Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| رقم | raqm | /raqm/ /ra.qam/ (Egyptian) |
Moroccan Arabic |
| عَدَد | ʕadad | masculine | |
| نمرة | nimra | Egyptian Arabic, feminine | |
| رقِم | ragim | Hijazi Arabic, masculine | |
| رقَم | ragam | Hijazi Arabic, masculine |
Arabic uses different words for 'number' depending on whether you are referring to a specific identifier or a mathematical quantity. Use رقم for specific numerical labels such as phone numbers, ID numbers or digits. Use عَدَد when you are referring to a quantity or an amount, such as 'the number of students'.
Which one should you use?
In Modern Standard Arabic, there is a distinction between رقم (used for digits, phone numbers or ID numbers) and عَدَد (used for quantity or amount).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Egyptian Arabic, the colloquial term نمرة is commonly used to refer to a number, such as a phone number or a bus number. In Hijazi Arabic, you may encounter the forms رقِم or رقَم. In Moroccan Arabic, the form رقم is used.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To express possession, such as 'my number', you add the suffix '-i' to the end of the word to form رقمي.
How do you pronounce it?
raqm
Did you know?
- The word نمرة in some Arabic dialects can also mean a 'trick' or a 'stunt', as if someone is performing a numbered act in a circus.
- The Arabic word رقم shares the same root as the word for 'drawing' or 'writing'. In early Arabic, a 'number' was viewed as a mark or a sign drawn on a surface.
- The word نمرة is actually a loanword from the Italian 'numero', which entered many Arabic dialects through Mediterranean trade and contact.
Examples in context
- ما هو رقم أوليغ؟What’s Oleg’s number?This sentence is useful for asking for someone's specific telephone or identification number.Tatoeba #11978871 by dididodo, translation #11850693 by Amastan
- هل سألته عن رقمه؟Did you ask him his number?This sentence is useful for asking about a specific number belonging to someone.Tatoeba #6131024 by OsoHombre, translation #5826168 by OsoHombre
- ما هو رقم الطوارئ؟What is the emergency telephone number?This sentence is useful for inquiring about a specific emergency telephone number.Tatoeba #1569097 by Amastan, translation #18790 by Swift
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ziad is asking Sarah for her phone number.
- زياد Ziadسارة، عطيني رقم ديالك عافاك.Sara, atini raqm dyalk afak.Sara, give me your number please.
- سارة Saraواخا، شوفي في التلفون.Wakha, shoufi fi t-tilifoun.Okay, look at the phone.
- زياد Ziadهاد الرقم ناقص واحد.Had raqm naqes wahed.This number is missing one.
- سارة Saraسمحي لي، غلطت في الرقم.Smhi li, ghlatt fi raqm.Sorry, I got the number wrong.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “number” translations and entries رقم, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
