Number 6 in Arabic

ستة

Pronunciation

SIT-tah (for ستة, feminine form) - emphasis on first syllable, 'si' as in 'sit', double 't' sound, ending with short 'ah'. SITT (for ستّ, masculine form) - pronounced like 'sit' with a doubled 't' sound at the end, no vowel ending. The double 't' (shadda) should be held slightly longer than a single 't'. In the ordinal form: SAA-dis (سادس) rhymes with 'promise' but with an 'a' sound.

About This Number

The number 6 in Arabic is written as ستة (sitta for feminine) or ستّ (sitt for masculine). It belongs to the group of numbers 3-10 that show reverse gender agreement with the nouns they modify. This number is commonly used in daily counting, telling time, and various measurements throughout the Arabic-speaking world.

Usage Examples

ستة رجال (sittat rijāl) - six men (feminine form used with masculine plural noun)
ست نساء (sitt nisā') - six women (masculine form used with feminine plural noun)
الساعة السادسة (as-sā'ah as-sādisah) - six o'clock (using the ordinal form)
ستة أيام (sittat ayyām) - six days, as in the creation narrative
ستة وثلاثون (sittah wa thalāthūn) - thirty-six (when forming compound numbers)
الطابق السادس (at-tābiq as-sādis) - the sixth floor (ordinal form, masculine)

Grammar Notes

The number 6 exhibits reverse gender agreement (gender polarity), meaning it takes the opposite gender of the noun it modifies. When counting masculine nouns, use ستّ (sitt), and when counting feminine nouns, use ستة (sitta). The noun following numbers 3-10 must be in the plural genitive (majrūr) case. When 6 appears in the ones place of compound numbers (16, 26, etc.), it maintains this reverse gender agreement. The ordinal form is سادس (sādis) for masculine and سادسة (sādisah) for feminine, and these follow normal gender agreement rules (not reverse). In Modern Standard Arabic, the tā' marbūṭah (ة) in ستة is pronounced, but in many dialects it may be dropped.

Cultural Significance

The number six holds significant importance in Islamic tradition, most notably as the number of days in which Allah created the heavens and the earth according to the Qur'an (mentioned in multiple verses including 7:54, 10:3, and 11:7). The six articles of faith (arkān al-īmān) form the foundation of Islamic belief: belief in Allah, angels, revealed books, prophets, the Day of Judgment, and divine decree. In daily life, six appears frequently in the Islamic calendar and prayer times, making it a number Muslims encounter regularly in religious contexts.

Fun Facts

The root of ستة (sitta) in Arabic shares connections with Semitic languages, with similar forms appearing in Hebrew (shesh) and Aramaic, showing the ancient origins of this numeral. In Arabic numerology (known as abjad), the letter و (wāw) represents the number 6, and this system was historically used for mathematical calculations and dating manuscripts. Interestingly, the word ستين (sittīn) means sixty, following a regular pattern in Arabic where the tens are formed from the ones, making the Arabic number system relatively predictable once you learn the basics.

## Understanding the Arabic Number 6 (ستة - Sitta) The number six in Arabic, written as **ستة** (sitta) or **ستّ** (sitt), is one of the fundamental numbers you'll encounter frequently when learning Arabic. As part of the number group from 3 to 10, it follows special grammar rules that make Arabic numbers unique and sometimes challenging for English speakers. Understanding these rules is essential for proper Arabic communication. ## Pronunciation Guide for Sitta The feminine form **ستة** is pronounced "SIT-tah," with emphasis on the first syllable. The 'si' sounds like the English word 'sit,' followed by a doubled 't' sound (indicated by the shadda mark in Arabic), and ending with a short 'ah' sound. The masculine form **ستّ** is pronounced "SITT," similar to the English word 'sit' but with a lengthened 't' at the end and no vowel sound following. In spoken Arabic dialects, pronunciation may vary slightly. Many dialects drop the final 'ah' sound (tā' marbūṭah) in casual speech, making both forms sound similar. However, in formal Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), maintaining the distinction is important for grammatical accuracy. ## The Reverse Gender Agreement Rule One of the most distinctive features of Arabic numbers 3-10 is their reverse gender agreement, and six follows this pattern precisely. This means the number takes the opposite gender of the noun it modifies—a concept that doesn't exist in English and often confuses learners. When counting **masculine** nouns, you use **ستّ** (sitt), the masculine form without the tā' marbūṭah. For example: ستّ رجال (sitt rijāl) means 'six men.' Conversely, when counting **feminine** nouns, you use **ستة** (sitta), the feminine form with the tā' marbūṭah. For example: ستة كتب (sittat kutub) means 'six books' (books being feminine in Arabic). ## Grammar Rules and Noun Case Beyond gender agreement, the noun following the number six must appear in specific forms. The counted noun must be: 1. **Plural** in form (not dual or singular) 2. **Indefinite** (without the definite article ال) 3. In the **genitive case** (majrūr), which affects the word's ending For example, "six days" is expressed as **ستة أيام** (sittat ayyām), where أيام is the plural genitive form of يوم (day). This construction creates what Arabic grammar calls an iḍāfah (construct state) relationship between the number and the noun. ## Using Six in Compound Numbers When six appears in compound numbers like 16, 26, or 36, it maintains the reverse gender agreement. In the number 16 (ستة عشر - sittat 'ashar for feminine / ستّ عشر - sitt 'ashar for masculine), both parts of the compound must agree with the counted noun's gender. For example, "sixteen girls" would be ستّ عشرة بنتاً (sitt 'ashrata bintan), using the masculine form of six with a feminine noun. ## Ordinal Form: Sixth The ordinal form of six—meaning 'sixth'—is **سادس** (sādis) for masculine and **سادسة** (sādisah) for feminine. Unlike the cardinal number, ordinal numbers follow **normal** gender agreement (not reversed). So "the sixth day" is اليوم السادس (al-yawm as-sādis), using the masculine form because day is masculine. This is commonly heard when telling time: الساعة السادسة (as-sā'ah as-sādisah) means 'six o'clock,' literally 'the sixth hour.' ## Cultural and Religious Significance The number six carries profound significance in Islamic tradition. Most importantly, the Qur'an mentions that Allah created the heavens and the earth in six days (ayyām), a concept referenced in multiple verses including Surah Al-A'raf (7:54). This doesn't refer to 24-hour periods but rather to stages or epochs of creation. Additionally, the six articles of faith (أركان الإيمان - arkān al-īmān) form the core beliefs in Islam: faith in Allah, His angels, His revealed books, His messengers, the Day of Judgment, and divine decree (qadar). Every Muslim learns these six fundamental principles, making the number deeply embedded in Islamic education and consciousness. ## Practical Daily Usage In everyday Arabic communication, you'll encounter six in numerous contexts: - Telling time: الساعة السادسة والنصف (as-sā'ah as-sādisah wa-n-niṣf) - half past six - Shopping: ستة دنانير (sittat danānīr) - six dinars - Dates: في اليوم السادس من مايو (fī al-yawm as-sādis min māyū) - on the sixth of May - Addresses: الطابق السادس (aṭ-ṭābiq as-sādis) - the sixth floor - Age: ست سنوات (sitt sanawāt) - six years ## Tips for Mastering Sitta To effectively learn and use the number six in Arabic, practice with common nouns of both genders. Create flashcards with masculine nouns (like رجل - man, كتاب - book, بيت - house) and feminine nouns (like امرأة - woman, سيارة - car, مدرسة - school), then practice saying 'six' of each item. Pay attention to which form you're using and why. Remember that while the reverse gender agreement seems counterintuitive at first, it becomes natural with practice. Think of it as a special marker that Arabic uses specifically for the numbers 3-10 to distinguish them grammatically from other number groups. With consistent practice and exposure to authentic Arabic texts and conversations, using ستة correctly will become second nature.