Hebrew phrasebook pronunciation guide · Pronunciation guide in Hebrew phrasebook
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Pronunciation guide in Hebrew phrasebook
Pronunciation guide in Hebrew phrasebook
The Hebrew alphabet consists entirely of consonants, though some can function as vowels. Vowels are indicated with a system of dots and dashes next to the letters, but these are normally omitted except in Bibles and children's books. It is common for words, especially foreign words, to be spelled in more than one way; the Abu-l`afia� Synagogue has five different spellings of its name on its signs.
The stress is usually on the last syllable; most of the exceptions are segol-ates (words in which segol, the /e/-sound), such as elef "thousand". Some words have a diphthong "ua" or "ia" which is one syllable but sounds like two, like English "oil". This is called patah gnuva "stolen /a/-sound" and occurs in שבוע shavua[`]� "week", which is stressed on the -u-.
In conversational Hebrew, only three (בכפ) are pronounced differently when they contain a dot in the center called a dagesh.
Five letters (מנצפכ) have a different form at the end of a word (םןץףך, respectively). These are named by adding סופית (sofit - so-FEET) "final" to the name of the letter, e.g. נון סופית (nun sofit - noon so-feet)
א � alef (', a)
glottal-stop (IPA: /ʔ/) or silent (sometimes used as the letter a when rendering English in Hebrew)
ב בּ � bet, vet (b, v)
with a dot like big; without a dot like move
ג � gimel (g)�
like go
ד � dalet (d)�
like dark
ה � he (h)�
like he or silent at the end of a word with a preceding -a or -e
ו � vav (v, o, u)�
like violin; some dialects pronounce as week; also or or moon when used as a vowel
ז � zayin (z)�
like zoo
ח � het (h)�
Normally as Scottish ch in loch and as German Bach (IPA: /χ/). Some people pronounce it as the Arabic ح (IPA: /ħ/)
ט � tet (t)�
as t in stick
י � yud (y, e, i)�
like yet; also say or honey when used as a vowel
כ כּ ך � kaf, khaf (k, kh)�
with a dot like skip; without a dot like the Scottish ch in loch and as German Bach (IPA: /χ/)
ל � lamed (l)�
like leave, pronounced more forward in the mouth.
מ ם � mem (m)�
like mother
נ ן � nun (n)�
like never
ס � samekh (s)�
like some
ע � `ayin (`)�
similar to Cockney pronunciation of water (IPA: /ʔ/) and sometimes silent. Some people pronounce it as a constriction of the throat as in the Arabic ع (IPA: /ʕ/)
פ פּ ף � peh, feh (p, f)�
with a dot like spoon; without a dot off
צ ץ � tsadi (ts)�
as boots
ק � qof (q)�
As in skip
ר � resh (r)�
pronounced as the French r (IPA: [ʁ]). Some pronounce it rolled as in Spanish burro (IPA: [r])
שׁ שׂ � sin, shin (sh, s)�
with a right-hand dot like shoot (IPA: [ʃ]), or with a left-hand dot like see
ת � tav (t)�
as t in stick
Adding an apostrophe (geresh) to some letters may change their sounds.
ג' �
as j in jam (IPA: [dʒ])
ז' �
as s in pleasure (IPA: [ʒ])
צ' ץ' �� (tsh)�
as ch in chat (IPA: [tʃ])
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Hebrew phrasebook Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.