Numbers & Money الأرقام والمال
Numbers are everywhere in Saudi Arabic daily life — from taxi fares and shopping prices to phone numbers and floor buttons. This topic covers the essential Saudi Arabic number system and key money phrases to handle prices, change, and payments. Saudi spoken numbers differ slightly from Modern Standard Arabic — these are the forms actually used on the street in Riyadh and Jeddah.
Key Saudi Arabic phrases
واحد
Wahid
One
Counting — number 1
عشرة
Ashara
Ten
Counting — number 10
مية
Miyya
One hundred
Large amounts
ألف
Alf
One thousand
Large amounts
بكم هذا؟
Bikam hatha?
How much is this?
Asking price — also used in shopping
كسّرلي
Kassirli
Break this for me (change)
Asking for change
Frequently asked questions
- How do you count in Saudi Arabic?
- Saudi Arabic numbers 1-10: واحد (wahid — 1), اثنين (ithnayn — 2), ثلاثة (thalatha — 3), أربعة (arba'a — 4), خمسة (khamsa — 5), ستة (sitta — 6), سبعة (sab'a — 7), ثمانية (thamanya — 8), تسعة (tis'a — 9), عشرة (ashara — 10). These are the spoken dialect forms used in everyday Saudi life.
- What currency is used in Saudi Arabia?
- Saudi Arabia uses the Saudi Riyal (SAR), written "ريال" (riyal). One riyal equals 100 halalas (هللة). Prices are quoted as, for example, "خمسة ريال" (khamsa riyal — 5 riyals). Knowing numbers is essential when shopping, taking taxis, and handling daily transactions.
- How do you say 'one hundred' in Saudi Arabic?
- One hundred in Saudi Arabic is "مية" (miyya) — the spoken dialect form. In formal Arabic it is "مئة" (mi'a). Two hundred is "ميتين" (mitayn), one thousand is "ألف" (alf), and ten thousand is "عشرة آلاف" ('ashara alaf). These differ from Modern Standard Arabic numbers used in textbooks.
- How do you ask for change in Saudi Arabic?
- Ask for change by saying "كسّرلي" (Kassirli — Break this for me) while handing over a large bill. For example: "كسّرلي مية ريال" (Kassirli miyya riyal — Break this 100 riyal note for me). Most cashiers in Saudi Arabia understand this phrase immediately.