6 in Arabic = ستة (sitta)

The number 6 in Arabic is pronounced "SIT-ta" (with a doubled "t" sound and stress on the first syllable), written in Arabic script as "ستة", romanized as "sitta".

Quick Answer

Pronunciation

Sitta (ستة) has two syllables: sit-ta

Step by step:

1. "Sit" - Say "SIT" (like the English word "sit")
2. "ta" - Say "ta" with emphasis
3. The "t" is doubled/geminated—hold it slightly longer
4. Put stress on the first syllable: SIT-ta

The doubled "t":

• The ت appears twice in effect (doubled consonant)
• Hold the "t" position slightly longer before releasing into "ta"
• It's like saying "sit-ta" with a tiny pause at the "t"
• NOT "si-ta" (single t) but "sit-ta" (doubled)

Common mistakes:

• Pronouncing it as "SEE-ta" instead of "SIT-ta"—use short "i"
• Not doubling the "t"—it should be geminated/held longer
• Stressing the second syllable—it should be SIT-ta, not sit-TA

Regional pronunciation differences:

• Modern Standard Arabic (MSA): SIT-ta (doubled t)
• Egyptian: SIT-ta (maintains doubled t)
• Levantine (Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan): SIT-te or SIT-teh
• Gulf Arabic: SIT-ta
• Maghrebi: SET-ta or SIT-ta

The Word "Sitta" (ستة)

Arabic script: ستة

• Written right to left
• Three letters: س (sīn) + ت (tā') + ة (tā' marbūṭa)
• Ends with ة (ta marbuta)
• The ت is doubled (geminated) in pronunciation

Origin: From the Arabic root س-ت-ت (s-t-t) relating to "six"

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

• With masculine nouns: use ستة (sitta) - with ة ending
• With feminine nouns: use ست (sitt) - without ة ending

Examples:

• Six books (masculine): ستة كتب (sittat kutub)
• Six houses (feminine): ست دور (sitt dur)

Eastern Arabic Numeral

In Arabic script, the numeral for 6 is: ٦

Important note: The Eastern Arabic 6 looks like a reversed "7":

• Eastern Arabic: ٦ (looks like an upside-down V or reversed 7)
• Western/European: 6

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، ستة... (wāḥid, ithnān, thalātha, arba'a, khamsa, sitta...)

Phone numbers: Each digit is pronounced separately:

• 6 = ستة (sitta)
• Example: 656 = ستة-خمسة-ستة (sitta-khamsa-sitta)

Prices:

• 6 riyals = ستة ريالات (sittat riyālāt)
• 6 dinars = ستة دنانير (sittat danānīr)

Times:

• 6:00 = الساعة السادسة (as-sā'a as-sādisa) - uses ordinal "sixth"
• 6:15 = الساعة السادسة والربع
• 6:30 = الساعة السادسة والنصف

Dates:

• The 6th = السادس (as-sādis) - uses ordinal form
• June 6th = السادس من يونيو (as-sādis min yūnyū)

Ages:

• 6 years old = ست سنوات (sitt sanawāt) - "years" is feminine

Addresses:

• Room 6 = غرفة رقم ستة (ghurfa raqm sitta)
• Floor 6 = الطابق السادس (aṭ-ṭābiq as-sādis)

Compound Numbers with 6

16:

• 16 = ستة عشر (sittata 'ashar) - masculine / ست عشرة (sitta 'ashrata) - feminine

26, 36, 46, etc.:

• 26 = ستة وعشرون (sitta wa-'ishrūn)
• 36 = ستة وثلاثون (sitta wa-thalāthūn)
• 46 = ستة وأربعون (sitta wa-arba'ūn)
• 56 = ستة وخمسون (sitta wa-khamsūn)
• 66 = ستة وستون (sitta wa-sittūn)
• 96 = ستة وتسعون (sitta wa-tis'ūn)

Regional Dialect Variations

Egyptian Arabic:

• Pronunciation: SIT-ta (maintains doubled t)
• Often: "sitta"

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

• Pronunciation: SIT-te or SIT-teh
• Final vowel may change slightly
• Doubled t maintained

Gulf Arabic (Saudi, Emirati, Kuwaiti):

• Pronunciation: SIT-ta
• Very close to MSA

Maghrebi Arabic (Moroccan, Algerian, Tunisian):

• Morocco: SET-ta or SIT-ta
• Algeria: SIT-ta
• Tunisia: SIT-ta

Iraqi Arabic:

• Pronunciation: SIT-ta

Common Phrases with 6

ست مرات (sitt marrāt): Six times

ستة أيام (sittat ayyām): Six days

السبت (as-sabt): Saturday (related to "six"/"sixth day" and also to "Sabbath")

كل ستة (kull sitta): Every six

سادس ستة (sādis sitta): Sixth of six

ستون (sittūn): Sixty

Saturday: A Special Connection

The word for Saturday in Arabic is السبت (as-sabt), which is related to both the number six/seventh and the concept of "Sabbath":

• It's the sixth or seventh day depending on counting system
• The word also relates to the Hebrew Sabbath (Shabbat)
• The root س-ب-ت connects to rest/ceasing

Grammar Notes

Opposite gender rule (3-10):

• Masculine noun → use ستة (sitta) with ة
• Feminine noun → use ست (sitt) without ة

Gemination (doubling):

• The "t" in sitta is geminated
• This means it's held longer than a single consonant
• Represented by shadda (ّ) in fully vocalized text: سِتَّة

Pronunciation in context:

• ستة alone: SIT-ta
• ستة كتب: often pronounced SIT-tat (adding final "t" sound)

Related words from root س-ت-ت:

• ستة (sitta) = six
• سادس (sādis) = sixth
• ستون (sittūn) = sixty

Writing Numbers

Eastern Arabic:

• Written as: ٦
• In a phone number: ٦٥٦٠ (6560)

In text:

• Numbers are written left-to-right
• So 66 in Eastern Arabic numerals: ٦٦ (read left to right: 6-6)

Quick Takeaways

• 6 in Arabic is ستة (sitta), pronounced "SIT-ta" with a doubled "t"
• The Eastern Arabic numeral is ٦
• The "t" is geminated—hold it slightly longer
• Stress is on the first syllable: SIT-ta
• OPPOSITE gender rule: use ستة with masculine nouns, ست with feminine nouns
• Saturday = السبت (as-sabt) relates to Sabbath and six/seventh
• Comes from root س-ت-ت
• The doubled "t" is maintained across most Arabic dialects

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