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.
About This Number
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.
Usage Examples
خمسمائة كتاب (khamsu mi'a kitaab) — "500 books" — The number remains invariant and is followed by the accusative singular noun.
اشتريت خمسمائة دولار (ishtarayt khamsu mi'a dollar) — "I bought 500 dollars" — Used in commercial or monetary contexts.
في المدينة خمسمائة طالب (fee al-madinah khamsu mi'a talib) — "There are 500 students in the city" — Describes a quantity in a locative phrase.
خمسمائة سنة من الآن (khamsu mi'a sanah min al-aan) — "500 years from now" — Expresses a duration or temporal measurement.
يسكن هنا خمسمائة عائلة (yaskun hunaa khamsu mi'a a'ilah) — "500 families live here" — Denotes a population count.
الثمن خمسمائة ريال سعودي (al-thaman khamsu mi'a riyal suudi) — "The price is 500 Saudi Riyals" — Commonly used in pricing and financial transactions.
Grammar Notes
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.
Cultural Significance
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.
Fun Facts
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 Arabic Number 500: خمسمائة (Khamsu Mi'a)
### Overview and Writing
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.
### Pronunciation Guide
To pronounce خمسمائة correctly:
- **Khams** (خمس): Pronounced "KHUM" with the guttural kh sound, like the German "Bach"
- **Mi'a** (مائة): Pronounced "mi-AH" with the stress on the second syllable
- Combined: **KHUM-su MI-ah**
Practice the guttural 'kh' sound by placing it in the back of your throat. This is crucial for accurate Arabic pronunciation.
### Grammar Rules and Structure
#### Noun Agreement
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.
#### Noun Case Requirements
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:
- خمسمائة كتاب (500 books)
- خمسمائة امرأة (500 women)
- خمسمائة ريال (500 riyals)
This rule is consistent across all numbers from 100 onwards in Arabic.
#### Sentence Position and Case
While the numeral itself remains invariant, the entire phrase "خمسمائة + noun" must conform to the case requirements of the sentence in which it appears:
- **Nominative** (مرفوع): خمسمائة طالب هنا (500 students are here)
- **Accusative** (منصوب): رأيت خمسمائة طالب (I saw 500 students)
- **Genitive** (مجرور): بسبب خمسمائة طالب (because of 500 students)
### Usage Examples in Context
**Commercial and Monetary Contexts:**
- "السعر خمسمائة درهم" (The price is 500 dirhams)
- "استثمرت خمسمائة ألف دولار" (I invested 500 thousand dollars)
**Population and Statistics:**
- "في المدينة خمسمائة مدرسة" (There are 500 schools in the city)
- "يعمل خمسمائة موظف في الشركة" (500 employees work in the company)
**Temporal Expressions:**
- "منذ خمسمائة سنة" (500 years ago)
- "بعد خمسمائة يوم" (After 500 days)
### Etymology and Structure
The number 500 is constructed from two morphemes:
- **خمس** (khamsa/khams): The word for "five"
- **مائة** (mi'a): The word for "hundred"
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."
### Variations in Writing
In modern Arabic, you may encounter several variations:
- **خمسمائة** (one word - most common)
- **خمس مائة** (two words - traditional)
- **500** (Arabic numerals - used in contemporary writing)
All three representations are acceptable, though the single-word form is increasingly standard in modern Arabic texts and digital communication.
### Cultural and Practical Significance
The number 500 appears frequently in Arabic-speaking societies in:
- **Currency denominations**: 500 riyal, 500 dirham, 500 dinar
- **Official statistics**: Population counts, business reports
- **Islamic contexts**: Historical records, Quranic discussions, legal calculations
- **Everyday commerce**: Prices, quantities in markets, business transactions
### Related Numbers
To expand your understanding of hundreds in Arabic:
- 100 = مائة (mi'a)
- 200 = مائتان/مائتين (mi'atan/mi'atayn)
- 300 = ثلاثمائة (thalaathu mi'a)
- 400 = أربعمائة (arba'u mi'a)
- 500 = خمسمائة (khamsu mi'a)
- 600 = ستمائة (sittu mi'a)
- 700 = سبعمائة (saba'u mi'a)
- 800 = ثمانمائة (thamaanu mi'a)
- 900 = تسعمائة (tisa'u mi'a)
- 1000 = ألف (alf)
### Practice Tips
To master the use of 500 in Arabic:
1. Practice pronouncing the number with the correct guttural 'kh' sound
2. Create sentences using خمسمائة with different masculine and feminine nouns
3. Pay attention to the accusative singular form of the noun that follows
4. Observe how the phrase functions in different sentence cases
5. Listen to native speakers using this number in news broadcasts or podcasts
Regular practice with compound numbers like 500 will strengthen your overall understanding of Arabic numerals and their grammatical behavior.