A Guide to Lebanese Arabic: Days, Numbers, and Months

Lebanese Arabic is a vibrant and musical dialect of Levantine Arabic. If you are just starting your journey, the best place to begin is with the "building blocks" of daily life: the calendar and counting.

Below is a comprehensive guide based on authentic study notes, including the specific spelling and pronunciation used in Lebanon.

---

1. Days of the Week (أَيَّام الأُسْبُوع)

In Lebanon, the names for the days of the week are largely derived from the numbers they represent in the sequence (e.g., Monday is "the second"). Note that Friday is referred to as the day of "gathering" (Jem’a).

English	Lebanese Arabic	Transliteration
Monday	تْنَيْن	Tnēn
Tuesday	تْلَيْتَا	Tlēta
Wednesday	أَرْبَعَا	Arb’a
Thursday	خَمِيس	Khamīs
Friday	جُمْعَة	Jem’a
Saturday	سَبْت	Sabt
Sunday	أَحَد	Aḥad

---

2. Numbers (أَرْكَام)

The notes cover everything from basic digits to complex three-digit numbers. Lebanese Arabic simplifies some of the formal Arabic sounds; for example, the "th" sound often becomes a "t."

Numbers 1 to 10

Number	Lebanese Arabic	Transliteration
1	وَاحِد	Wāḥad
2	تْنَيْن	Tnēn
3	تْلَيْتِي	Tlēte
4	أَرْبَعَا	Arb’a
5	خَمْسَة	Khamsé
6	سِتَّة	Sitté
7	سَبْعَا	Sab’a
8	تْمَانِي	Tmāné
9	تِسْعَا	Tis’a
10	عَشْرَة	‘Ashra

The Teens (11 to 19)

Notice the "-ash" suffix which is characteristic of the Levantine dialect for teen numbers.

Number	Lebanese Arabic	Transliteration
11	حْدَعِش	Ḥda’sh
12	تْنَعِش	Tnā’sh
13	تْلَتّعِش	Tlattā’sh
14	أَرْبَعْتَعِش	Arbā’tā’sh
15	خَمِسْتَعِش	Khamistā’sh
16	سِتّعِش	Sittā’sh
17	سَبَعْتَعِش	Sab’atā’sh
18	تْمَنْتَعِش	Tmantā’sh
19	تِسِعْتَعِش	Tis’atā’sh

Higher Numbers

Number	Lebanese Arabic	Transliteration
20	عِشْرِين	‘Eshrīn
21	وَاحِد و عِشْرِين	Wāḥad w ‘eshrīn
100	مِيِّي	Miyyé
101	مِيِّي و وَاحِد	Miyyé w wāḥad
134	مِيِّي و أَرْبَعَا و تْلَاتِين	Miyyé w arb'a w tlātīn

---

3. Months of the Year (أَشْهُر السِّنَة)

Lebanon uses the Syro-Mesopotamian calendar names rather than the transliterated French/English names used in some other North African dialects. These names have deep historical roots in the region.

Month	Lebanese Arabic	Transliteration
January	كَانُون الثَّانِي	Kānūn et-Tāni
February	شْبَاط	Shubāṭ
March	آذَار	Ādār
April	نَيْسَان	Nīsān
May	أَيَّار	Ayyār
June	حَزَيْرَان	Ḥuzayrān
July	تَمُّوز	Tammūz
August	آب	Āb
September	أَيْلُول	Aylūl
October	تِشْرِين الأَوَّل	Tishrīn el-Awwal
November	تِشْرِين الثَّانِي	Tishrīn et-Tāni
December	كَانُون الأَوَّل	Kānūn el-Awwal

---

Study Tip:

When practicing these, remember that the Lebanese accent is often described as "sing-songy." Try to soften your consonants and draw out the vowels in words like tlēta and miyyé to sound like a local!