Loading...
خمسمائة
kham-su mi-ah. Break it into two parts: 'KHUM' (rhymes with 'room' but with a guttural 'kh' sound like in 'Bach') + 'su' (like 'soo'), then 'mi-AH' (stress the second syllable, 'ah' rhymes with 'bah'). Full phrase sounds like: KHUM-su MI-ah. The emphasis falls on the first syllable of خمس and the second syllable of مائة.
خمسمائة (khamsu mi'a) is the Arabic numeral for 500, composed of the word خمس (five) and مائة (hundred). It is a cardinal number used to denote quantities of 500 items or a value of 500 in various contexts, and it follows specific grammatical rules when paired with nouns.
Worksheets, games, and lesson plans for Years 1-11 — completely free
The number 500 (خمسمائة) is grammatically invariant and does not change according to the gender of the noun it modifies, unlike numbers 3-10 which exhibit gender agreement. When خمسمائة is followed by a noun, that noun must be in the accusative singular form (منصوب مفرد), not the plural. The entire phrase خمسمائة كتاب functions as a single numerical unit, with the numeral governing the case of the following noun. Additionally, خمسمائة can be written as two words (خمس مائة) or as one word (خمسمائة), though the single-word form is more common in modern Arabic. When used in sentences with verbs, خمسمائة typically appears in the position immediately before or after the noun it quantifies, and it agrees with the case requirements of the sentence (nominative, accusative, or genitive) while maintaining its invariant form.
The number 500 holds particular significance in Islamic tradition and Arabic history, as it appears in various Quranic contexts and historical records. In Islamic law and practice, numbers around 500 often appear in discussions of zakat (charitable giving), inheritance divisions, and other legal matters requiring precise calculations. The number also appears frequently in Middle Eastern and Islamic historical texts, such as accounts of battles, pilgrimages, and trade routes spanning centuries.
The word خمسمائة is composed of خمس (five) and مائة (hundred), reflecting the logical structure of Arabic numerals where compound numbers are built from smaller units. In classical Arabic mathematics and astronomy, 500 was a significant number used in calculations and measurements, particularly in the astronomical tables used by medieval Arab scholars. Today, 500 appears frequently in modern contexts such as currency denominations (500 dirham, 500 riyal), social media metrics, and official statistics across Arabic-speaking nations.
The number 500 in Arabic is written as خمسمائة (khamsu mi'a) or sometimes as two separate words: خمس مائة. This cardinal number is one of the hundred-based numerals in Arabic and follows specific grammatical patterns that differ significantly from English.
To pronounce خمسمائة correctly:
Practice the guttural 'kh' sound by placing it in the back of your throat. This is crucial for accurate Arabic pronunciation.
Unlike smaller cardinal numbers in Arabic (3-10), which require gender agreement with nouns, the number 500 is grammatically invariant. This means it does not change form based on whether the noun is masculine or feminine. Whether you're counting books (كتب - masculine plural) or tables (طاولات - feminine plural), the number remains خمسمائة.
The noun following خمسمائة must always be in the accusative singular form (المنصوب المفرد), regardless of the number's position in the sentence. Examples include:
This rule is consistent across all numbers from 100 onwards in Arabic.
While the numeral itself remains invariant, the entire phrase "خمسمائة + noun" must conform to the case requirements of the sentence in which it appears:
Commercial and Monetary Contexts:
Population and Statistics:
Temporal Expressions:
The number 500 is constructed from two morphemes:
This compositional structure is typical of Arabic numerals in the hundreds range (200-900), where each number is formed by combining its corresponding unit digit (2-9) with مائة (hundred). The combination خمس + مائة logically represents "five hundreds."
In modern Arabic, you may encounter several variations:
All three representations are acceptable, though the single-word form is increasingly standard in modern Arabic texts and digital communication.
The number 500 appears frequently in Arabic-speaking societies in:
To expand your understanding of hundreds in Arabic:
To master the use of 500 in Arabic:
Regular practice with compound numbers like 500 will strengthen your overall understanding of Arabic numerals and their grammatical behavior.