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

• (Biblical Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʔar.baːˈʕaː/
• (Samaritan Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ar.ba.a/, [ʔɛrˈbæː.æˑ]
• (Tiberian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʔar.bɔːˈʕɔː/, [ʔaʀ.bɔˑˈʕɔː]
• (Yemenite Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʔar.bɔˈʕɔ/, [ʔær.bɔ(ː)ˈʕɔː]
• (Persian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /(ʔ)ær.bɒˈ(ʔ)ɒ/
• (Iraqi Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʔar.baˈʕa/
• (Sephardi Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʔar.baˈʕa/ (East), /(ʔ)ar.baˈŋa/ (West)
• (Ashkenazi Hebrew) IPA^(key): /(ʔ)aʁ̞.bɔˈ(ʔ)ɔ/
• (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /(ʔ)aʁ̞.baˈ(ʔ)a/

• Audio:

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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 (arbá') is often used regardless of gender.

Coordinate terms

• Last: שְׁלוֹשָׁה (sh'loshá)
• Next: חמישה / חֲמִשָּׁה (khamishá)