Test your understanding with these exercises. The key to mastering tarkib adadi is consistent practice.

To construct a complete sentence utilizing Tarkib Adadi , you must navigate the relationship between the number ( Adad ) and the item being counted ( Ma'dud ). This configuration follows strict rules regarding gender, number, and case. 1. The Rule of the Counted Noun (Ma'dud)

is a grammatical compound for numbers 11–19 where two digits are fused into a single unit with fixed endings, representing a hidden "and" relationship. used in specific sentence contexts like

| | Number Category | Rule Applied | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | رأيتُ أحدَ عشرَ كلبًا (I saw eleven dogs) | Al-A'dad al-Murakkabah (11) | The number 11 is indecclinable ( mabni ) . The numbered item klaban is singular ( mufrad ) and accusative ( mansub ) as a tamyiz . | | حضر ثلاثةَ عشرَ مهندسًا (Thirteen engineers attended) | Al-A'dad al-Murakkabah (13) | The first part thalathata is masculine (opposing the masculine muhandisan ), the second part 'ashara agrees with it. The numbered item is singular accusative. | | **اشتريت ستةً أقلام ** (I bought six pens) | Al-A'dad al-Mufradah (6) | The number 6 opposes the gender of the numbered item aqlam (considered plural masculine). The numbered item is plural genitive. | | مضى ثمانون عامًا (Eighty years passed) | Alfazh al-'Uqud (80) | The tens number thamānuna is invariable for gender. The numbered item 'āman is singular accusative as a tamyiz . | | لدى المدرسة مئة معلمٍ (The school has 100 teachers) | Al-A'dad al-Mufradah (100) | The number 100 is invariable for gender. The numbered item mu'allimin is singular genitive in a genitive construction. |

Tarkib Adadi represents a fossilized syntactic structure from Proto-Semitic. In Arabic pedagogy, it is a key stumbling block for learners because it violates the standard case-government rules. Mastery of this construction is essential for passing advanced Arabic grammar exams (e.g., ʿĀmil, Alfiyyah).

The relationship between these two elements is governed by a complex but logical system of rules concerning grammatical case endings, gender agreement, and the form of the counted noun.

(See the end of this article for the answer key)

The feature identifies and lists all components or elements that make up the subject. For example, in a chemical compound, this would be the list of elements; in a text, it could be themes, keywords, or entities.

These numbers are built from two parts, creating a single, indeclinable word for numbers 11, 13 through 19 (12 is a special case).

| Number range | Type | Declension | Maʿdūd (noun) form | |--------------|------|------------|--------------------| | 1 | Simple | muʿrab | Singular, same case | | 2 | Dual | muʿrab | Dual, same case | | | Compound (Tarkib Adadi) | mabnī | Singular, accusative, indefinite | | 20–90 (tens) | Simple | muʿrab | Singular, accusative | | 100, 1000 | Simple | muʿrab | Singular, genitive (after 100) |

Understanding Tarkib 'Adadi begins with classifying the numbers themselves. Based on their structure, Arabic numbers are divided into four primary categories. Each category interacts with the numbered item in a unique way, dictating its gender, case, and the form of the accompanying noun.