Master Hebrew Numbers
Hebrew traditionally represents numbers using letters of its alphabet — aleph (א) for 1, bet (ב) for 2, and so on through the hundreds. This system, dating back to at least 78 BCE, gave rise to gematria, the practice of finding meaning in the numerical values of words. Hebrew numbers also have masculine and feminine forms that must agree with the noun being counted.
Watch the videos below, then download the Foreign Numbers app and practice what you've learned!
Hebrew Phone Numbers
How phone numbers work in Israel & how locals say them
| Numeral | Cardinal |
|---|---|
| 0 | אֶפֶס (efes) |
| 1 | אֶחָד (ekhad) |
| 2 | שְׁנַיִם (shnayim) |
| 3 | שְׁלוֹשָׁה (shlosha) |
| 4 | אַרְבָּעָה (arba'a) |
| 5 | חֲמִשָּׁה (khamisha) |
| 6 | שִׁשָּׁה (shisha) |
| 7 | שִׁבְעָה (shiv'a) |
| 8 | שְׁמוֹנָה (shmona) |
| 9 | תִּשְׁעָה (tish'a) |
| 10 | עֲשָׂרָה (asara) |
| 11 | אַחַד עָשָׂר (akhad asar) |
| 12 | שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר (shneim asar) |
| 13 | שְׁלוֹשָׁה עָשָׂר (shlosha asar) |
| 14 | אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר (arba'a asar) |
| 15 | חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר (khamisha asar) |
| 16 | שִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר (shisha asar) |
| 17 | שִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר (shiv'a asar) |
| 18 | שְׁמוֹנָה עָשָׂר (shmona asar) |
| 19 | תִּשְׁעָה עָשָׂר (tish'a asar) |
| 20 | עֶשְׂרִים (esrim) |
| 30 | שְׁלוֹשִׁים (shloshim) |
| 40 | אַרְבָּעִים (arba'im) |
| 50 | חֲמִשִּׁים (khamishim) |
| 60 | שִׁשִּׁים (shishim) |
| 70 | שִׁבְעִים (shiv'im) |
| 80 | שְׁמוֹנִים (shmonim) |
| 90 | תִּשְׁעִים (tish'im) |
| 100 | מֵאָה (me'a) |
| 1000 | אֶלֶף (elef) |
| 1000000 | מִילְיוֹן (milyon) |
Number data and information courtesy of Omniglot.
What Makes Hebrew Numbers Challenging
Hebrew numbers have masculine and feminine forms that must agree with the noun being counted — and counterintuitively, masculine nouns take feminine-looking number forms and vice versa. The right-to-left script means numbers (which are still left-to-right) create a visual direction switch in written text. The guttural sounds (kh, ayin) in several number words are difficult for English speakers. The traditional letter-based number system still appears on calendars, religious texts, and in formal contexts.
Tips for Learning Hebrew Numbers
Start with the feminine forms of digits 1-10 — these are the standard forms used for phone numbers and general counting. Practice reading numbers embedded in Hebrew text to get comfortable with the direction switch. Focus on the guttural sounds early, especially the 'kh' in khamesh (5). Modern Hebrew uses Arabic numerals for most purposes, so visual recognition is easy — the challenge is purely in speaking and listening.
Practice Hebrew Numbers
Reading about numbers is one thing — understanding them spoken at natural speed is another. Test your Hebrew number skills with our free listening game.
Play the Number Game