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4th
الرابع (ar-rābiʿ) is an ordinal number meaning 'the fourth' in Arabic. It is used to indicate position or rank in a sequence and must agree in gender and definiteness with the noun it modifies. This word is commonly used in dates, addresses, rankings, and when ordering items sequentially.
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أسكن في الطابق الرابع من المبنى.
askunu fī aṭ-ṭābiq ar-rābiʿ min al-mabnā
I live on the fourth floor of the building.
محمد هو الطالب الرابع في ترتيب الفصل.
muḥammad huwa aṭ-ṭālib ar-rābiʿ fī tartīb al-faṣl
Muhammad is the fourth student in the class ranking.
ولدت في اليوم الرابع من شهر مايو.
wulidtu fī al-yawm ar-rābiʿ min shahr māyū
I was born on the fourth day of May.
هذا هو الكتاب الرابع الذي أقرأه هذا الشهر.
hādhā huwa al-kitāb ar-rābiʿ alladhī aqra'uhu hādhā ash-shahr
This is the fourth book I'm reading this month.
القرن الرابع الهجري كان عصراً ذهبياً للعلوم.
al-qarn ar-rābiʿ al-hijrī kāna ʿaṣran dhahabīyan lil-ʿulūm
The fourth Hijri century was a golden age for sciences.
In Arabic culture, ordinal numbers like الرابع are essential in Islamic calendar dates, particularly when referencing important historical events in Islamic history. The word shares its root with أربعاء (Wednesday), literally meaning 'the fourth day' when counting from Saturday as the first day of the week in traditional Arab reckoning. Ordinal numbers are also frequently used in formal Arabic addresses and building designations throughout the Arab world.
Remember that الرابع is masculine; use الرابعة (ar-rābiʿa) when modifying feminine nouns (e.g., الساعة الرابعة 'the fourth hour'). The definite article ال is always attached when used as an adjective. When counting items orally, Arabs might simply say 'four' (أربعة) in informal contexts, but formal writing and official contexts require the ordinal form الرابع.
The Arabic word الرابع (ar-rābiʿ) is the ordinal number meaning 'the fourth.' Unlike cardinal numbers that express quantity, ordinal numbers indicate position or rank in a sequence. This essential word appears frequently in Arabic when discussing dates, floors, rankings, and any context requiring sequential ordering.
The word الرابع consists of the definite article ال (al-) attached to رابع (rābiʿ), which derives from the root ر-ب-ع (r-b-ʿ) related to the number four. As an adjective, الرابع must agree in gender and definiteness with the noun it describes.
For masculine nouns, use الرابع (ar-rābiʿ), while feminine nouns require الرابعة (ar-rābiʿa). For example, 'the fourth book' is الكتاب الرابع (al-kitāb ar-rābiʿ), but 'the fourth hour' is الساعة الرابعة (as-sāʿa ar-rābiʿa). The definite article appears on both the noun and the ordinal adjective following standard Arabic grammar rules for definite attribution.
One of the most frequent uses of الرابع is in expressing dates. Arabs commonly say اليوم الرابع (al-yawm ar-rābiʿ) for 'the fourth day' of any month. When discussing months, الشهر الرابع (ash-shahr ar-rābiʿ) refers to April in the Gregorian calendar or Rabīʿ al-Thānī in the Islamic calendar.
Throughout the Arab world, الطابق الرابع (aṭ-ṭābiq ar-rābiʿ) meaning 'the fourth floor' is essential vocabulary for navigating buildings. Note that different Arab countries follow different floor-numbering conventions—some count the ground floor as the first, while others start counting from the floor above ground level.
In educational, sports, and competitive contexts, الرابع indicates fourth place or rank. A teacher might say a student is الرابع في الصف (ar-rābiʿ fī aṣ-ṣaff), meaning 'fourth in the class,' or an athlete might finish في المركز الرابع (fī al-markaz ar-rābiʿ), 'in fourth place.'
The root ر-ب-ع produces several related words beyond الرابع. The word ربع (rubʿ) means 'quarter' or 'one-fourth,' used in both mathematical and colloquial contexts. Interestingly, أربعاء (arbiʿā'), Wednesday, literally means 'the fourth day' in traditional Arab week-reckoning that begins with Saturday.
Historically, centuries are often referred to using ordinal numbers. القرن الرابع الهجري (al-qarn ar-rābiʿ al-hijrī), 'the fourth Hijri century,' corresponds to the 10th century CE and was a remarkable period in Islamic civilization for scientific and cultural advancement.
English speakers learning Arabic should practice الرابع alongside other ordinal numbers to develop fluency in sequential expressions. Remember that while English often uses abbreviations like '4th,' written Arabic typically spells out the full word. In informal spoken Arabic, speakers might substitute the cardinal number أربعة in casual counting, but formal contexts demand the ordinal الرابع.
When writing, always ensure proper gender agreement. Create flashcards pairing masculine and feminine nouns with الرابع and الرابعة respectively to internalize this grammatical pattern. Practice with real-world examples like building floors, calendar dates, and ranking systems to build confidence in using this essential ordinal number correctly.