4 in Arabic = أربعة (arba'a)

The number 4 in Arabic is pronounced "ar-BA-ah" (with a glottal stop and stress on the middle syllable), written in Arabic script as "أربعة", romanized as "arba'a".

Quick Answer

Pronunciation

Arba'a (أربعة) has three syllables: ar-ba-'a

Step by step:

1. "Ar" - Say "ar" (like "are" in English, but shorter)
2. "ba" - Say "BA" with stress (like "baa" for a sheep)
3. "'a" - Say "ah" with a glottal stop before it
4. The ' (ع) is a pharyngeal sound from deep in the throat
5. Put stress on the middle syllable: ar-BA-'a

The 'ayn (ع) sound:

• This is one of the hardest Arabic sounds for non-native speakers
• It's made by constricting the pharynx (back of throat)
• Like tightening your throat while saying "ah"
• NOT a glottal stop (hamza)
• Imagine gargling without water

Common mistakes:

• Skipping the 'ayn (ع) sound completely—it's essential
• Pronouncing it as "ar-BA-a" without the throat constriction
• Stressing the wrong syllable—stress should be on BA
• Making the final "a" too long—it's a short vowel

Regional pronunciation differences:

• Modern Standard Arabic (MSA): ar-BA-'a (clear 'ayn)
• Egyptian: ar-BA-'a (maintains 'ayn)
• Levantine (Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan): ar-BA-'a or arba'
• Gulf Arabic: ar-BA-'a (clear 'ayn)
• Maghrebi: ar-b'a or REB-'a (different vowel pattern)

The Word "Arba'a" (أربعة)

Arabic script: أربعة

• Written right to left
• Five letters: أ (hamza on alif) + ر (rā') + ب (bā') + ع ('ayn) + ة (tā' marbūṭa)
• Ends with ة (ta marbuta)

Origin: From the Arabic root ر-ب-ع (r-b-') relating to "four" or "quarter"

Gender usage: Following the opposite gender rule (3-10):

• With masculine nouns: use أربعة (arba'a) - with ة ending
• With feminine nouns: use أربع (arba') - without ة ending

Examples:

• Four books (masculine): أربعة كتب (arba'at kutub)
• Four houses (feminine): أربع دور (arba' dur)

Eastern Arabic Numeral

In Arabic script, the numeral for 4 is: ٤

Important note: The Eastern Arabic 4 looks like a reversed "3" or similar to Western 3:

• Eastern Arabic: ٤
• Western/European: 4

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:

• 4 = أربعة (arba'a) or أربعة (arba'a)
• Example: 454 = أربعة-خمسة-أربعة (arba'a-khamsa-arba'a)

Prices:

• 4 riyals = أربعة ريالات (arba'at riyālāt)
• 4 dinars = أربعة دنانير (arba'at danānīr)

Times:

• 4:00 = الساعة الرابعة (as-sā'a ar-rābi'a) - uses ordinal "fourth"
• 4:15 = الساعة الرابعة والربع (note: الربع also means "quarter," from same root!)
• 4:30 = الساعة الرابعة والنصف

Dates:

• The 4th = الرابع (ar-rābi') - uses ordinal form
• April 4th = الرابع من أبريل (ar-rābi' min abrīl)

Ages:

• 4 years old = أربع سنوات (arba' sanawāt) - "years" is feminine, use أربع

Addresses:

• Room 4 = غرفة رقم أربعة (ghurfa raqm arba'a)
• Floor 4 = الطابق الرابع (aṭ-ṭābiq ar-rābi')

Compound Numbers with 4

14:

• 14 = أربعة عشر (arba'ata 'ashar) - masculine / أربع عشرة (arba'a 'ashrata) - feminine

24, 34, 44, etc.:

• 24 = أربعة وعشرون (arba'a wa-'ishrūn)
• 34 = أربعة وثلاثون (arba'a wa-thalāthūn)
• 44 = أربعة وأربعون (arba'a wa-arba'ūn)
• 94 = أربعة وتسعون (arba'a wa-tis'ūn)

Regional Dialect Variations

Egyptian Arabic:

• Pronunciation: ar-BA-'a (clear 'ayn maintained)
• Often: "arba'a"

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

• Pronunciation: ar-BA-'a or arBA'
• Clear 'ayn sound preserved

Gulf Arabic (Saudi, Emirati, Kuwaiti):

• Pronunciation: ar-BA-'a
• Very close to MSA
• Strong 'ayn sound

Maghrebi Arabic (Moroccan, Algerian, Tunisian):

• Morocco: REB-'a or ar-b'a (different vowels)
• Algeria: REB-'a
• Tunisia: ar-b'a

Iraqi Arabic:

• Pronunciation: ar-BA-'a
• Maintains 'ayn clearly

Common Phrases with 4

أربع مرات (arba' marrāt): Four times

أربعة أيام (arba'at ayyām): Four days

الأربعاء (al-arbi'ā'): Wednesday (related to "four"/"fourth day")

كل أربعة (kull arba'a): Every four

رابع أربعة (rābi' arba'a): Fourth of four

الربع (ar-rub'): Quarter, one-fourth (from same root)

ثلاثة أرباع (thalāthat arbā'): Three quarters

Wednesday: A Special Connection

The word for Wednesday in Arabic is الأربعاء (al-arbi'ā'), which is related to the number four because:

• It's the fourth day of the week (Sunday being the first)
• The root ر-ب-ع connects it to "four"

"Rub'" - Quarter

From the same root ر-ب-ع comes الربع (ar-rub'), meaning "quarter" or "one-fourth":

• الساعة والربع (as-sā'a war-rub') = Quarter past the hour
• ربع ساعة (rub' sā'a) = Quarter hour (15 minutes)
• This is why "quarter past" uses the same root as "four"

Grammar Notes

Opposite gender rule (3-10):

• Masculine noun → use أربعة (arba'a) with ة
• Feminine noun → use أربع (arba') without ة

Pronunciation in context:

• أربعة alone: ar-BA-'a
• أربعة كتب: often pronounced ar-BA-'at (adding "t" sound before next word)

Related words from root ر-ب-ع:

• أربعة (arba'a) = four
• رابع (rābi') = fourth
• ربع (rub') = quarter
• أربعاء (arbi'ā') = Wednesday
• أربعون (arba'ūn) = forty

Writing Numbers

Eastern Arabic:

• Written as: ٤
• In a phone number: ٤٥٤٠ (4540)

In text:

• Numbers are written left-to-right
• So 44 in Eastern Arabic numerals: ٤٤ (read left to right: 4-4)

Quick Takeaways

• 4 in Arabic is أربعة (arba'a), pronounced "ar-BA-ah" with a pharyngeal 'ayn (ع)
• The Eastern Arabic numeral is ٤
• The 'ayn (ع) is a throat-constricted sound, one of the hardest for learners
• Stress is on the middle syllable: ar-BA-'a
• OPPOSITE gender rule: use أربعة with masculine nouns, أربع with feminine nouns
• Wednesday = الأربعاء (al-arbi'ā') relates to "four/fourth"
• "Quarter" (ربع) comes from the same root as "four"
• Comes from root ر-ب-ع
• The 'ayn sound is generally preserved across most Arabic dialects

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