Arabic Numerals

Arabic Numerals

At school, we were taught that there are Arabic and Roman numerals.
We still use Arabic numerals every day, for example, when writing the time or phone numbers.
However, it can be very confusing to see that the number “0” in an Arabic country actually means “5.”
And the number zero is simply a dot — yes, a tiny dot!

It turns out that the numbers used today in Arabic countries are very different from what we learned as “Arabic numerals.”
The appearance of these numbers in Europe developed in a different direction than in the Arab world, where they remained much closer to their Indian origin.

Arabic numerals were invented around 500 AD in India.
The number system was adopted by Arab mathematicians from Baghdad, who then spread it further west, where the numbers were modified.
The Arabic numerals as we know them today were developed in North Africa.
In the city of Bejaia in northern Algeria, the Italian mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci first came across Arabic numerals and later spread them throughout Europe.
So, in fact, the numbers came to Europe from the Arab world.

What about the numbers used in Arabic-speaking countries?
They are derived from the ancient Indian numeral system and are still used in the Arabic language today.

When shopping in Egypt, you often see products without price tags — especially in tourist areas, where prices are negotiable.
However, in local shops, supermarkets, or souks, it is very useful to know the price or the expiration date.
This way, you can avoid buying outdated products and pay exactly the same prices as Egyptians do.

Arabic Numbers and Their Pronunciation