19th Jan 2023
What is Western Arabic Numerals?
Western Arabic Numerals
What are the Arabic Numerals? How to write them? What are their origins? That’s what we will learn in this article. When learning the Arabic language, learning Arabic Numbers is essential. Otherwise, you won’t understand what you hear when they talk about time, date, or prices. Using Oxford Essential Arabic Dictionary will also help you with every new word that you encounter in your learning journey. In this article we will learn about Arabic Numerals and their history, so let’s get started.
Arabic Numerals
The Arabic Numerals are the most known numbering system around the world. It’s also known as western Arabic, and Indo-Arabic numerals. The fact is that the Arabic system that the world knows were originated in India. The Arab merchant transferred this Numerals system to the Arab countries. With the rise of Islam and the increase in the number of followers of Islam, the Numerals system spread worldwide. And went all the way to Europe through the Arab. Therefore, it became known as the Arabic Numerals. Centuries passed and the Arabic Numerals changed their shape. There are two types of numerals that are now used in Arab countries. They are called western Arabic Numerals to eastern Arabic Numerals.| Western Arabic numbers | Eastern Arabic numbers |
| 0 | ۰ |
| 1 | ۱ |
| 2 | ۲ |
| 3 | ۳ |
| 4 | ٤ |
| 5 | ٥ |
| 6 | ٦ |
| 7 | ۷ |
| 8 | ۸ |
| 9 | ۹ |
| 10 | ۱۰ |
| Eastern Arabic numerals | |
| ۰ | sifr |
| ۱ | wahid |
| ۲ | itneen |
| ۳ | talata |
| ٤ | arbaa |
| ٥ | khamsa |
| ٦ | sitta |
| ۷ | sabaa |
| ۸ | tamanya |
| ۹ | tisaa |
| ۱۰ | ashara |
| ۱۱ | hidashar |
| ۱۲ | itnashar |
| ۱۳ | talattashar |
| ١٤ | arbaatashar |
| ١٥ | khamastashar |
| ١٦ | sittashar |
| ۱۷ | sabaatashar |
| ۱۸ | tamantashar |
| ۱۹ | tisaatashar |
| ۲۰ | aishreen |
Western Arabic numerals
The numerals system known around the world is the Western Arabic numerals. Here are how they are written.| western Arabic numbers |
| 0 |
| 1 |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 7 |
| 8 |
| 9 |
| 10 |
Hindu-Arabic numerals
Hindu numerals or as known as Arabic numerals are the numbering system that is known across the world. Why are they being called Arabic numerals? That’s because it was spread in Europe and America through the Arabic speakers of Spain and North Africa. While in Eastern Arab countries use a different numbering system called the Easter Arabic numerals. The shape of the numbers is different than the one known across the world. Here are how they both look:| Western Arabic numbers | Eastern Arabic numbers |
| 0 | ۰ |
| 1 | ۱ |
| 2 | ۲ |
| 3 | ۳ |
| 4 | ٤ |
| 5 | ٥ |
| 6 | ٦ |
| 7 | ۷ |
| 8 | ۸ |
| 9 | ۹ |
| 10 | ۱۰ |
Old Arabic numbers
The old Arabic numbers are the numbers known as the Hindu numerals. This numbering system is the one that is known and used around the world.
Arabic numbers origin
The Arabic Numerals are the most known numbering system around the world. It’s also known as western Arabic, and Indo-Arabic numerals. The fact is that the Arabic system that the world knows were originated in India. The Arab merchant transferred this Numerals system to the Arab countries. With the rise of Islam and the increase in the number of followers of Islam, the Numerals system spread worldwide. And went all the way to Europe through the Arab. Therefore, it became known as the Arabic Numerals. Centuries passed and the Arabic Numerals changed their shape. There are two types of numerals that are now used in Arab countries. They are called western Arabic Numerals to eastern Arabic Numerals.
Arabic numbers in Word
When trying to write the Arabic numbers in word it won’t work and you will get this form [0123456789], while you want this form [٠١٢٣٤٥٦٧٨٩]. If you’re facing this problem then here’s how you can solve it.
- Open word file and click on the word “File” or the office icon on the upper left.
- A new window will appear from it choose “Options”.
- Click “advanced”.
- Scroll down and search for the word “Numeral”.
- Open the Numeral menu and choose Context.
- That’s it, now you can write the eastern Arabic numerals.
Arabic numbers to English
The English numbers are the Arabic Numerals that are known around the world. And they are:| western Arabic umbers | |
| zero | 0 |
| one | 1 |
| two | 2 |
| three | 3 |
| four | 4 |
| five | 5 |
| Six | 6 |
| seven | 7 |
| eight | 8 |
| nine | 9 |
| ten | 10 |
| eastern Arabic numers | |
| ۰ | sifr |
| ۱ | wahid |
| ۲ | itneen |
| ۳ | talata |
| ٤ | arbaa |
| ٥ | khamsa |
| ٦ | sitta |
| ۷ | sabaa |
| ۸ | tamanya |
| ۹ | tisaa |
| ۱۰ | ashara |
| ۱۱ | hidashar |
| ۱۲ | itnashar |
| ۱۳ | talattashar |
| ١٤ | arbaatashar |
| ١٥ | khamastashar |
| ١٦ | sittashar |
| ۱۷ | sabaatashar |
| ۱۸ | tamantashar |
| ۱۹ | tisaatashar |
| ۲۰ | aishreen |
It might seem a bit complicated but it’s rather easy to learn. There are many books that will help you excel the Eastern Arabic Numerals in no time, and you can find them all in the Madina store.