive case: اِثْنَيْنِ
- Feminine – nominative case: اِثْنَتَانِ
- Feminine – accusative and genitive case: اِثْنَتَيْنِ
حِينَ الْوَصِيَّةِ اثْنَانِ ذَوَا عَدْلٍ
at the time of bequest – [that of] two just men from among you (5:106)
وَمِنَ الْإِبِلِ اثْنَيْنِ وَمِنَ الْبَقَرِ اثْنَيْنِ ۗ قُلْ آلذَّكَرَيْنِ حَرَّمَ أَمِ الْأُنثَيَيْنِ أَمَّا اشْتَمَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ أَرْحَامُ الْأُنثَيَيْنِ
And of the camels, two and of the cattle, two. Say, “Is it the two males He has forbidden or the two females or that which the wombs of the two females contain? (6:144)
Note: The number “two,” represented by اِثْنَانِ, is rarely used alongside a noun since the dual form of the noun inherently conveys its meaning.
Example: بَيْتَانِ means ‘two houses.’ Using it as اِثْنَانِ بَيْتَانِ adds a layer of emphasis.
3. Number from 3-10
Masculine
- 3 – ثَلاثٌ
- 4 – أَرْبَعٌ
- 5 – خَمْسٌ
- 6 – سِتٌّ
- 7 – سَبْعٌ
- 8 – ثَمَانٍ also written ثَمَنٍ
- 9 – تِسْعٌ
- 10 – عَشَرٌ
Feminine
- 3 – ثَلاثَةٌ
- 4 – أَرْبَعَةٌ
- 5 – خَمْسَةٌ
- 6 – سِتَّةٌ
- 7 – سَبْعَةٌ
- 8 – ثَمَانِيَّةٌ
- 9 – تِسْعَةٌ
- 10 – عَشَرَةٌ
ةُ. In this setup, the number functions as the possessor (المُضاف) and can change its form based on its case. Conversely, the noun being counted acts as the possessed (المضاف إِلَيْهِ) and remains consistently in the genitive case, in plural form, and in an indefinite state.
A noteworthy aspect is the relationship between the gender of the number and the counted noun: if the counted noun (always in plural) is masculine, the associated number will be feminine, and the reverse also holds true.
Example:
قَالَ رَبِّ اجْعَل لِّي آيَةً ۚ قَالَ آيَتُكَ أَلَّا تُكَلِّمَ النَّاسَ ثَلَاثَ لَيَالٍ سَوِيًّا
[Zechariah] said, “My Lord, make for me a sign.” He said, “Your sign is that you will not speak to the people for three nights, [being] sound.” (19:10)
فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ
But whoever cannot find [or afford it] – then a fast of three days [is required]. (5:89)
فَشَهَادَةُ أَحَدِهِمْ أَرْبَعُ شَهَادَاتٍ بِاللَّـهِ ۙ إِنَّهُ لَمِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ
then the witness of one of them [shall be] four testimonies [swearing] by Allah that indeed, he is of the truthful. (24:6)
وَقَدَّرَ فِيهَا أَقْوَاتَهَا فِي أَرْبَعَةِ أَيَّامٍ سَوَاءً لِّلسَّائِلِينَ
therein its [creatures’] sustenance in four days without distinction – for [the information] of those who ask. (41:10)
سَيَقُولُونَ ثَلَاثَةٌ رَّابِعُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ خَمْسَةٌ
They will say there were three, the fourth of them being their dog; and they will say there were five (18:22)
إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ اللَّـهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ
Indeed, your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and earth in six days (7:54)
وَقَالَ الْمَلِكُ إِنِّي أَرَىٰ سَبْعَ بَقَرَاتٍ سِمَانٍ يَأْكُلُهُنَّ سَبْعٌ عِجَافٌ
And [subsequently] the king said, “Indeed, I have seen [in a dream] seven fat cows being eaten by seven [that were] lean, (12:43)
لَهَا سَبْعَةُ أَبْوَابٍ لِّكُلِّ بَابٍ مِّنْهُمْ جُزْءٌ مَّقْسُومٌ
It has seven gates; for every gate is of them a portion designated.” (15:44)
ثَمَانِيَةَ أَزْوَاجٍ ۖ مِّنَ الضَّأْنِ اثْنَيْنِ وَمِنَ الْمَعْزِ اثْنَيْنِ
[They are] eight mates – of the sheep, two and of the goats (6:143)
سَخَّرَهَا عَلَيْهِمْ سَبْعَ لَيَالٍ وَثَمَانِيَةَ أَيَّامٍ
Which Allah imposed upon them for seven nights and eight days (69:7)
وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ تِسْعَ آيَاتٍ بَيِّنَاتٍ
And We had certainly given Moses nine evident signs (17:101)
وَكَانَ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ تِسْعَةُ رَهْطٍ يُفْسِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا يُصْلِحُونَ
And there were in the city nine family heads causing corruption in the land and not amending [its affairs]. (27:48)
مَن جَاءَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُ عَشْرُ أَمْثَالِهَا
Whoever comes [on the Day of Judgement] with a good deed will have ten times the like thereof [to his credit] (6:160)
فَكَفَّارَتُهُ إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَاكِينَ مِنْ أَوْسَطِ مَا تُطْعِمُونَ أَهْلِيكُمْ أَوْ كِسْوَتُهُمْ أَوْ تَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ
So its expiation is the feeding of ten needy people from the average of that which you feed your [own] families or clothing them or the freeing of a slave. (5:89)
Note: The masculine version of “eight,” ثَمَانٍ, falls under the category of defective nouns – ناقِص يائي. When accompanied by a noun, the omitted “ى” is reintroduced, leading to variations in its form. For instance:
ثَمَانِيَةَ أَزْوَاجٍ ۖ مِّنَ الضَّأْنِ اثْنَيْنِ وَمِنَ الْمَعْزِ اثْنَيْنِ
[They are] eight mates – of the sheep, two and of the goats (6:143)
سَخَّرَهَا عَلَيْهِمْ سَبْعَ لَيَالٍ وَثَمَانِيَةَ أَيَّامٍ
Which Allah imposed upon them for seven nights and eight days (69:7)
4. Numbers from 11 to 19
Except for the number 12, all numbers are indeclinable in Arabic. When paired with a noun, that noun is singular and takes the accusative case, serving as a specifier or تَمْيِيزٌ.
Masculine
- 11 – أَحَدَ عَشَرَ
- 12 – Nomative case اِثْنَا عَشَرَ, accusative and genitive case اِثْنَيْ عَشَرَ
- 13 – ثلاثةَ عَشَرَ
- 14 – أَرْبَعَةَ عَشَرَ
- 15 – خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ
- 16 – سِتَّةَ عَشَرَ
- 17 – سَبْعَةَ عَشَرَ
- 18 – ثَمَانِيَّةَ عَشَرَ
- 19 – تِسْعَةَ عَشَرَ
Feminine
- 11 – إِحْدَى عَشْرَةِ
- 12 – Nomative case اِثْنَتَا عَشْرَةِ, accusative and genitive case اِثْنَتَيْ عَشْرَةِ
- 13 – ثلاثَ عَشْرَةِ
- 14 – أَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةِ
- 15 – خَمْسَ عَشْرَةِ
- 16 – سِتَّ عَشْرَةِ
- 17 – سَبْعَ عَشْرَةِ
- 18 – ثَمَانِيَّ عَشْرَةِ
- 19 – تِسْعَ عَشْرَةِ
Examples:
إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوْكَبًا
“O my father, indeed I have seen [in a dream] eleven stars (12:4)
إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُورِ عِندَ اللَّـهِ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا
Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months (9:36)
فَانفَجَرَتْ مِنْهُ اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ عَيْنًا
And there gushed forth from it (2:60)
وَبَعَثْنَا مِنْهُمُ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ نَقِيبًا
We delegated from among them twelve leaders. (5:12)
5. Numbers 20 to 90
Multiples of 10, ranging from 20 to 90, are gender-neutral in Arabic, applicable to both masculine and feminine.
Numbers from 20 to 99 necessitate a following noun in the accusative singular as a specifier. This pattern mirrors that of numbers 11 to 19.
Nominative case
- 20 – عِشْرُونَ
- 30 – ثَلاثُوْنَ
- 40 – أَرْبَعُوْنَ
- 50 – خَمْسُوْنَ
- 60 – سِتُّونَ
- 70 – سَبْعُونَ
- 80 – ثَمَانُونَ
- 90 – تِسْعُوْنَ
Accusative and genitive case
- 20 – عِشْرِينَ
- 30 – ثَلاثِينَ
- 40 – أَرْبَعِنَ
- 50 – خَمْسِينَ
- 60 – سِتِّيْنَ
- 70 – سَبْعِينَ
- 80 – ثَمَانِينَ
- 90 – تِسْعِينَ
إِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ عِشْرُونَ صَابِرُونَ
If there are among you twenty [who are] steadfast
وَحَمْلُهُ وَفِصَالُهُ ثَلَاثُونَ شَهْرًا
and his gestation and weaning [period] is thirty months. (46:15)
وَوَاعَدْنَا مُوسَىٰ ثَلَاثِينَ لَيْلَةً
And We made an appointment with Moses for thirty nights (7:142)
وَإِذْ وَاعَدْنَا مُوسَىٰ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً
And [recall] when We made an appointment with Moses for forty nights. (2:51)
حَتَّىٰ إِذَا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُ وَبَلَغَ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً
[He grows] until, when he reaches maturity and reaches [the age of] forty years (46:15)
فَلَبِثَ فِيهِمْ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ إِلَّا خَمْسِينَ عَامًا
and he remained among them a thousand years minus fifty years (29:14)
فَمَن لَّمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَإِطْعَامُ سِتِّينَ مِسْكِينًا
and he who is unable – then the feeding of sixty poor persons (58:4)
ثُمَّ فِي سِلْسِلَةٍ ذَرْعُهَا سَبْعُونَ ذِرَاعًا فَاسْلُكُوهُ
Then into a chain whose length is seventy cubits insert him.” (69:32)
وَاخْتَارَ مُوسَىٰ قَوْمَهُ سَبْعِينَ رَجُلًا لِّمِيقَاتِنَا
And Moses chose from his people seventy men for Our appointment. (7:155)
فَاجْلِدُوهُمْ ثَمَانِينَ جَلْدَةً
lash them with eighty lashes (24:4)
6. Numbers 21 to 99
These numbers are constructed by inserting a وَ between the units and tens.
Masculine:
- 21 – وَاحِدٌ وَ عِشْرُوْنَ
- 22 – اِثْنَانِ وَ عِشْرُوْنَ
Feminine:
- 21 – اِحْدَى وَ عِشْرُوْنَ – وَاحِدَةٌ وَ عِشْرُوْنَ
- 22 – اِثْنَتَانِ وَ عِشْرُوْنَ
Example:
إِنَّ هَـٰذَا أَخِي لَهُ تِسْعٌ وَتِسْعُونَ نَعْجَةً وَلِيَ نَعْجَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ
Indeed this, my brother, has ninety-nine ewes, and I have one ewe (38:23)
7. Numbers 100 and above
- 100 – مِئَةٌ
- 200 – مَئَتَيْنِ / مِئَتَانِ
- 300 – ثَلاثُ مِئَةٍ
- 400 – أَرْبَعُ مِئَةٍ
- 500 – خَمْسُ مِئَةٍ
- 600 – سِتُّ مِئَةٍ
- 700 – سَبْعُ مِئَةٍ
- 800 – ثَمَانِيْ مِئَةٍ
- 900 – تِسْعُ مِئَةٍ
- 1000 – أَلْفٌ
- 2000 – أَلْفَيْنِ – أَلْفَانِ
- 3000 – ثَلاثَةُ آلافٍ
- 4000 – أَرْبَعُ آلافٍ
- 5000 – خَمْسَةُ آلافٍ
- 100 000 – مِئَةُ أَلْفٍ
Examples:
إِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ عِشْرُونَ صَابِرُونَ يَغْلِبُوا مِائَتَيْنِ
If there are among you twenty [who are] steadfast, they will overcome two hundred. (8:65)
وَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُم مِّائَةٌ يَغْلِبُوا أَلْفًا
And if there are among you one hundred [who are] steadfast (8:65)
إِذْ تَقُولُ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَلَن يَكْفِيَكُمْ أَن يُمِدَّكُمْ رَبُّكُم بِثَلَاثَةِ آلَافٍ مِّنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ مُنزَلِينَ
[Remember] when you said to the believers, “Is it not sufficient for you that your Lord should reinforce you with three thousand angels sent down? (3:124)
بَلَىٰ ۚ إِن تَصْبِرُوا وَتَتَّقُوا وَيَأْتُوكُم مِّن فَوْرِهِمْ هَـٰذَا يُمْدِدْكُمْ رَبُّكُم بِخَمْسَةِ آلَافٍ مِّنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ مُسَوِّمِينَ
Yes, if you remain patient and conscious of Allah and the enemy come upon you [attacking] in rage, your Lord will reinforce you with five thousand angels having marks [of distinction] (3:125)
وَأَرْسَلْنَاهُ إِلَىٰ مِائَةِ أَلْفٍ أَوْ يَزِيدُونَ
And We sent him to [his people of] a hundred thousand or more. (37:147)
فَلَبِثَ فِيهِمْ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ إِلَّا خَمْسِينَ عَامًا
and he remained among them a thousand years minus fifty years (29:14)
B. The ordinal numbers - الْعَدَدُ التَّرْتِيْبِي
Ordinal numbers in Arabic typically follow the pattern of the active participle – فَاعِلٌ. They stem from cardinal numbers with certain exceptions, such as:
الأَُوْلَى, which deviates from the standard as it corresponds to الأَوَّلُ.
Masculine
- First: الأَوَّلُ
- Second: الثَّانِيُ
- Third: الثَّالِثُ
- Fourth: الرَّابِعُ
- Fith: الخَامِسُ
- Sixth: السَّادِسُ
- Seventh: السَّابِعُ
- Eight: الثَّامِنُ
- Ninth: التَّاسِعُ
- Tenth: العَاشِرُ
Feminine
- First: الأُوْلَى
- Second: الثَّانِيَةُ
- Third: الثَّالِثَةُ
- Fourth: الرَّابِعَةُ
- Fith: الخَامِسَةُ
- Sixth: السَّادِسَةُ
- Seventh: السَّابِعَةُ
- Eight: الثَّامِنَةُ
- Ninth: التَّاسِعَةُ
- Tenth: العَاشِرَةُ
Note: The ending diacritic of the mentioned words varies based on their grammatical declension.
هُوَ الْأَوَّلُ وَالْآخِرُ
He is the First and the Last (57:3)
ثَانِيَ اثْنَيْنِ إِذْ هُمَا فِي الْغَارِ
as one of two, when they were in the cave (9:40)
فَعَزَّزْنَا بِثَالِثٍ
so We strengthened them with a third (34:14)
سَيَقُولُونَ ثَلَاثَةٌ رَّابِعُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ
They will say there were three, the fourth of them being their dog (18:22)
وَالْخَامِسَةُ أَنَّ لَعْنَتَ اللَّـهِ عَلَيْهِ إِن كَانَ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَ
And the fifth [oath will be] that the curse of Allah be upon him if he should be among the liars. (24:7)
سَادِسُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ
the sixth of them being their dog (18:22)
وَثَامِنُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ
and the eighth of them was their dog (18:22)
C. The fractions - الكَسْرُ
Numerical fractions, with the exception of 1/2, typically follow the فُعُلٌ pattern in Arabic.
- One half: نِصْفٌ
- One third: ثُلُثٌ
- One fourth: رُبُعٌ
- One fifth: خُمُسٌ
- One-sixth: سُدُسٌ
- One seven: سُبُعٌ
- One eight: ثُمُنٌ
- One ninth: تُسُعٌ
- One thenth: عُشُرٌ
- Two thirds: ثُلُثانِ / ثُلُثَيْنِ
Examples:
وَلَكُمْ نِصْفُ مَا تَرَكَ أَزْوَاجُكُمْ
And for you is half of what your wives (4:12)
فَلَكُمُ الرُّبُعُ مِمَّا تَرَكْنَ
for you is one fourth of what they leave (4:12)
فَلَهُنَّ ثُلُثَا مَا تَرَكَ
for them is two thirds of one’s estate (4:11)
وَلِأَبَوَيْهِ لِكُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِّنْهُمَا السُّدُسُ مِمَّا تَرَكَ إِن كَانَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ
And for one’s parents, to each one of them is a sixth of his estate if he left children. (4:11)
فَإِن كَانَ لَكُمْ وَلَدٌ فَلَهُنَّ الثُّمُنُ مِمَّا تَرَكْتُم
But if you leave a child, then for them is an eighth of what you leave (4:12)
D. The distributive adjectives - الصِّفَاتُ التَّوْزِيعَةُ
Certain adjectives function as numerals in Arabic:
- Two, two: مَثْنَى (اِثْنَيْنِ, اِثْنَيْنِ)
- Three; three: ثُلاثٌ (ثَلاثَهَ, ثَلاثَةَ)
- Four, four: رُبَاعٌ (أَرْبَعَةً, أَرْبَعَةً))
Example:
فَانكِحُوا مَا طَابَ لَكُم مِّنَ النِّسَاءِ مَثْنَىٰ وَثُلَاثَ وَرُبَاعَ
then marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four. (4:3)
- One time: مَرَّةً
- Two times: مَرَّتَيْنِ / مَرَّتانِ
- three times: ثَلاثَ مَرَّاتٍ
- Every time: كُلُّ مَرَّةٍ
- First time: أَوَّلُ مَرَّةٍ
- Second time: تَارَةٌ أُخْرَى / مَرَّةً أُخْرَى
Examples:
كَمَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ
just as We created you the first time (18:48)
أَوَلَا يَرَوْنَ أَنَّهُمْ يُفْتَنُونَ فِي كُلِّ عَامٍ مَّرَّةً أَوْ مَرَّتَيْنِ
Do they not see that they are tried every year once or twice (9:126)
وَالَّذِينَ لَمْ يَبْلُغُوا الْحُلُمَ مِنكُمْ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ
and those who have not [yet] reached puberty among you ask permission of you [before entering] at three times (24:58)
وَمِنْهَا نُخْرِجُكُمْ تَارَةً أُخْرَىٰ
and from it We will extract you another time. (20:55)
In Arabic, to emphasize duality, the term ‘both’ is represented as كِلا or كِلْتَا. For emphasizing plurality, ‘all’ is conveyed through كُلٌّ or جَمِيْعٌ.
Examples:
إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُل لَّهُمَا أُفٍّ
Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], “uff,” (17:23)
كِلْتَا الْجَنَّتَيْنِ آتَتْ أُكُلَهَا
Each of the two gardens produced (18:33)
فَسَجَدَ الْمَلَائِكَةُ كُلُّهُمْ أَجْمَعُونَ
So the angels prostrated – all of them entirely (15:30)
وَعَلَّمَ آدَمَ الْأَسْمَاءَ كُلَّهَا
And He taught Adam the names – all of them. (2:31)
وَإِن كُلٌّ لَّمَّا جَمِيعٌ لَّدَيْنَا مُحْضَرُونَ
And indeed, all of them will yet be brought present before Us. (36:32)
أَيْنَ مَا تَكُونُوا يَأْتِ بِكُمُ اللَّـهُ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
Wherever you may be, Allah will bring you forth [for judgement] all together. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent. (2:148)
وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّـهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا
And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. (3:103)
The word آخَر can be translated as ‘other,’ ‘next,’ or ‘last.’ Here’s how it’s used in various forms:
- Masculine singular: آخَرُ
- Feminine singular: أُخْرَى
- Masculine plural: آخَرُونَ or آخَرِيْنَ
- Feminine plural: أُخَرٌ.
Examples:
وَقَالَ الْآخَرُ إِنِّي أَرَانِي أَحْمِلُ فَوْقَ رَأْسِي خُبْزًا تَأْكُلُ الطَّيْرُ مِنْهُ
The other said, “Indeed, I have seen myself carrying upon my head [some] bread, from which the birds were eating. (12:36)
وَأُخْرَىٰ تُحِبُّونَهَا
And [you will obtain] another [favor] that you love (61:13)
أَوْ آخَرَانِ مِنْ غَيْرِكُمْ
or two others from outside (5:106)
وَآخَرُونَ مُرْجَوْنَ لِأَمْرِ اللَّـهِ
And [there are] others deferred until the command of Allah (9:106)
سَتَجِدُونَ آخَرِينَ
You will find others (4:91)
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللَّـهِ وَبِالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَمَا هُم بِمُؤْمِنِينَ
And of the people are some who say, “We believe in Allah and the Last Day,” but they are not believers. (2:8)
وَلَلدَّارُ الْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ
but the home of the Hereafter is best for those who fear Allah (6:32)
When كَمْ or كَأَيِّنْ are followed by مِنْ, they convey the sense of ‘how many’ or ‘numerous’.
Examples:
سَلْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ كَمْ آتَيْنَاهُم مِّنْ آيَةٍ بَيِّنَةٍ
Ask the Children of Israel how many a sign of evidence We have given them. (2:211)
وَكَأَيِّن مِّن نَّبِيٍّ قَاتَلَ
And how many a prophet [fought and] (3:146)
The term بِضْعَةٌ or بِضْعٌ in Arabic translates to ‘a few’ or ‘some’.
Examples:
فِي بِضْعِ سِنِينَ
Within three to nine years. (30:4)
Conclusion
This lesson on Arabic nuances concludes here. Insha’Allah, our subsequent session will delve into the substitute in Arabic.
Al-dirassa Institute invites you on a linguistic journey with our expert teachers to master the Arabic language. Should you wish to further your studies, we welcome your inquiries.
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