Arabic Numbers Grammar
Summary: Rules governing the form and case of the counted noun (maʿdūd) in Arabic, which varies by number range.
Overview
In Arabic, the noun being counted — called the maʿdūd (المعدود) — changes form depending on the number. The rules are among the most complex in Arabic grammar.
Rules by Number Range — Complete Picture (as of Surah Yusuf Session 6)
| Number Range | Tamyīz Form | Tamyīz Case | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | No separate tamyīz — number itself is a صِفَة describing the maʿdūd | — | كِتَابٌ وَاحِدٌ, كِتَابَانِ (اثْنَانِ) |
| 3–10 | Plural | Majrūr | سَبْعَ لَيَالٍ وَثَمَانِيَةَ أَيَّامٍ |
| 11–19 (compound, mabnī) | Singular | Manṣūb | أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوكَبًا (Yūsuf 12:4) |
| 20–90 (الْعُقُود) | Singular | Manṣūb | تِسْعَةً وَتِسعِينَ نَعجَةً |
| 100 (مِئَة), 1000 (أَلْف) | Singular | Majrūr | مِائَةَ شَاةٍ |
99 — Why نَعجَةً Is Manṣūb, Not Majrūr
In تِسْعَةً وَتِسعِينَ نَعجَةً (99 ewes), نَعجَةً is manṣūb because it is the tamyīz of تِسعِينَ — the ʿuqūd (tens) component of the compound — not because of تِسْعَةً (the units digit, which alone would call for a plural majrūr tamyīz per the 3–10 rule). When units and tens are joined by وَ, the tamyīz takes its cue from the tens part.
أَلْفَاظ العُقُود — A Special Name for the Tens
The multiples of ten (عِشْرُون، ثَلَاثُون، …) follow the جَمع pattern and carry a special collective name: أَلْفَاظ العُقُود. There is a story behind why they are called this — left for a future session.
Singular Tamyīz Despite an English Plural Translation
إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُورِ عِندَ اللَّهِ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا — "the number of months with Allah is twelve months"
شَهْرًا is singular even though the English translation says "months" — because it follows a compound number (11–19 family).
The 11–99 Rule in Detail
For numbers 11 through 99 (excluding round tens), the maʿdūd is:
- Singular in form (not plural)
- Mansūb (accusative) — functioning as a tamyīz (تمييز)
Example from the session:
Tisʿun wa ʿishrūna sūratan — "29 sūrahs"
Here sūratan is singular and mansūb. It appears in the discussion of how many sūrahs contain Muqattaat.
Compound Numbers 11–19 — الأَعدَاد المُرَكَّبَة
Numbers 11–19 are called أَعدَاد مُرَكَّبَة (murakkabah — compound): each consists of two parts treated as a single word.
- No wāw between the parts (contrast: 21 = وَاحِد وَعِشرُون — wāw present → not compound)
- All 11–19 (except 12) are mabniyyah (frozen): both parts carry fataḥ regardless of the number's iʿrāb position
The Frozen Rule
| Position of number | Expected iʿrāb | Actual form |
|---|---|---|
| Fāʿil (marfūʿ) | ḍamma | أَحَدَ عَشَرَ (unchanged — fataḥ on both) |
| Mafʿūl (manṣūb) | fataḥ | أَحَدَ عَشَرَ (unchanged) |
| Majrūr | kasra | أَحَدَ عَشَرَ (unchanged — still fataḥ) |
Exception: Number 12
12 is the only number in this range that declines. Its first part declines like a dual; the second part is frozen:
| I'rab | Masculine | Feminine |
|---|---|---|
| Marfūʿ | اثنا عَشَرَ | اثنتا عَشَرَ |
| Manṣūb / Majrūr | اثنَي عَشَرَ | اثنَتَي عَشَرَ |
Tamyīz for 11–19
The counted noun (tamyīz) is always singular and manṣūb:
إِنِّي رَأَيتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوكَبًا — I saw eleven heavenly bodies. (Surah Yusuf 12:4) - أَحَدَ عَشَرَ = compound number (mabnī) - كَوكَبًا = tamyīz (singular, manṣūb with tanwīn fataḥ)
Tamyīz Note
The full explanation of tamyīz has been moved to Tamyiz.
Related pages
- [[surah-yusuf-session3]]
- [[muqattaat]]
- [[mudaf-idafah]]
- [[mafool-mutlaq]]
- [[tamyiz]]