Learn Hebrew numbers now.
Do you want to count the 10 commandments? Ahem, okay they are probably ten, but how about counting them in Hebrew? Here we will learn the Hebrew numbers together.
Let’s get right into the point…
Hebrew numbers are kind of tricky. Though they are easy to memorize, they vary in gender. When counting masculine objects, you use different form of numbers than the ones you would use when counting feminine objects.
Since we live in a male-centrist world (unfortunately) let’s go with the flow and start with the masculine-object counting numbers:
- אחד: echad
- שנים: shenayim
- שלושה: shlosha
- ארבעה: arba’a
- חמישה: chamisha
- ששה: shisha
- שבעה: shiv’a
- שמונה: shmona
- תשעה: tish’a
- עשרה: asara
- אחד-עשר: achad asar
- שנים-עשר:shnayim asar
- שלשה-עשר: shlosha asar
- ארבעה-עשר: arba’a asar
- חמשה-עשר: chamisha asar
- ששב-עשר: shisha asar
- שבעה-עשר: shiv’a asar
- שמונה-עשר: shmona asar
- תשעה-עשר: tish’a asar
I have pronounced these Hebrew numbers for you here. Right-click and download file as.
These Hebrew numbers are also gathered in this beautiful song called “echad mi yode’a?” (who knows number one?), I am not sure how old the song is, but it is brilliant. However, do not expect to understand all of it. Just get the idea, they ask
Echad mi yode’a? (who knows number 1)
Shnayim mi yode’a (who knows number 2)
etc…
Funny is that numbers in Hebrew break the masculine/feminine grammar rulers. Usually when a word ends in a “heh” letter (ה), it indicates that the word is feminine. Ironically we notice that masculine objects take the number with a “heh”. To make this easy, think of the relationship between the counting number and the items that is being counted as a traditional marriage, that goes (usually) between a male and a female.
Now, here are the Hebrew numbers used for counting female objects.
- אחת: echat or achat
- שתים: shtayim
- שלש: shalosh
- ארבע: arba
- חמש: chameish
- שש: sheish
- שבע: shva
- שמונה: shmone
- תשע: teisha
- עשר: eser
- אחת-עשרה: achat esrei
- שתים-עשרה: shtayim esrei
- שלש-עשרה: shlosh esrei
- ארבע-עשרה: arba esrei
- חמש-עשרה: chameish esrei
- שש-עשרה: sheish esrei
- שבע-עשרה: shva esrei
- שמונה-עשרה: shmonei esrei
- תשע-עשרה: tesha esrei
Now let’s talk about 10, 20, 30 etc. Since we leave 19, the rest of our Hebrew numbers are the same no matter what the gender of the counted objects is. Let’s see:
20: עשרים: esrim
30: שלשים: shloshim
40: ארבעים: arba’im
50: חמשים: chamishim
60: ששים: shishim
70: שבעים: shiv’im
80: שמונים: shmonim
90: תשעים: tish’im
I pronounced them here for you. Right-click and download the Hebrew numbers file.
Now you can count in Hebrew. Do not miss the chance of learning the Hebrew Alphabet through the Hebrew worksheets I created just for you.
Hebrew is a wonderful and unique language! That is a perfect evidence that is Elohim’s inspired. I am learning Hebrew here in Kenya. I like to live like a Hebrew in terms of diet, festivals, lifestyle and keeping of the Sabbath.
Good luck! I hope someday you can visit the wonderful State of Israel and use Hebrew in real life situations.