Arabic Math Vocabulary: Addition, Subtraction, and More

Introduction to Arabic Math Vocabulary

Whether you're a student studying in an Arabic-speaking country, a professional working with Arabic colleagues, or simply a language learner who wants to go beyond basic conversation, knowing your Arabic math vocabulary is an incredibly practical skill. Mathematics is a universal language — but the words we use to describe it are not.

Arabic has a rich mathematical heritage. The word algebra itself comes from the Arabic الجبر (al-jabr), and Arabic scholars like Al-Khwarizmi laid the foundations of modern mathematics during the Golden Age of Islam. When you learn math in Arabic, you're connecting with one of history's most influential intellectual traditions.

In this guide, we'll walk through all the essential Arabic math terms you need — from basic arithmetic to more advanced concepts — with pronunciation guides, example sentences, and memory tips. Before diving in, make sure you're comfortable with Arabic numbers 1–100, as numbers and math vocabulary go hand in hand.

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Core Arabic Math Terms: The Big Four Operations

Let's start with the four fundamental arithmetic operations. These are the backbone of all Arabic arithmetic and the terms you'll encounter most often.

Addition — الجمع (al-Jam')

• Arabic: الجمع
• Transliteration: al-Jam'
• Literal meaning: "the gathering" or "the collecting"
• Symbol: +
• Verb (to add): يجمع (yajma')

Example:

ثلاثة زائد اثنان يساوي خمسة Thalātha zā'id ithnān yusāwī khamsa Three plus two equals five.

The word زائد (zā'id) means "plus" or "added to" and is the connector you'll use in equations.

Subtraction — الطرح (al-Tarh)

• Arabic: الطرح
• Transliteration: al-Tarh
• Literal meaning: "the throwing away"
• Symbol: −
• Verb (to subtract): يطرح (yatrah)

Example:

عشرة ناقص أربعة يساوي ستة 'Ashara nāqis arba'a yusāwī sitta Ten minus four equals six.

ناقص (nāqis) means "minus" or "lacking" — a very intuitive word once you know its root meaning.

Multiplication — الضرب (al-Darb)

• Arabic: الضرب
• Transliteration: al-Darb
• Literal meaning: "the striking" or "the hitting"
• Symbol: ×
• Verb (to multiply): يضرب (yadrib)

Example:

خمسة مضروب في ستة يساوي ثلاثون Khamsa madrūb fī sitta yusāwī thalāthūn Five multiplied by six equals thirty.

You'll also hear في (fī, meaning "in") used to connect numbers in multiplication, similar to "times" in English.

Division — القسمة (al-Qisma)

• Arabic: القسمة
• Transliteration: al-Qisma
• Literal meaning: "the division" or "the share"
• Symbol: ÷
• Verb (to divide): يقسم (yaqsim)

Example:

عشرون مقسوم على أربعة يساوي خمسة 'Ishrūn maqsūm 'alā arba'a yusāwī khamsa Twenty divided by four equals five.

مقسوم على (maqsūm 'alā) — "divided by" — literally means "shared upon."

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Essential Connector Words in Arabic Math

Beyond the operation names themselves, you need a handful of critical connector words to actually express math problems out loud or in writing.

English	Arabic	Transliteration
Equals / is equal to	يساوي	yusāwī
Plus	زائد	zā'id
Minus	ناقص	nāqis
Times / multiplied by	مضروب في	madrūb fī
Divided by	مقسوم على	maqsūm 'alā
Greater than	أكبر من	akbar min
Less than	أصغر من	asghar min
Equal to	مساوٍ لـ	musāwin li-
Not equal to	لا يساوي	lā yusāwī
Approximately	تقريباً	taqrīban

These connector words are the glue of Arabic mathematical expression. Notice how يساوي (yusāwī) comes from the root س-و-ي (s-w-y), meaning equality or levelness — a beautiful linguistic detail. Learning Arabic root systems can help you remember vocabulary like this much more easily.

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Numbers and Place Value Vocabulary

To use math in Arabic effectively, you also need vocabulary around numbers themselves. Visit our Arabic numbers reference page for a full listing, but here are the key terms:

English	Arabic	Transliteration
Number	عدد	'adad
Digit	رقم	raqm
Ones place	مرتبة الآحاد	martabat al-āhād
Tens place	مرتبة العشرات	martabat al-'asharāt
Hundreds	مئات	mi'āt
Thousands	آلاف	ālāf
Million	مليون	milyūn
Billion	مليار	milyār
Odd number	عدد فردي	'adad fardī
Even number	عدد زوجي	'adad zawjī
Positive number	عدد موجب	'adad mūjab
Negative number	عدد سالب	'adad sālib
Zero	صفر	sifr

Note that صفر (sifr) — the Arabic word for zero — is the origin of the English word cipher and the French zéro. Arabic speakers gave the world the concept of zero as we use it today!

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Fractions, Decimals, and Percentages

Once you move beyond whole numbers, here's the vocabulary you'll need:

Fractions — الكسور (al-Kusūr)

English	Arabic	Transliteration
Fraction	كسر	kasr
Numerator	بسط	bast
Denominator	مقام	maqām
Half	نصف	nisf
Quarter	ربع	rub'
Third	ثلث	thulth
Three-quarters	ثلاثة أرباع	thalāthat arbā'

Example:

نصف زائد ربع يساوي ثلاثة أرباع Nisf zā'id rub' yusāwī thalāthat arbā' One half plus one quarter equals three quarters.

Decimals — الأعداد العشرية

The decimal point in Arabic is called الفاصلة العشرية (al-fāsila al-'ashariyya). When reading decimals aloud, Arabic speakers say فاصلة (fāsila) where English speakers say "point."

Example:

ثلاثة فاصلة خمسة Thalātha fāsila khamsa 3.5

Percentages — النسبة المئوية

• Percent: بالمئة (bil-mi'a) — literally "in the hundred"
• Example: خمسون بالمئة (khamsūn bil-mi'a) = 50%

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Geometry and Shapes Vocabulary

For those studying more advanced Arabic math terms, geometry is essential:

English	Arabic	Transliteration
Geometry	الهندسة	al-handasa
Shape	شكل	shakl
Circle	دائرة	dā'ira
Square	مربع	murabba'
Rectangle	مستطيل	mustatīl
Triangle	مثلث	muthallath
Angle	زاوية	zāwiya
Right angle	زاوية قائمة	zāwiya qā'ima
Perimeter	محيط	muhīt
Area	مساحة	masāha
Volume	حجم	hajm
Diameter	قطر	qutr
Radius	نصف القطر	nisf al-qutr

Interestingly, هندسة (handasa) — the Arabic word for geometry and engineering — is believed by some scholars to come from an ancient word meaning "measurement of the earth."

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Algebra and Advanced Math Terms

For students and professionals needing higher-level Arabic math vocabulary:

English	Arabic	Transliteration
Algebra	الجبر	al-jabr
Equation	معادلة	mu'ādala
Variable	متغير	mutaghayyir
Constant	ثابت	thābit
Coefficient	معامل	mu'āmil
Square root	جذر تربيعي	jithr tarbī'ī
Power / exponent	أس	uss
Function	دالة	dālla
Graph	رسم بياني	rasm bayānī
Average / mean	متوسط	mutawassit
Probability	احتمال	ihtimāl
Statistics	إحصاء	ihsā'

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Useful Math Phrases in Arabic

Here are some full sentences and phrases you'll encounter in Arabic math classrooms or textbooks:

• ما هو الحل؟ (Mā huwa al-hall?) — What is the solution?
• احسب الناتج (Ihsub al-nātij) — Calculate the result.
• بسّط الكسر (Bassit al-kasr) — Simplify the fraction.
• ارسم الشكل (Ursm al-shakl) — Draw the shape.
• حل المعادلة (Hall al-mu'ādala) — Solve the equation.
• الناتج يساوي... (Al-nātij yusāwī...) — The result equals...
• أثبت أن... (Athbit anna...) — Prove that...

These phrases are especially useful if you're sitting in on Arabic math classes or reading Arabic-language textbooks and workbooks.

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Tips for Memorizing Arabic Math Vocabulary

Learning vocabulary in any language is easier when you use smart strategies. Here are some approaches that work especially well for Arabic arithmetic and math terms:

1. Use flashcards with Arabic script — Always learn the Arabic script alongside the transliteration. Check our Arabic alphabet guide if you need to brush up on reading.

2. Practice with real equations — Don't just memorize words in isolation. Write out simple math problems in Arabic and say them aloud: ٢ + ٣ = ٥ → ithnān zā'id thalātha yusāwī khamsa.

3. Connect roots to meanings — As we saw, words like الطرح (throwing away = subtraction) and الجمع (gathering = addition) have logical meanings. Understanding the Arabic root system makes these connections clear.

4. Watch Arabic math videos — YouTube has countless Arabic math tutorials for all levels. Listening to native speakers use these terms in context is invaluable.

5. Label your workspace — Post sticky notes with Arabic math terms around your study area. Visual reminders accelerate vocabulary retention.

6. Use Arabic numerals — Arabic-speaking countries use both Eastern Arabic numerals (٠١٢٣٤٥٦٧٨٩) and Western Arabic numerals (0123456789). Familiarize yourself with both by visiting our numbers page.

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Conclusion

Arabic math vocabulary opens doors in academic, professional, and everyday contexts across the Arabic-speaking world. From the foundational operations — الجمع، الطرح، الضرب، القسمة — to fractions, geometry, and algebra, the terminology is logical, rooted in meaningful Arabic words, and deeply connected to the history of mathematics itself.

Remember, Arabic gave the world algebra, the algorithm, and the very concept of zero. When you learn to say يساوي or الجبر, you're participating in a tradition of mathematical thought that spans over a thousand years.

Want to keep building your Arabic vocabulary? Explore our Arabic vocabulary categories for topic-based word lists, or check out our guide to 100 most common Arabic words to strengthen your foundation. And if you're just getting started with the language overall, how to learn Arabic fast has proven strategies to accelerate your progress.

بالتوفيق! (Bil-tawfīq!) — Good luck!