العدد
Adad — Numbers in Arabic
Arabic numbers are famously complex. The counted noun (ma'dud) interacts with the number ('adad) through gender agreement, case, and grammatical state — and the rules change depending on the range of the number.
Numbers 1 & 2 — Agreement
One and two agree in gender with the counted noun. They typically come after the noun as adjectives.
Surah Al-Baqarah (2:163)
وَإِلَـٰهُكُمْ إِلَـٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ
إِلَـٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ — "one God" — وَاحِد (masculine) agrees with إله (masculine noun).
Numbers 3–10 — The Reverse Gender Rule
This is the most notorious rule in Arabic grammar. For numbers 3 through 10, the number takes the opposite gender of the counted noun. The counted noun is plural and in jarr (genitive).
The rule: If the singular noun is masculine, the number gets a ta' marbuta (looks feminine). If the noun is feminine, the number drops it (looks masculine). Yes, it's backwards!
سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ
seven heavens (Al-Baqarah 2:29)
سماء is feminine → سبع has no ta' marbuta (reverse gender)
ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ
three days (Al-Baqarah 2:196)
يوم is masculine → ثلاثة has ta' marbuta (reverse gender)
خَمْسَةَ أَيَّامٍ
Not Quranic, but: five days
يوم masculine → خمسة with ta' marbuta
Numbers 11–19 — Compound Numbers
For 11 and 12, both parts agree with the noun in gender. For 13–19, the first part follows the reverse-gender rule (like 3–10), while the second part (عشر) agrees with the noun. The counted noun is singular and in nasb (accusative).
Surah Yusuf (12:4)
إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوْكَبًا
أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوْكَبًا — "eleven stars" — both parts masculine (matching كوكب), counted noun is singular accusative (كوكبًا).
Numbers 20–99
The tens (20, 30, 40, ... 90) are treated as sound masculine plurals and do not change for gender. The counted noun is singular and in nasb.
Surah Al-Ankabut (29:14)
أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ إِلَّا خَمْسِينَ عَامًا
خَمْسِينَ عَامًا — "fifty years" — خمسين does not change for gender, عامًا is singular accusative.
Key Takeaways
- 1. Numbers 1–2 agree in gender with the noun (simple).
- 2. Numbers 3–10 take the opposite gender (the famous reverse rule). Noun is plural jarr.
- 3. Numbers 11–99 take the counted noun as singular accusative (nasb).
- 4. In the Quran, pay attention to the ta' marbuta on the number — it reveals the gender of the counted noun.