Numbers 1–10
Numbers 1–10 with gender polarity rule
I can count from 1 to 10 and apply the gender polarity rule
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
ثَلاثَةُ كُتُبٍ
Three books
ثَلاثُ بَناتٍ
Three girls
خَمسَةُ طُلّابٍ
Five students
عَشرُ سَنَواتٍ
Ten years
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
الأعداد ١–١٠ (Numbers 1–10)
Arabic numbers 1–10 follow a gender polarity rule: numbers 3–10 take the opposite gender of the counted noun.
| Number | With masc. noun | With fem. noun |
|---|---|---|
| ١ | واحِد | واحِدة |
| ٢ | اثنان | اثنتان |
| ٣ | ثلاثة كُتُب | ثلاث بنات |
| ٤ | أربعة | أربع |
| ٥ | خمسة | خمس |
| ١٠ | عشرة | عشر |
Key: 1–2 agree normally. 3–10 use reverse agreement. Counted noun after 3–10 is مجرور جمع (genitive plural).
Common Error Patterns
Using same gender instead of reverse polarity for 3–10
3–10 take OPPOSITE gender: masc. noun → fem. number (ثلاثة كتب)
Wrong case on the counted noun
After 3–10, the noun is genitive plural: خمسةُ كُتُبٍ
ثَلاثَةُ كُتُبٍ
Three books
كتاب is masculine → number takes feminine form ثلاثة (with tā marbūṭa).
ثَلاثُ بَناتٍ
Three girls
بنت is feminine → number drops tā marbūṭa: ثلاث (reverse polarity).
خَمسَةُ طُلّابٍ
Five students
طالب is masculine → خمسة with tā marbūṭa. Noun in genitive plural.
عَشرُ سَنَواتٍ
Ten years
سنة is feminine → عشر without tā marbūṭa (reverse polarity).
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises