Gender agreement and reversal, compound numerals, counted nouns, specification and case Read the bilingual lesson for Number Nouns: Rules from One to One Thousand and test your understanding with a focused quiz.
Lesson
1. What Are Number Nouns?
أَسْمَاءُ الْعَدَدِ
A number noun states a quantity.
For example, ثَلَاثَةُ طُلَّابٍ means three students.
The numeral gives the count; the second noun names what is counted.
2. The Twelve Basic Number Words
أُصُولُ الْعَدَدِ اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ كَلِمَةً
The author lists 12 basic number words:
وَاحِدَةٌ، اثْنَانِ، ثَلَاثَةٌ، أَرْبَعَةٌ، خَمْسَةٌ، سِتَّةٌ
سَبْعَةٌ، ثَمَانِيَةٌ، تِسْعَةٌ، عَشَرَةٌ، مِائَةٌ، أَلْفٌ
They form the basis for derived number expressions.
3. Three Checks Before Choosing a Numeral
Check three things:
1. Is the counted noun masculine or feminine in the singular?
2. Which number range is involved?
3. What case and number must the counted noun take?
4. Gender Comes from the Singular Noun
كِتَابٌ — مَذَكَّرٌ
صَفْحَةٌ — مُؤَنَّثَةٌ
Kitāb is masculine; its plural is kutub.
Ṣafḥah is feminine; its plural is ṣafaḥāt.
For number agreement, inspect the singular form of the counted noun.
5. One: Gender Agreement
رَجُلٌ وَاحِدٌ
امْرَأَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ
One man — one woman.
Wāḥid agrees with a masculine noun; wāḥidah with a feminine noun.
The number 1 follows the noun’s gender.
6. Two: Gender Agreement
رَجُلَانِ اثْنَانِ
امْرَأَتَانِ اثْنَتَانِ
Two men — two women.
Ithnān is masculine; ithnatān is feminine.
The numeral 2 agrees with the counted noun.
7. One and Two Usually Describe the Noun
كِتَابٌ وَاحِدٌ
كِتَابَانِ اثْنَانِ
Kitābun already means one book; wāḥidun describes or confirms it.
Kitābāni is already dual; ithnāni reinforces the number.
In these patterns the following noun is not an independent number-tamyīz.
8. Three to Ten: Reverse Gender
ثَلَاثَةُ رِجَالٍ
ثَلَاثُ نِسْوَةٍ
Three men — three women.
With a masculine counted noun, the numeral takes tāʾ marbūṭah.
With a feminine counted noun, it normally lacks it.
This is the reverse of the 1–2 pattern.
9. Masculine Nouns: Four Examples
ثَلَاثَةُ رِجَالٍ
أَرْبَعَةُ كُتُبٍ
خَمْسَةُ أَقْلَامٍ
سِتَّةُ طُلَّابٍ
Three men, four books, five pens, six students.
Their singular nouns are masculine, so each numeral bears the feminine ending.
These are four examples from the 3–10 range.
10. Feminine Nouns: Four Examples
ثَلَاثُ بَنَاتٍ
أَرْبَعُ صَفَحَاتٍ
خَمْسُ غُرَفٍ
سِتُّ شَجَرَاتٍ
Three girls, four pages, five rooms, six trees.
Their singular counted nouns are feminine, so the numerals lack tāʾ marbūṭah.
These are four examples from the 3–10 range.
11. Seven to Ten: Both Genders
سَبْعَةُ رِجَالٍ — سَبْعُ نِسْوَةٍ
ثَمَانِيَةُ رِجَالٍ — ثَمَانِي نِسْوَةٍ
تِسْعَةُ رِجَالٍ — تِسْعُ نِسْوَةٍ
عَشَرَةُ رِجَالٍ — عَشْرُ نِسْوَةٍ
Seven, eight, nine, ten men — and the same counts of women.
Each masculine-noun example takes the opposite-gender numeral with -ah; the feminine examples do not.
This completes the 3–10 range.
12. Counted Noun after Three to Ten
ثَلَاثَةُ كُتُبٍ
خَمْسُ صَفَحَاتٍ
Kutubin and ṣafaḥātin are plural genitives.
The numeral is the first member of an iḍāfah, and the counted noun is its genitive second member.
13. Case of a 3–10 Numeral
جَاءَ ثَلَاثَةُ طُلَّابٍ.
رَأَيْتُ ثَلَاثَةَ طُلَّابٍ.
مَرَرْتُ بِثَلَاثَةِ طُلَّابٍ.
Three students arrived; I saw three students; I passed by three students.
The numeral changes with syntactic case.
The counted noun remains genitive because it is the muḍāf ilayh.
14. Eleven: Both Parts Agree in Gender
أَحَدَ عَشَرَ رَجُلًا
إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ امْرَأَةً
Eleven men — eleven women.
In 11 both parts match the counted noun’s gender.
Its counted noun is singular accusative.
15. Twelve: Both Parts Agree
اثْنَا عَشَرَ رَجُلًا
اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ امْرَأَةً
Twelve men — twelve women.
The masculine form is ithnā ʿashara, the feminine ithnatā ʿashrata.
Both parts follow the counted noun’s gender.
16. Twelve: The First Part Declines
جَاءَ اثْنَا عَشَرَ طَالِبًا.
رَأَيْتُ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ طَالِبًا.
مَرَرْتُ بِاثْنَيْ عَشَرَ طَالِبًا.
Twelve students came; I saw twelve; I passed by twelve.
The first part has dual-style case endings: ithnā (nom.) and ithnay (acc./gen.).
The second part is fixed; the counted noun is singular accusative.
17. Feminine Twelve Also Declines
جَاءَتِ اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ طَالِبَةً.
رَأَيْتُ اثْنَتَيْ عَشْرَةَ طَالِبَةً.
Twelve female students arrived; I saw twelve female students.
The first part changes from ithnatā to ithnatay, while ʿashrata remains fixed.
Ṭālibatan is the singular accusative specification.
18. Thirteen to Nineteen: Opposite, Then Matching
ثَلَاثَةَ عَشَرَ رَجُلًا
ثَلَاثَ عَشْرَةَ امْرَأَةً
Thirteen men — thirteen women.
For 13–19 the unit digit has reverse gender; the tens part agrees in gender.
The counted noun is singular accusative.
19. Thirteen to Sixteen: Paired Examples
ثَلَاثَةَ عَشَرَ رَجُلًا — ثَلَاثَ عَشْرَةَ امْرَأَةً
أَرْبَعَةَ عَشَرَ رَجُلًا — أَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةَ امْرَأَةً
خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ رَجُلًا — خَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ امْرَأَةً
سِتَّةَ عَشَرَ رَجُلًا — سِتَّ عَشْرَةَ امْرَأَةً
Pairs for 13, 14, 15 and 16 men/women.
The first part reverses gender, and the second matches.
The counted noun remains singular accusative.
20. Seventeen to Nineteen: Remaining Examples
سَبْعَةَ عَشَرَ رَجُلًا — سَبْعَ عَشْرَةَ امْرَأَةً
ثَمَانِيَةَ عَشَرَ رَجُلًا — ثَمَانِيَ عَشْرَةَ امْرَأَةً
تِسْعَةَ عَشَرَ رَجُلًا — تِسْعَ عَشْرَةَ امْرَأَةً
Seventeen, eighteen and nineteen men and women.
The same two-part agreement rule applies.
This completes the seven numbers 13–19.
21. Most Teen Compounds Are Fixed on Fatḥah
جَاءَ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ رَجُلًا.
رَأَيْتُ ثَلَاثَةَ عَشَرَ رَجُلًا.
The components of 11 and 13–19 are generally built on fatḥah.
The number’s grammatical position can change without changing those endings.
The first part of 12 is an important exception.
22. Twenty to Ninety: Same Form for Both Genders
عِشْرُونَ رَجُلًا
عِشْرُونَ امْرَأَةً
Twenty men — twenty women.
The tens numeral remains the same for both genders.
This holds for the decades through ninety.
23. All Eight Decades
عِشْرُونَ — ثَلَاثُونَ — أَرْبَعُونَ — خَمْسُونَ
سِتُّونَ — سَبْعُونَ — ثَمَانُونَ — تِسْعُونَ
These are the eight decade words: 20–90.
They are called ʿuqūd and do not change form according to gender of the counted noun.
24. Case Endings of the Decades
جَاءَ عِشْرُونَ طَالِبًا.
رَأَيْتُ عِشْرِينَ طَالِبًا.
مَرَرْتُ بِعِشْرِينَ طَالِبًا.
ʿIshrūna in the nominative; ʿishrīna in the accusative and genitive.
The following ṭāliban is singular accusative in all three sentences.
25. Twenty-One: The Unit Agrees
أَحَدٌ وَعِشْرُونَ رَجُلًا
إِحْدَى وَعِشْرُونَ امْرَأَةً
Twenty-one men — twenty-one women.
The unit part follows the gender of 1; the tens word stays unchanged.
The counted noun is singular accusative.
26. Twenty-Two: The Unit Agrees
اثْنَانِ وَعِشْرُونَ رَجُلًا
اثْنَتَانِ وَعِشْرُونَ امْرَأَةً
Twenty-two men — twenty-two women.
The unit follows the gender and case pattern of 2.
In oblique cases use ithnayn / ithnatayn; the decade does not depend on gender.
27. Twenty-Three to Twenty-Nine: Reverse Gender
ثَلَاثَةٌ وَعِشْرُونَ رَجُلًا
ثَلَاثٌ وَعِشْرُونَ امْرَأَةً
Twenty-three men — twenty-three women.
The unit part 3–9 reverses gender while the tens part stays the same.
The counted noun remains singular accusative.
28. Ninety-Nine Follows the Same Pattern
تِسْعَةٌ وَتِسْعُونَ رَجُلًا
تِسْعٌ وَتِسْعُونَ امْرَأَةً
Ninety-nine men — ninety-nine women.
The unit 9 reverses gender; the decade is unchanged.
This pattern extends to 99.
29. Case in Compound Numbers Joined by Wāw
جَاءَ ثَلَاثَةٌ وَعِشْرُونَ رَجُلًا.
رَأَيْتُ ثَلَاثَةً وَعِشْرِينَ رَجُلًا.
Twenty-three men arrived; I saw twenty-three men.
Nominative: thalāthatun wa-ʿishrūna.
Accusative: thalāthatan wa-ʿishrīna.
The singular accusative specification remains unchanged.
30. One Hundred: No Gender Difference
مِائَةُ رَجُلٍ
مِائَةُ امْرَأَةٍ
One hundred men — one hundred women.
Miʾah is used with either gender.
The counted noun is singular genitive after it.
31. Two Hundred and Three Hundred
مِائَتَا رَجُلٍ
ثَلَاثُ مِائَةِ رَجُلٍ
Two hundred men — three hundred men.
Miʾatā is the dual construct form; thalāthu miʾati combines 3 and 100 by iḍāfah.
The ultimate counted noun stays singular genitive.
32. One Thousand: No Gender Difference
أَلْفُ رَجُلٍ
أَلْفُ امْرَأَةٍ
One thousand men — one thousand women.
Alf is gender-neutral.
The counted noun is singular genitive.
33. Two Thousand and Three Thousand
أَلْفَا رَجُلٍ
ثَلَاثَةُ آلَافِ رَجُلٍ
Two thousand men — three thousand men.
Alfā is the dual construct; thalāthatu ālāfi uses a plural genitive “thousands”.
The final noun rajulin is singular genitive, as it is after a single alf.
34. Larger Numbers Reuse the Rules
مِائَةٌ وَخَمْسَةٌ وَأَرْبَعُونَ رَجُلًا
One hundred and forty-five men.
100 is followed by 45; the unit 5 reverses gender and the tens remain invariant.
The final specification rajulan is singular accusative.
35. The Four Main Counted-Noun Patterns
رَجُلٌ وَاحِدٌ
ثَلَاثَةُ رِجَالٍ
أَحَدَ عَشَرَ رَجُلًا
مِائَةُ رَجُلٍ
1–2: numeral normally functions adjectivally or as reinforcement.
3–10: usually plural genitive (except constructions such as three hundred).
11–99: singular accusative.
100 and 1000: singular genitive.
36. Specification vs. Iḍāfah
ثَلَاثَةُ طُلَّابٍ
عِشْرُونَ طَالِبًا
مِائَةُ طَالِبٍ
Ṭullābin after 3: plural genitive in iḍāfah.
Ṭāliban after 20: singular accusative tamyīz.
Ṭālibin after 100: singular genitive in iḍāfah.
37. Read the Whole Phrase in a Sentence
قَرَأْتُ أَرْبَعَةَ كُتُبٍ.
قَرَأْتُ أَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةَ صَفْحَةً.
I read four books; I read fourteen pages.
Kitāb is masculine, so 4 is arbaʿata with plural genitive kutubin.
Ṣafḥah is feminine, so 14 is arbaʿa ʿashrata with singular accusative ṣafḥatan.
38. Do Not Confuse Gender and Case
ثَلَاثُ صَفَحَاتٍ
رَأَيْتُ ثَلَاثَ صَفَحَاتٍ
Thalāth is the correct gender form for feminine pages in both examples.
It takes nominative or accusative case according to syntax.
Gender choice and case marking must be decided independently.
39. Correcting Four Common Mistakes
ثَلَاثَةُ رِجَالٍ — ثَلَاثُ نِسْوَةٍ
عِشْرُونَ رَجُلًا — مِائَةُ رَجُلٍ
Avoid four errors:
1. Misapplying reverse gender in 3–10.
2. Using singular accusative after 3–10.
3. Using plural genitive after a decade.
4. Using singular accusative after 100.
40. Key Rules and Next Section
1–2: gender agreement.
3–10: reverse gender with plural genitive counted noun.
11–12: both parts match; 13–19: unit reverses, tens part matches.
20–99: singular accusative counted noun; tens gender-neutral.
100/1000: singular genitive.
Next: Masculine and feminine nouns.
Practice questions
Question 1
What does a number noun primarily express?
- Quantity of things
- Tense
- Gender alone
- Number of letters
Question 2
How many basic number words does the author list?
Question 3
What determines the numeral’s gender?
- The first verb
- Only the plural ending
- Gender of the singular counted noun
- Case of the number
Question 4
Which phrase correctly says “one book”?
- كِتَابٌ وَاحِدَةٌ
- كِتَابٌ اثْنَانِ
- كِتَابٌ ثَلَاثَةٌ
- كِتَابٌ وَاحِدٌ
Question 5
Which expression correctly says “two women”?
- امْرَأَتَانِ اثْنَتَانِ
- امْرَأَتَانِ اثْنَانِ
- امْرَأَةٌ اثْنَتَانِ
- امْرَأَتَانِ وَاحِدَةٌ
Question 6
Why is ithnāni not the specification in rajulāni ithnāni?
- The numeral is a preposition
- The noun is dual already, so 2 reinforces/describes it
- The noun is plural genitive
- The numeral is always indefinite
Question 7
Which phrase correctly expresses “three men”?
- ثَلَاثُ رِجَالٍ
- ثَلَاثَةُ رَجُلًا
- ثَلَاثَةُ رِجَالٍ
- ثَلَاثَةٌ رِجَالًا
Question 8
Which phrase means “three women”?
- ثَلَاثَةُ نِسْوَةٍ
- ثَلَاثُ امْرَأَةً
- ثَلَاثَةٌ امْرَأَةً
- ثَلَاثُ نِسْوَةٍ
Question 9
Which numeral fits the feminine plural “rooms”?
- خَمْسُ غُرَفٍ
- خَمْسَةُ غُرَفٍ
- خَمْسُ غُرْفَةً
- خَمْسَةٌ غُرَفًا
Question 10
Which is “four books”?
- أَرْبَعُ كُتُبٍ
- أَرْبَعَةُ كُتُبٍ
- أَرْبَعَةُ كِتَابًا
- أَرْبَعُ كِتَابٍ
Question 11
How is ṭullābin parsed in thalāthatu ṭullābin?
- Singular accusative specification
- Nominative plural subject
- Genitive plural muḍāf ilayh
- Accusative singular ḥāl
Question 12
Why is thalāthata accusative in “I saw three students”?
- Because students are masculine
- Because the number is three
- Because the second noun is genitive
- It is the direct object of raʾaytu
Question 13
Which phrase correctly says “eleven men”?
- أَحَدَ عَشَرَ رَجُلًا
- إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَجُلًا
- ثَلَاثَةَ عَشَرَ رَجُلًا
- أَحَدَ عَشَرَ رِجَالٍ
Question 14
Which phrase correctly says “eleven women”?
- أَحَدَ عَشَرَ امْرَأَةً
- إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ امْرَأَةً
- إِحْدَى عَشَرَ امْرَأَةً
- إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ نِسْوَةٍ
Question 15
How is “twelve men” formed in the nominative?
- اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ رَجُلًا
- اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ رَجُلًا
- اثْنَا عَشَرَ رَجُلًا
- اثْنَا عَشَرَ رِجَالٍ
Question 16
Which first part of 12 is correct after raʾaytu?
- اثْنَا عَشَرَ
- اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ
- أَحَدَ عَشَرَ
- اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ
Question 17
Which expression says “thirteen men”?
- ثَلَاثَةَ عَشَرَ رَجُلًا
- ثَلَاثَ عَشْرَةَ رَجُلًا
- ثَلَاثَةَ عَشْرَةَ رَجُلًا
- ثَلَاثَةَ عَشَرَ رِجَالٍ
Question 18
Which expression says “thirteen women”?
- ثَلَاثَةَ عَشَرَ امْرَأَةً
- ثَلَاثَ عَشْرَةَ امْرَأَةً
- ثَلَاثَ عَشَرَ امْرَأَةً
- ثَلَاثَ عَشْرَةَ نِسْوَةٍ
Question 19
What is the gender pattern in 13–19?
- Both agree
- Both reverse
- First reverses, second agrees
- First agrees, second reverses
Question 20
On what ending are 11 and 13–19 normally built?
- Ḍammah
- Kasrah
- Kasrah tanwīn
- Fatḥah
Question 21
Which is correct for “twenty women”?
- عِشْرُونَ امْرَأَةً
- عِشْرُونَ نِسْوَةٍ
- عِشْرَةُ امْرَأَةٍ
- عِشْرَةٌ وَامْرَأَةٌ
Question 22
What is the accusative form of ʿishrūna?
- عِشْرُونَ
- عِشْرِينَ
- عَشَرَ
- عِشْرَةَ
Question 23
Which phrase correctly expresses “twenty-one women”?
- أَحَدٌ وَعِشْرُونَ امْرَأَةً
- إِحْدَى وَعِشْرُونَ نِسْوَةٍ
- إِحْدَى وَعِشْرُونَ امْرَأَةً
- إِحْدَى وَعَشَرَ امْرَأَةً
Question 24
Which nominative expression gives “twenty-two men”?
- اثْنَتَانِ وَعِشْرُونَ رَجُلًا
- اثْنَيْنِ وَعِشْرُونَ رَجُلًا
- اثْنَانِ وَعِشْرُونَ رِجَالٍ
- اثْنَانِ وَعِشْرُونَ رَجُلًا
Question 25
Which phrase says “twenty-three women”?
- ثَلَاثٌ وَعِشْرُونَ امْرَأَةً
- ثَلَاثَةٌ وَعِشْرُونَ امْرَأَةً
- ثَلَاثٌ وَعِشْرُونَ نِسْوَةٍ
- ثَلَاثٌ وَعِشْرِينَ امْرَأَةً
Question 26
Which unit part is correct for “ninety-nine men”?
- تِسْعٌ
- تِسْعَةٌ
- تِسْعُونَ
- عَشَرَةٌ
Question 27
Why is ʿishrīna used after raʾaytu in twenty-three men?
- Because the specification is singular
- Because the counted noun is feminine
- The coordinated decade is accusative
- Because the decade is indeclinable
Question 28
Which phrase correctly says “one hundred men”?
- مِائَةُ رَجُلًا
- مِائَةُ رِجَالٍ
- مِائَةٌ رَجُلًا
- مِائَةُ رَجُلٍ
Question 29
Which phrase correctly says “one thousand women”?
- أَلْفُ امْرَأَةٍ
- أَلْفُ امْرَأَةً
- أَلْفُ نِسْوَةٍ
- أَلْفَةُ امْرَأَةٍ
Question 30
Which construct form means “two hundred men”?
- مِائَةُ رَجُلَيْنِ
- مِائَتَا رَجُلٍ
- مِائَتَانِ رَجُلًا
- مِائَتَا رَجُلًا
Question 31
In “three thousand men,” which word is annexed to numeral 3?
- رِجَالٍ
- ثَلَاثَةُ
- آلَافِ
- أَلْفٌ
Question 32
What form does the counted noun take after 11–99?
- Plural genitive
- Singular genitive
- Nominative dual
- Singular accusative
Question 33
What form does the ordinary counted noun take after 3–10?
- Plural genitive
- Singular accusative
- Genitive dual
- Singular nominative
Question 34
What is the usual counted-noun form after 100 and 1000?
- Plural accusative
- Singular genitive
- Singular accusative
- Nominative dual
Question 35
Why is arbaʿata accusative in “I read four books”?
- Because “book” is feminine
- Because kutubin is accusative
- It is the direct object
- Because 4 is indeclinable
Question 36
What is the correct difference between 20 and 100 students?
- 20 + gen.; 100 + acc.
- Both plural genitive
- Both nominative singular
- 20 + acc. singular; 100 + gen. singular
Question 37
Why does khamsatun take -ah in “forty-five men”?
- Because masculine rajul triggers reverse gender for the unit five
- Because forty is always feminine
- Because rajulan is accusative
- Because the phrase is dual
Question 38
Which chapter comes after number nouns in the source?
- Prepositions
- Masculine and feminine
- The subject
- Relative nouns
Question 39
Kitāb is masculine in Arabic regardless of its Urdu equivalent.
Question 40
Numbers 1 and 2 normally reverse gender.
Question 41
Niswatin after thalāth is plural genitive.
Question 42
3–10 always takes a singular accusative specification.
Question 43
Both parts of 11 agree with the counted noun.
Question 44
The first part of 12 never changes by case.
Question 45
In 13–19, the first part reverses gender and the second agrees.
Question 46
Like 11 and 13–19, the first part of 12 is always built on fatḥah.
Question 47
The decade forms 20–90 do not vary with counted-noun gender.
Question 48
ʿIshrīna is accusative in “I saw twenty students.”
Question 49
In twenty-three women the unit must be thalāthatun.
Question 50
Rajulin after miʾatu is singular genitive.
Question 51
100 and 1000 require different numeral forms for masculine and feminine nouns.
Question 52
Ālāfin in thalāthatu ālāfin is plural genitive.
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