Tarkib: Adadi

In Arabic grammar, Tarkib 'Adadi ) refers to a specific type of numerical compound where two numbers are joined together without a visible coordinating conjunction ( ), such as "and" (

Origins and Development

6. تطبيقات عملية وأمثلة

بلاغة ونحو: صياغة جمل تتطلب توافق العدد (مفرد، مثنى، جمع) مع المبتدأ والخبر.
الرياضيات: تحليل عدد طبيعي إلى عوامله الأولية — تركيبه وتفكيكه.
اقتصاد/سياسات: بناء مؤشر اقتصادي مركب من مؤشرات فرعية.
علوم الحاسوب: تمثيل عدد عشري كتعاقب بايتات (IEEE 754).

Activity: Give a child 7 beads. Ask them to separate them into two groups. Have them say the composition aloud: "7 is 4 and 3." Record all possible ways. This is pure tarkib adadi.

3. Grammatical Rules of Tarkib Adadi

3.1 Indeclinability (Al-Binā’)

All numbers from 11 to 19 are mabnī (fixed) on the fatḥa (فتحة) at the end of each component, except for number 12 which is built on fatḥa in the accusative and genitive cases but on alif in the nominative case (due to its dual origin). tarkib adadi

Numbers 20-99: These utilize a Tarkib Tamyizi. The Ma'dud appears as a singular noun in the accusative case (Mansub), serving as a "specification" (Tamyiz) for the number. Importance in Linguistic Analysis In Arabic grammar, Tarkib 'Adadi ) refers to

7. Common Errors

Using dual or plural for the maʿdūd: Incorrect: aḥada ʿashara kutubun (should be kitāban).
Declining the compound: Incorrect: aḥadi ʿashara (except in rare poetry).
Gender mismatch: Using aḥada ʿashrata with a masculine noun (wrong).
Forgetting 12’s declinability: Treating ithnā ʿashara like 13 in all cases (leads to ithnay ʿashari error – actually ithnay ʿashara is correct).

Masculine noun: thalāthata ʿashara (the tā’ marbūṭah appears on the first part, not second).
Feminine noun: thalātha ʿashrata (the tā’ moves to second part).
Actually the correct rule: Parts 1 and 2 differ in gender marking. For masculines, part1 has tā’ but part2 doesn't. This is a unique feature of Tarkib Adadi.

3.4 Exception: Number 12

Number 12 behaves like a dual declinable noun when it comes to case endings: Activity: Give a child 7 beads