How do I teach my child the Arabic numbers?

Question

Bloomtivo Academy · Accepted Answer

Teach the words and the digits together: وَاحِد ١, اِثْنَان ٢, ثَلَاثَة ٣, أَرْبَعَة ٤, خَمْسَة ٥, سِتَّة ٦, سَبْعَة ٧, ثَمَانِيَة ٨, تِسْعَة ٩, عَشَرَة ١٠. Learn 1–5 in week one and 6–10 in week two, by counting real things: stairs, dates at iftar, tasbih beads. Note: Arabic digits are read left to right, even in Arabic text. Numbers are among the easiest and most useful Arabic words. Children use them every day.1 to 10DigitArabic digitWordSay it1١وَاحِدwahid2٢اِثْنَانithnan3٣ثَلَاثَةthalathah4٤أَرْبَعَةarba‘ah5٥خَمْسَةkhamsah6٦سِتَّةsittah7٧سَبْعَةsab‘ah8٨ثَمَانِيَةthamaniyah9٩تِسْعَةtis‘ah10١٠عَشَرَة‘asharahA two-week planWeek 1: 1–5. Count stairs, fingers, toys.Week 2: 6–10. Count dates, cars, tasbih.Daily counting momentsStairs at home.Dates at iftar.Rak’ahs in prayer (in Arabic).Tasbih after prayer.The digitsMany Mushafs use Eastern Arabic digits for page and verse numbers. Learning them helps your child find their place. Digits are read left to right.Next stepsSee counting to 100 and first, second, third.Teacher’s tip: play hopscotch with Arabic digits chalked on the ground. Children learn digits and words in one game.Related: Telling the time.

Digit	Arabic digit	Word	Say it
1	١	وَاحِد	wahid
2	٢	اِثْنَان	ithnan
3	٣	ثَلَاثَة	thalathah
4	٤	أَرْبَعَة	arba‘ah
5	٥	خَمْسَة	khamsah
6	٦	سِتَّة	sittah
7	٧	سَبْعَة	sab‘ah
8	٨	ثَمَانِيَة	thamaniyah
9	٩	تِسْعَة	tis‘ah
10	١٠	عَشَرَة	‘asharah

How do I teach my child the Arabic numbers?

1 to 10

A two-week plan

Daily counting moments

The digits

Next steps

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