Numbers
Scroll down to watch, listen and practice along with these video clips, to learn the Hebrew numbers.
Learn your numbers (1-12)
In Hebrew, numbers are assigned genders, and all numbers (except zero) have two forms: feminine and masculine.
In this tab, we introduce you to feminine number forms.
Numbers in Counting
In Hebrew, when we use numbers abstractly (like to count without actually naming the items being counted: “1, 2, 3, 4…”), we use feminine number forms always.
| 1 ♀ | a.khat | אחת |
| 2 ♀ | shta.yim | שתיים |
| 3 ♀ | sha.losh | שלוש |
| 4 ♀ | ar.ba | ארבע |
| 5 ♀ | kha.mesh | חמש |
| 6 ♀ | shesh | שש |
| 7 ♀ | she.va | שבע |
| 8 ♀ | shmo.ne | שמונה |
| 9 ♀ | tei.sha | תשע |
| 10 ♀ | e.ser | עשר |
| 11 ♀ | a.khat es.re | אחת-עשרה |
| 12 ♀ | shteim es.re | שתים-עשרה |
Drill
- 1-10 by טופקידס
- 1-10 by Studio Baby
- 1-12 “12 Ladybugs Went on a Picnic” by רחוב סומסום
- Learn your numbers (0-100) A fun video, since each number is spoken by a person of that age
Interactive Learning
Exercises
- Math – addition
- Math – multiplication
- Math – addition/subtraction/multiplication/division
Numbers and Gender
Numbers in Counting
Counting is described in the Learn Numbers tab. Practice counting, then test your knowledge with Number Games.
Numbers as Adjectives
Numbers can be used to describe a thing or things:
She has 1 toothbrush.
He keeps 2 soaps on hand.
There are 6 towels in that set.
- A number’s gender should match the noun it describes. For example:
- When a noun’s gender is feminine, we match it and use a feminine number to describe the noun.
- Likewise, when a noun’s gender is masculine, we describe it with a masculine number.
Age
To describe age, always use a feminine number, which refers to the age, and not person or thing.
In Hebrew, there is a flowery expression to describe age. Say someone asks your age. Sure, you can offer a 1-word answer like: “42” (using the feminine number form, of course). But you can also say:
- I am a daughter (or girl) of 42.
.אני בת 42 - I am a son (or boy) of 42.
.אני בן 42
Counting Systems
Math and counting have existed in all civilizations since prehistory. At first, pebbles or beans may have been used to track and represent the number of sheep in a flock or the number of carrots in the garden.
Ancient peoples from all over the world developed counting systems, some of which are in use today.
The system of using Hebrew letters to represent numbers is called Hebrew alphabetic numerals. Advance to the next tab to learn more.
Hebrew Letter Numbers
The Hebrew alphabetic numeric system was adapted from a similar Hellenistic (Greek) system in the late 2nd century BCE. By this time, the Israelites had been under the Hellenistic superpower’s rule for about 150 years, so embracing the Greek numeric system made sense.
Today in Israel, the predominant counting system in Israel is Hindu-Arabic (same as in the US), while Hebrew alphabetic numerals are used in matters of tradition, much in the way that Roman numerals are used by the West.