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Ninety
تسعون (tisʿūn) is the Arabic cardinal number meaning 'ninety,' used to express the quantity 90 in both spoken and written Arabic. It is a masculine plural form that follows standard Arabic grammar rules for numbers and can be used in various contexts such as counting, measurements, and dates. Like other Arabic numbers, it can combine with other numerals and nouns following specific grammatical patterns.
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في الصف تسعون طالباً.
Fī al-ṣaff tisʿūn ṭāliban.
There are ninety students in the class.
والدي يبلغ من العمر تسعون سنة.
Wālidī yablugh min al-ʿumur tisʿūn sanah.
My father is ninety years old.
اشتريت تسعون كتاباً من المكتبة.
Ishtarayt tisʿūn kitāban min al-maktabah.
I bought ninety books from the library.
تسعون بالمئة من السكان يعيشون في المدن.
Tisʿūn bi-al-miʾah min al-sukkān yaʿīshūn fī al-mudun.
Ninety percent of the population lives in cities.
سافرت إلى الخارج لمدة تسعون يوماً.
Sāfart ilā al-khārij li-muddat tisʿūn yawman.
I traveled abroad for ninety days.
In Arabic-speaking cultures, numbers hold significant cultural and religious importance, particularly in Islamic contexts. The number ninety appears in Islamic tradition, such as in the ninety-nine names of Allah (Asmāʾ al-Ḥusná). Numbers in Arabic are used frequently in daily commerce, religious practices, and social contexts, making accurate number pronunciation and usage essential for effective communication.
When using تسعون with nouns, remember that Arabic numbers have specific grammatical rules: this number is typically followed by a singular noun in the accusative case (منصوب). Practice saying it naturally in different contexts, as fluency with numbers significantly improves conversational ability. Pay attention to the feminine form (تسعون also applies to feminine nouns in certain contexts), and note that compound numbers like 91-99 follow predictable patterns with تسعون as the base.
تسعون is the standard Arabic cardinal number representing ninety (90). It is an essential number to master for anyone learning Arabic, as numbers are fundamental to daily communication in Arabic-speaking countries. This particular number falls within the tens classification (العشرات al-ʿishrāt) and represents nine complete tens.
The word تسعون is classified as a masculine plural noun in Arabic grammar. When used with other nouns, it typically requires the noun to follow in the singular accusative case (منصوب). For example: "تسعون كتاباً" (ninety books) where the noun "كتاب" is in the accusative singular form. This grammatical pattern is consistent with numbers from 11-99 in Arabic.
تسعون is used in various practical contexts including:
Age and Time: When expressing someone's age or duration, you would say "تسعون سنة" (ninety years) or "تسعون يوماً" (ninety days).
Counting and Quantities: Use it to count objects: "تسعون تفاحة" (ninety apples) or "تسعون سيارة" (ninety cars).
Percentages and Statistics: In modern Arabic, especially in media and education, تسعون appears frequently in phrases like "تسعون في المائة" (ninety percent), which is essential for understanding news reports and academic content.
Historical and Religious Contexts: The number ninety holds cultural significance in Arabic and Islamic contexts, appearing in religious texts and traditional discussions.
Understanding تسعون helps with learning surrounding numbers:
When forming numbers between 91-99, تسعون serves as the base. These compound numbers follow Arabic's unique pattern of placing the ones before the tens:
This reverse order compared to English requires practice but becomes natural with repetition.
The pronunciation "tisʿūn" requires attention to the emphatic ع (ʿayn) sound, which has no exact English equivalent. Practice this by placing your tongue in the throat while pronouncing the "a" sound. The long ū at the end should be held longer than regular vowels.
In Islamic tradition, ninety is significant as part of the concept of the ninety-nine names of Allah (Asmāʾ al-Ḥusná). Numbers in Arabic culture are not merely mathematical tools but carry cultural and spiritual meaning, making them worthy of careful study and respect.
To master تسعون and related numbers:
Mastering this number and its grammatical usage significantly improves overall Arabic fluency and ability to understand real-world communication in Arabic-speaking contexts.