ארבעה

Hebrew

Hebrew numbers (edit)
40
 ←  3 ד׳‎
4
5  → 
    Cardinal: ארבעה ('arba'á)
    Ordinal: רביעי‎ (r'vi'í)

Etymology

Root
ר־ב־ע‎ (r-b-ʿ)

From Proto-Semitic *ʔarbaʕatum.

Pronunciation

Numeral

אַרְבָּעָה • ('arba'á) m (construct אַרְבַּעַת‎ ('arbá'at), feminine אַרְבַּע‎ ('arbá'))

  1. four

Usage notes

  • In Modern Hebrew, when the numbers three through ten modify a definite masculine noun and are directly preceding it, the construct form is used:
    ‏אַרְבָּעָה סְפָרִים‎ ― 'arba'á s'farím ― four books
    ‏אַרְבַּעַת הַסְּפָרִים‎ ― 'arbá'at has'farím ― the four books
  • The construct form is not used for higher numbers ending in four, such as twenty-four:
    ‏עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה הַסְּפָרִים‎ ― 'esrím v'arba'á has'farím ― the twenty-four books
  • In colloquial Modern Hebrew, the form אַרְבַּע‎ ('árba') is often used regardless of gender.

Coordinate terms

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