Now that you know 1–10, the teen numbers (11–19) follow a simple pattern: the number + عشر (ashara, “ten”). This makes counting from 11 to 19 much easier than you might expect. The key is that each teen number is just the single digit combined with the word for ten.
Counting 11–19
| Number | Arabic | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | أحد عشر | ahada ashara | eleven |
| 12 | اثنا عشر | ithnaa ashara | twelve |
| 13 | ثلاثة عشر | thalaatha ashara | thirteen |
| 14 | أربعة عشر | arba’a ashara | fourteen |
| 15 | خمسة عشر | khamsa ashara | fifteen |
| 16 | ستة عشر | sitta ashara | sixteen |
| 17 | سبعة عشر | sab’a ashara | seventeen |
| 18 | ثمانية عشر | thamaaniya ashara | eighteen |
| 19 | تسعة عشر | tis’a ashara | nineteen |
20
| Number | Arabic | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | عشرون | ishruun | twenty |
Pattern: The teens are simply the single digit + عشر (ten). No complex rules — just combine!
Numbers in Context
| Arabic | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| عندي ثلاثة عشر كتاباً | 3indī thalaatha ashara kitaaban | I have thirteen books |
| الحقيبة تحت الكرسي الخامس عشر | al-ḥaqība taḥta al-kursī al-khamsaa’ ashara | The bag is under the fifteenth seat |
| عشرين دقيقة | ishruun daqiqa | twenty minutes |
| في فصلنا أربعة عشر طالباً | fī faṣlinā arba’a ashara ṭāliban | In our class there are fourteen students |
Using Numbers with Nouns
The same gender rules apply to numbers 11–19:
- Masculine nouns take feminine numbers (with ة)
- Feminine nouns take masculine numbers (without ة)
| Arabic | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| أحد عشر كتاباً | ahada ashara kitaaban | eleven books |
| أحد عشر سيارة | ahada ashara sayyaara | eleven cars |
| خمسة عشر قلم | khamsa ashara qalam | fifteen pens |
| خمسة عشر دقيقة | khamsa ashara daqiqa | fifteen minutes |
Numbers in Daily Life
Numbers 11–20 appear frequently in daily conversation:
Time:
- الساعة الحادية عشرة — It is eleven o’clock (feminine because الساعة is feminine)
- الساعة الثانية عشرة — It is twelve o’clock
Age:
- عمري اثنا عشر سنة — I am twelve years old
- عندي خمسة عشر كتاباً — I have fifteen books
Prices:
- عشرة ريالات — Ten riyals
- أحد عشر ريالاً — Eleven riyals
Listen and Repeat
Eleven
ahada ashara
Twelve
ithnaa ashara
Thirteen
thalaatha ashara
Fourteen
arba'a ashara
Fifteen
khamsa ashara
Sixteen
sitta ashara
Seventeen
sab'a ashara
Eighteen
thamaaniya ashara
Nineteen
tis'a ashara
Twenty
ishruun
Practice
How do you say 'fifteen' in Arabic?
hint: Combine the number 5 with ten
What is the pattern for numbers 11–19?
hint: Think of how you built the teens
How do you say 'twenty minutes' in Arabic?
hint: Use the number 20 + minutes
Ready for colors? Continue to Colors.
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