Hebrew numerals facts for kids

The Hebrew numeral system is a special way of writing numbers using the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. It's a bit like how Roman numerals use letters (like I, V, X) to stand for numbers.

In this system, there's no letter for zero. Instead, you add up the number values for each letter to get the total. Each letter has a specific number value:

• Letters for single units (1, 2, ..., 9)
• Letters for tens (10, 20, ..., 90)
• Letters for hundreds (100, 200, ..., 900)

How Hebrew Letters Become Numbers

Hebrew numbers are formed by combining letters. Each letter has a specific value. For example, the letter for 10 and the letter for 1 would combine to make 11.

Hebrew words for numbers can be masculine or feminine. This depends on the gender of the thing you are counting. For example, you would use a masculine number for boys and a feminine number for girls. However, when you are just counting without naming an object, the feminine form is usually used.

• When you count things, the number usually comes first, then the noun (like "three children"). But for the number one, it's the other way around (like "child one").
• The number two is special. Its masculine and feminine forms change slightly when describing a noun.
• If you have a group with both masculine and feminine items, the masculine form of the number is always used. This is common in Hebrew.
• In Hebrew, objects are also considered masculine or feminine. For example, a book (sefer) is masculine.

Images for kids

• 

  The lower clock on the Jewish Town Hall building in Prague, with Hebrew numerals in counterclockwise order.

• 

  Early 20th century pocket watches with Hebrew numerals in clockwise order (Jewish Museum, Berlin).

See also

In Spanish: Numeración hebrea para niños