Numbers are one of the first things you’ll need when learning Hebrew, whether you’re ordering coffee, haggling at a market, or just telling the time. Here’s a straightforward guide to Hebrew numbers 1-20, complete with pronunciation tips to help you sound more natural.
Hebrew Numbers 1-10
| Number | Hebrew | Pronunciation (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | אֶחָד (echad) | /eˈχad/ |
| 2 | שְׁנַיִם (shnayim) | /ʃnaˈjim/ |
| 3 | שְׁלוֹשָׁה (shlosha) | /ʃloˈʃa/ |
| 4 | אַרְבָּעָה (arba’a) | /aʁˈba.a/ |
| 5 | חֲמִשָּׁה (chamisha) | /χaˈmi.ʃa/ |
| 6 | שִׁשָּׁה (shisha) | /ʃiˈʃa/ |
| 7 | שִׁבְעָה (shiv’a) | /ʃivˈa/ |
| 8 | שְׁמוֹנָה (shmona) | /ʃmoˈna/ |
| 9 | תִּשְׁעָה (tish’a) | /tiʃˈa/ |
| 10 | עֲשָׂרָה (asara) | /aˈsa.ʁa/ |
Note: The feminine forms of these numbers (used when counting feminine nouns) end in '-ת' (e.g., 'אַחַת' for 'one').
Hebrew Numbers 11-20
Numbers 11-19 in Hebrew follow a pattern: they combine the word for 10 (עֶשֶׂר, 'eser') with the unit number. For example, 11 is 'אחד עשר' (echad eser) - literally 'one ten'. From 20 onwards, the structure changes slightly.
| Number | Hebrew | Pronunciation (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | אַחַד עָשָׂר (achad asar) | /aˈχad aˈsar/ |
| 12 | שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר (shneyim asar) | /ʃneˈjim aˈsar/ |
| 13 | שְׁלוֹשָׁה עָשָׂר (shlosha asar) | /ʃloˈʃa aˈsar/ |
| 14 | אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר (arba’a asar) | /aʁˈba.a aˈsar/ |
| 15 | חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר (chamisha asar) | /χaˈmi.ʃa aˈsar/ |
| 16 | שִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר (shisha asar) | /ʃiˈʃa aˈsar/ |
| 17 | שִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר (shiv’a asar) | /ʃivˈa aˈsar/ |
| 18 | שְׁמוֹנָה עָשָׂר (shmona asar) | /ʃmoˈna aˈsar/ |
| 19 | תִּשְׁעָה עָשָׂר (tish’a asar) | /tiʃˈa aˈsar/ |
| 20 | עֶשְׂרִים (esrim) | /esˈʁim/ |
Pronunciation Tips
- The Hebrew 'ר' (resh) is pronounced as a guttural 'r', similar to the French 'r'.
- The 'ח' (chet) and 'כ' (chaf) sounds don’t exist in English. They’re like a harsh 'h', produced from the back of the throat.
- Stress usually falls on the last syllable in Hebrew words, unless marked otherwise (e.g., 'אֶחָד' is stressed on the second syllable).
- For numbers 11-19, the stress shifts to the second word ('עָשָׂר').
עֶשְׂרִים
/esˈʁim/“Twenty”
The word for 'twenty' in Hebrew marks the start of a new counting pattern, where numbers are constructed as multiples of ten plus units (e.g., 21 is 'עֶשְׂרִים וְאֶחָד', 'esrim ve’echad').
Practice makes perfect. Try counting objects around you in Hebrew - it’s a simple way to reinforce what you’ve learned.
Next Steps
Once you’ve mastered these, check out our guide on Hebrew for kids for more beginner-friendly tips, or explore Hebrew podcasts to improve your listening skills.
