Hebrew Alphabet
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. For thousands of years after the Second Temple period Hebrew was not spoken, but was preserved as the main liturgical language of the Jewish people. Hebrew is the only successful example of a dead language being revived.
| Hebrew Alphabet | Sound in English | Pronunciation Guide |
|---|---|---|
א |
silent | silent |
ב |
b or v | b or v as in bat or vat |
ג |
g | g as in glow |
ד |
d | d as in drink |
ה |
h | h as in hollow |
ו |
v | v as in vine |
וּ |
oo | oo as in oops |
וֹ |
o | o as in open |
ז |
z | z as in zoo |
ח |
ch | ch as in yech |
ט |
t | t as in tool |
י |
y | y as in yellow |
ך |
ch (ending) | ch as in yech |
כ |
k or ch | k or ch as in karate or yech |
ל |
l | l as in live |
ם |
m (ending) | m as in dam |
מ |
m | m as in mood |
ן |
n (ending) | n as in man |
נ |
n | n as in noodle |
ס |
s | s as in swift |
ע |
‘a | usually silent |
ף |
p or f (ending) | p or f as in hop or off |
פ |
p or f | p or f as in pop or flop |
ץ |
tz (ending) | tz as in quartz |
צ |
tz | tz as in tzimmes |
ק |
k | k as in key |
ר |
r | r as in robot |
ש |
s or sh | s or sh as in snow or show |
ת |
t | t as in tip |