2 in Arabic = اثنان (ithnān)

The number 2 in Arabic is pronounced "ITH-nahn" (with a soft "th" sound at the beginning and stress on the first syllable), written in Arabic script as "اثنان", romanized as "ithnān".

Quick Answer

Pronunciation

Ithnān (اثنان) has two syllables: ith-nān

Step by step:

1. "Ith" - Say "ITH" with a soft "th" (like "th" in "think")
2. The "th" (ث) is a soft interdental sound—tongue between teeth
3. "nān" - Say "nahn" with a long "ā" sound
4. Put stress on the first syllable: ITH-nān

The "th" sound (ث):

• This is NOT a "t" sound
• Put your tongue between your teeth (like English "think")
• It's a soft, breathy sound
• In some dialects, this becomes a "t" or "s" sound

Common mistakes:

• Pronouncing it as "IT-nahn" instead of "ITH-nahn"—use the soft "th"
• Using a hard "t" sound—it should be soft "th" with tongue between teeth
• Not holding the final "ā" long enough—it's a long vowel
• Stressing the second syllable—it should be ITH-nān, not ith-NĀN

Regional pronunciation differences:

• Modern Standard Arabic (MSA): ITH-nahn (soft "th")
• Egyptian: IT-nayn or it-NAYN (often "th" becomes "t")
• Levantine (Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan): t-NAYN or it-NAYN (usually "t" not "th")
• Gulf Arabic: ITH-nayn (maintains "th" sound)
• Maghrebi (Morocco, Algeria): ZHOOZH or JOOJ (completely different word!)

The Word "Ithnān" (اثنان)

Arabic script: اثنان

• Written right to left
• Four letters: ا (alif) + ث (thā') + ن (nūn) + ا (alif) + ن (nūn)
• Masculine noun

Origin: From the Arabic root ث-ن-ي (th-n-y) relating to "two" or "secondness"

Gender forms: The number 2 DOES change for gender:

• Masculine: اثنان (ithnān)
• Feminine: اثنتان (ithnatān)

Dual form: Arabic has a special "dual" grammatical form for two of something, which often eliminates the need to say "two":

• Two books = كتابان (kitābān) - the noun itself becomes dual
• But you can also say: كتابان اثنان (two books) for emphasis

Eastern Arabic Numeral

In Arabic script, the numeral for 2 is: ٢

Important note: The Eastern Arabic 2 looks like a reversed "2" or a hook:

• Eastern Arabic: ٢
• Western/European: 2

Eastern Arabic numerals (0-9): ٠ ١ ٢ ٣ ٤ ٥ ٦ ٧ ٨ ٩

Practical Usage

Counting: When counting: واحد، اثنان، ثلاثة، أربعة، خمسة... (wāḥid, ithnān, thalātha, arba'a, khamsa...)

Phone numbers: Each digit is pronounced separately:

• 2 = اثنان (ithnān) or اثنين (ithnayan) in some contexts
• Example: 252 = اثنان-خمسة-اثنان (ithnān-khamsa-ithnān)

Prices:

• 2 riyals = ريالان (riyālān) - using dual form
• Or: ريالين اثنين (riyālayn ithnayn) - with the number
• The dual form is often preferred for "two"

Times:

• 2:00 = الساعة الثانية (as-sā'a ath-thāniya) - uses ordinal "second," not ithnān
• 2:15 = الساعة الثانية والربع
• 2:30 = الساعة الثانية والنصف

Dates:

• The 2nd = الثاني (ath-thānī) - uses ordinal form
• February 2nd = الثاني من فبراير (ath-thānī min fibrāyir)

Ages:

• 2 years old = سنتان (sanatān) - using dual form
• Or: سنتين (sanatayn) in some cases

Addresses:

• Room 2 = غرفة رقم اثنين (ghurfa raqm ithnayn)
• Apartment 2 = شقة رقم اثنين (shaqqa raqm ithnayn)

Compound Numbers with 2

12:

• 12 = اثنا عشر (ithnā 'ashar) - masculine / اثنتا عشرة (ithnatā 'ashrata) - feminine

22, 32, 42, etc.:

• 22 = اثنان وعشرون (ithnān wa-'ishrūn) - literally "two and twenty"
• 32 = اثنان وثلاثون (ithnān wa-thalāthūn)
• 92 = اثنان وتسعون (ithnān wa-tis'ūn)

Regional Dialect Variations

Egyptian Arabic:

• Pronunciation: it-NAYN (the "th" becomes "t")
• Feminine: it-NAYN or it-NEN-teyn
• Most common: "itneyn"

Levantine Arabic (Syrian, Lebanese, Palestinian, Jordanian):

• Pronunciation: t-NAYN or t-NEEN
• The "th" becomes "t"
• Feminine: ten-TAYN or tin-TEEN

Gulf Arabic (Saudi, Emirati, Kuwaiti):

• Pronunciation: ITH-nayn (maintains the "th")
• Closer to MSA
• Feminine: ith-nA-tayn

Maghrebi Arabic (Moroccan, Algerian, Tunisian):

• Completely different word!
• Morocco: JOOJ or ZHOOZH (جوج)
• Algeria: ZOOJ (زوج)
• Tunisia: ZOOZ (زوز)
• This is a major difference from other dialects!

Iraqi Arabic:

• Pronunciation: ith-NAYN
• Similar to Gulf Arabic

Common Phrases with 2

اثنان اثنان (ithnān ithnān): Two by two, in pairs

واحد اثنين (wāḥid ithnayan): One, two (counting)

اثنان معاً (ithnān ma'an): Two together

ثاني اثنين (thānī ithnayn): Second of two

كل اثنين (kull ithnayn): Each two, every two

اثنين اثنين (ithnēn ithnēn): Two by two (dialect)

يوم الاثنين (yawm al-ithnēn): Monday (literally "day of two" or "second day")

Grammar Notes

Gender agreement:

• Masculine nouns: use اثنان (ithnān)
• Feminine nouns: use اثنتان (ithnatān)

Dual form is special: Arabic has a grammatical dual (for exactly two), which adds ـان (-ān) or ـين (-ayn) to nouns:

• كتاب (book) → كتابان (two books)
• This often replaces the need to say "اثنان"

Case forms:

• Nominative: اثنان (ithnān)
• Accusative/Genitive: اثنين (ithnayn)

Word order: Like with "one," the number typically follows the noun in full sentences, but word order can vary.

With "the" (definite article):

• The two = الاثنان (al-ithnān)
• Both = كلاهما (kilāhumā) or الاثنان (al-ithnān)

Monday: A Special Connection

The word for Monday in Arabic is الاثنين (al-ithnēn), which literally means "the two" or "the second day." This is because:

• Sunday (الأحد) is considered the first day of the week in Arab countries
• Monday is the second day
• The name directly relates to the number 2

Writing Numbers

Eastern Arabic:

• Written as: ٢
• In a phone number: ٢٥٢٠ (2520)

In text:

• Numbers are written left-to-right
• So 22 in Eastern Arabic numerals: ٢٢ (read left to right: 2-2)

Quick Takeaways

• 2 in Arabic is اثنان (ithnān), pronounced "ITH-nahn" with soft "th"
• The Eastern Arabic numeral is ٢
• The "th" (ث) is soft like "think"—tongue between teeth
• Has gender forms: اثنان (masculine) / اثنتان (feminine)
• In Egyptian and Levantine dialects, "th" often becomes "t": it-NAYN
• In Maghrebi Arabic, completely different words are used (JOOJ, ZOOJ)
• Arabic has a special dual form for "two of something"
• Monday = الاثنين (al-ithnēn) = "the two/second"
• Stress is on the first syllable: ITH-nān
• Comes from the root ث-ن-ي

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