Learning Arabic numbers is an essential step for every learner. Once you’ve mastered numbers 1 to 20, the next goal is understanding how larger numbers are formed. Fortunately, Arabic follows logical patterns that make learning numbers from 20 to 400 much easier than many beginners expect.
In this lesson, you will learn the Arabic words for the tens, how to build compound numbers such as 21 or 57, the hundreds up to 400, and practical examples that you can use in everyday conversations.
Why Learn Arabic Numbers Beyond 20?
Numbers appear everywhere in daily life. You will use them when:
- Talking about your age
- Saying prices
- Giving phone numbers
- Describing dates
- Counting objects
- Discussing distances
- Talking about time
The Tens in Arabic
The numbers from 20 to 90 are called the tens.
| Number | Arabic | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | عشرون | ishrūn | Twenty |
| 30 | ثلاثون | thalāthūn | Thirty |
| 40 | أربعون | arbaʿūn | Forty |
| 50 | خمسون | khamsūn | Fifty |
| 60 | ستون | sittūn | Sixty |
| 70 | سبعون | sabʿūn | Seventy |
| 80 | ثمانون | thamānūn | Eighty |
| 90 | تسعون | tisʿūn | Ninety |
Notice that most of these numbers end with ون (-ūn), making them easy to recognize.
How Compound Numbers Are Formed
Numbers from 21 to 99 are built using a simple structure.
The smaller number comes first, followed by the word “and” (و), then the tens.
Pattern:
One + and + Twenty
For example:
21 = واحد وعشرون
Literally:
One and twenty
This pattern is used for nearly every number between 21 and 99.
Examples from 21 to 29
| Number | Arabic | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | واحد وعشرون | wāḥid wa ishrūn |
| 22 | اثنان وعشرون | ithnān wa ishrūn |
| 23 | ثلاثة وعشرون | thalātha wa ishrūn |
| 24 | أربعة وعشرون | arbaʿa wa ishrūn |
| 25 | خمسة وعشرون | khamsa wa ishrūn |
| 26 | ستة وعشرون | sitta wa ishrūn |
| 27 | سبعة وعشرون | sabʿa wa ishrūn |
| 28 | ثمانية وعشرون | thamāniya wa ishrūn |
| 29 | تسعة وعشرون | tisʿa wa ishrūn |
More Compound Number Examples
| Number | Arabic | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | واحد وثلاثون | wāḥid wa thalāthūn |
| 42 | اثنان وأربعون | ithnān wa arbaʿūn |
| 53 | ثلاثة وخمسون | thalātha wa khamsūn |
| 64 | أربعة وستون | arbaʿa wa sittūn |
| 75 | خمسة وسبعون | khamsa wa sabʿūn |
| 86 | ستة وثمانون | sitta wa thamānūn |
| 97 | سبعة وتسعون | sabʿa wa tisʿūn |
| 99 | تسعة وتسعون | tisʿa wa tisʿūn |
After learning the tens, you can build almost every number up to 99 using the same formula.
The Hundreds in Arabic
The Arabic word for one hundred is مائة.
The hundreds are easy to memorize because they follow a predictable pattern.
| Number | Arabic | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | مائة | mi’a | One hundred |
| 200 | مائتان | mi’atān | Two hundred |
| 300 | ثلاثمائة | thalāthumi’a | Three hundred |
| 400 | أربعمائة | arbaʿumi’a | Four hundred |
These are the most common forms used in Modern Standard Arabic.
Building Numbers Between 100 and 400
Arabic combines the hundreds with smaller numbers using the conjunction و (wa), meaning “and.”
Examples:
| Number | Arabic | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| 101 | مائة وواحد | mi’a wa wāḥid |
| 115 | مائة وخمسة عشر | mi’a wa khamsata ʿashar |
| 120 | مائة وعشرون | mi’a wa ishrūn |
| 135 | مائة وخمسة وثلاثون | mi’a wa khamsa wa thalāthūn |
| 200 | مائتان | mi’atān |
| 222 | مائتان واثنان وعشرون | mi’atān wa ithnān wa ishrūn |
| 300 | ثلاثمائة | thalāthumi’a |
| 345 | ثلاثمائة وخمسة وأربعون | thalāthumi’a wa khamsa wa arbaʿūn |
| 400 | أربعمائة | arbaʿumi’a |
The structure remains consistent, making larger numbers much easier to understand.
Useful Example Sentences
أنا عمري عشرون سنة.
anā ʿumrī ishrūn sanah
I am twenty years old.
ثمن الكتاب ثلاثون جنيهًا.
thaman al-kitāb thalāthūn junayhan
The book costs thirty pounds.
لدينا أربعون طالبًا.
ladaynā arbaʿūn ṭāliban
We have forty students.
في الفندق مائة غرفة.
fī al-funduq mi’a ghurfah
The hotel has one hundred rooms.
لدى الشركة ثلاثمائة موظف.
ladā al-sharikah thalāthumi’a muwaẓẓaf
The company has three hundred employees.
في المدرسة أربعمائة طالب.
fī al-madrasah arbaʿumi’a ṭālib
The school has four hundred students.
Common Mistakes Beginners Make
One common mistake is placing the tens before the smaller number. In Arabic, the smaller number usually comes first.
Correct:
خمسة وعشرون
khamsa wa ishrūn
Incorrect:
عشرون وخمسة
Another common mistake is forgetting the conjunction و (wa), which links the two parts of compound numbers.
Finally, remember that the hundreds are followed by و before adding another number.
Correct:
مائة وخمسة وعشرون
mi’a wa khamsa wa ishrūn
Practice Exercise
Translate these numbers into Arabic.
- 20
- 35
- 48
- 61
- 79
- 90
- 100
- 145
- 200
- 300
- 357
- 400
Answers
- عشرون
- خمسة وثلاثون
- ثمانية وأربعون
- واحد وستون
- تسعة وسبعون
- تسعون
- مائة
- مائة وخمسة وأربعون
- مائتان
- ثلاثمائة
- ثلاثمائة وسبعة وخمسون
- أربعمائة
Vocabulary Review
| Arabic | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| عشرون | ishrūn | Twenty |
| ثلاثون | thalāthūn | Thirty |
| أربعون | arbaʿūn | Forty |
| خمسون | khamsūn | Fifty |
| ستون | sittūn | Sixty |
| سبعون | sabʿūn | Seventy |
| ثمانون | thamānūn | Eighty |
| تسعون | tisʿūn | Ninety |
| مائة | mi’a | One hundred |
| مائتان | mi’atān | Two hundred |
| ثلاثمائة | thalāthumi’a | Three hundred |
| أربعمائة | arbaʿumi’a | Four hundred |
| و | wa | And |
Final Thoughts
Learning Arabic numbers from 20 to 400 is much easier once you understand the patterns. First, memorize the tens. Next, practice building compound numbers by placing the smaller number before the tens and connecting them with و (wa). Finally, learn the hundreds and combine them with the same structure.
Indeed, with regular practice, you will quickly become comfortable reading, writing, and speaking Arabic numbers in various everyday situations, including shopping, travel, school, work, and conversations with native speakers.
