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| INTRODUCTION - Basic Hebrew 1st Year Language Course COURSE ONE Hebrew is a very easy language to learn. Unlike most languages, it is completely phonetic. In about 16 lessons and 16 hours time, one should be able to read and speak Hebrew well, {the vocabulary and grammar takes more time of course}. Hebrew besides being the language of Tanakh, {The Older Testament of the Bible}, is also the language that the earliest writings of the world have been found in, which is a Phoenician alphabet that early Hebrew was also written in. During the Biblical era, Hebrew was written without vowels, and in Torah it was even written without punctuation and spacing! Much later, but still in Biblical days, Hebrew came to be written in the square script of Aramaic which is a very close sister language, {and one that part of the Bible is also written in}. Then several centuries after Bible times, the vowels were added to the consonants to aid in the understanding of written Hebrew. Often still today, one will see Hebrew written without the vowels however. The English alphabet is spoken very closely as to how the Hebrew is, {although they look very different}, since the Greek and Roman alphabets, from where we also got our current English one, were taken from the Hebrew alphabet many centuries ago. These lessons are according to the Sephardi speaking method, which is what is mostly spoken in modern Israel, and is considered to be closer to how Biblical Hebrew was spoken, than the Ashkenazi dialect is. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- COURSE ONE LESSON ONE \\ \\ \\ // //\\// // \\ <---Should appear similar to an X // \\ || \\ || \\ Ahleph {Ah-lef}, first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. (Pronounced as a slight guttural stop sound, but for all intents and purposes it is silent, and is always silent when it appears at the end of a word. It acts usually as a place holder for a vowel). Transcription as: ' when written in English. ========= || || * || <---Should appear similar to a backward C with the || bottom line extended to out slightly to the || right and a dot in the middle. || ============ Beht {Bet}, second letter of the Hebrew alphabet. (Pronounced as a B, when dot is placed in it's center. Without the dot, it is called a Veht and pronounced like a v. ************ ************** * <---Should appear as a straight * line the next as a short stem captial T [under consonants]. These vowels appear under letters and are both pronounced pretty much as: AH as in the AW in the word sAW. Pronounce and write the following words several times... (REMEMBER: Hebrew is written and read from right to left) ===== \\ \\ || \\ || || //\\// || // \\ Av {ah-v) Father || || \\ ======= || \\ ******* * \\ \\ ====== \\ \\ \\ || || \\ || //\\// * || //\\// // \\ || // \\ Abba {Ah-bah} Daddy || \\ || || \\ || \\ ======== || \\ ****** ******* * ----------------------------------------------------------------------- COURSE ONE LESSON TWO ====== \\ || || <---Should appear as an upside down capital J || || || RAYSH {RAY-SH}, this Hebrew letter makes the same sound as R in English. Transcription as: R when written in English. ========== || || || <---Should appear as a capital T with the top || more to the left. || || DAHLET {DAH-LET}, this Hebrew letter makes the same sound as D in English. Transcription as: D when written in English. * * <---Should appear as two dots in a row [under consonants]. This Hebrew vowel appears under letters and is pronounced as the A in the word: snAke Pronounce and write the following words several times... (REMEMBER: Hebrew is written and read from right to left) ==== ==== || \\ || || Rav {Rahv} [Rabbi] || || ====== || ******* * ==== ===== \\ || || * || Bar {Bahr} son (Aramaic) || || || ======= ******* ==== ===== ======= \\ || || || * || || Dabayr {Dah-bear} (to) speak || || || || ======= || * * ****** ----------------------------------------------------------------------- COURSE ONE * LESSON THREE * \\ // // \\ // // \\ // // \\ // // \\ // // <---Should appear as a W---> \\ // // \\// // <---Dot left / Dot right---> \\// // ======= ======= SEEN SHEEN Seen is written with the dot above the left branch, and is pronounced as: S as in Say. Sheen is written with the dot above the right branch and is pronounced as: SH as in SHip. Seen transcription as S when written in English; and Sheen as SH when written in English. Sheen is used much more frequently in Hebrew than Seen. Pronounce and write the following words several times... (REMEMBER: Hebrew is written and read from right to left) * * \\ // // \\ // // \\ // // \\ // // Shaysh {Shay-sh} (number) six/6 \\// // \\// // ===== ===== * * * * \\ // // \\ // // \\ // // \\ // // Sahs {sauce} glad \\// // \\// // ===== ===== ******* * ----------------------------------------------------------------------- COURSE ONE LESSON FOUR ========= ========= || || || || || || <----Should appear as a U upside down with----> || || || * || extentions to top and bottom left, with || || || || or without dots in center of letter || || === || === || TAHV TAHV Tahv, written either with or without the dot in the center, in Sephardi Hebrew has the saying sound of T in English. Pronounce and write the following words several times... (REMEMBER: Hebrew is written and read from right to left) * ======= ====== \\ // // || || || \\ // // || || * || \\ // // Shabbat {Shaw-bot} Sabbath || || || \\// // (Shaw as in rickSHAW, bot as == || ========= ====== in BOTtle) ******* ***** * ======= ====== || || || || || * || Bat {Bot} -as in BOTtle || || || means: daughter == || ========= ******* Remember: TAHV can have a dot in the center, but is still pronounced like a T. Review all the vowels, letters and words that you know from these first four lessons. CONGRATULATIONS! You are now 1/4 through a first year short Hebrew course. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- COURSE ONE LESSON FIVE \\===== // || // || // || <---Should appear somewhat as a box open on the // || lower bottom left. ====== MEM MEM has the saying sound of M in English. Transcription when written in English is M. || || ====== || <---Should appear as a 7 with an upward shaft on // the top left. // // || LAHMED LAHMED has the saying sound of L in English. Transcription when written in English is L. Pronounce and write the following words several times... (REMEMBER: Hebrew is written and read from right to left. Each letter is first pronounced, then the vowel associated with it next if present.) || ====== ===== || || || // LAYV (Lay-v) means: heart || // ======== || * * ===== \\===== \\ // || || // || MAHR (MAWR) means: Mister || // || || // || || ======= ******** ----------------------------------------------------------------------- COURSE ONE LESSON SIX =========== || || || || <--- Should appear as a closed box with extention || || to the top left. || || ========= Final MEM Final MEM is the same as the MEM in the prior lesson, but it is used when MEM appears at the end of a word. === || || <--- Should appear as a up and down line with || extention to the top left. || VAHV VAHV has the saying sound of V in English, same as Beht, but of course they are two different letters. Transcription when written in English is also V. * === === || || * || || <--- Should appear as the letter VAHV with a dot || || to the middle left, the other as a VAHV || || with a dot above it. When VAHV has a dot by it's middle to the left, it is a vowel that is pronounced as OO as sin the word cOOl. When the VAHV has a dot above it, it is a vowel with the sound OH as o in the word tOll. Pronounce and write the following words several times... (REMEMBER: Hebrew is written and read from right to left). * || * ======== === || \\ // / || || || ==== \\ // // <--- SHALOM (Shaw-lowm) || || || || \\ // // means: Peace || || || // \\// // ======= || || ======= ******* * ===== === ===== ======= \\ || \\ || <--- BAHROOR (baw-roor) || *|| || * || means: clear || || || || || || || ========== ******** * ----------------------------------------------------------------------- COURSE ONE LESSON SEVEN == || YUD <--- Should appear as the VAHV in prior lesson but much shorter. YUD is the smallest letter in the Hebrew Alphabet. It has the saying sound of Y as in the word Yes. Transcription when written in English is Y. === || || || || <--- Should appear as the VAHV in prior lesson || but longer than the VAHV. || Final NUN Final NUN is the form used when the letter NUN -[which we'll go over in a later chapter], is used at the end of a word. It has the saying sound of N, and transcription when written in English is N. Practice writing these, and carefully notice how VAHV, YUD, and Final NUN all look alike except for their length. Pronounce and write the following words several times... (REMEMBER: Hebrew is written and read from right to left. === == ======= || || || || * || <--- BAYN (baeyn) means: between || || || || || ========== || * * === === || || || || <--- VAHV (vawv) means: hook || || || || ***** * ----------------------------------------------------------------------- COURSE ONE LESSON EIGHT \\ // \\ // <---Should appear somewhat as a lower case Y \\// |/ ====== AHYIN AHYIN {Ah-yin}, Is pronounced as a slight guttural stop sound, but for all intents and purposes it is silent, and acts usually as a place holder for a vowel. Transcription as a backward: ' when written in English. * <---Should appear as two dots one above the other * [under consonants]. SHVA is a vowel, that can be silent or vocal. In vocal usage it assumes the quality of a short vowel e like sound, as in: mEt. However, in modern spoken Hebrew, the semi-vowel quality is often just ignored. When it is silent, it also indicates the consonant is vowel-less. It occurs in closed syllables, [at which you'd then pause], and at the end of words. * \\// <---Should appear as a single dot upper left of letter //\\ Sometimes the dot over the VAHV, (in lesson six), appears without the VAHV, over the left top of consonants. It is still pronounced as: O as in cOpe though. Don't confuse it with the dot in the SEEN, (in lesson three), though. Pronounce and write the following words several times... (REMEMBER: Hebrew is written and read from right to left). || || ======= \\ \\ ==== || \\// || || //\\ <--- Aval (ah-vawl) means: but/however // || // \\ {Please note: when SHVA appears || ========== || \\ with a vowel, as it does here ******* ***** * under the ALEPH with another * * vowel beside it, it takes on the pronunciation of the vowel it is with.} * \\ // \\ \\ // // \\ // //==== \\ // // \\// // || \\ // // <---Sh'mah (sh-mah) means: hear |/ // || \\// // ===== // =====| ====== ****** * * *|| \\ || || \\ // ===== <---Lo (low) means: no/not //\\ || // \\ // || \\ || Review all the vowels, letters and words that you know from these first eight lessons. CONGRATULATIONS! You are now 1/2 through a first year short Hebrew course. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- COURSE ONE LESSON NINE === || || <---Should appear as a backward C that has a straight || vertical center === NUN NUN, [final NUN you had in lesson 7], has the saying sound of N as in the word: Noun. Transcription when written in English is: N. ==== || || <---Should appear as straight vertical line, with a //|| line going on the top to the left, and a line // || going from middle left, to bottom left GIMEL GIMEL has the saying sound of G as in the word: Good. Transcription when written in English is: G. Pronounce and write the following words several times... === ==== \\ || || //==== || || // || || //|| // || <---Mahgayn (mah-gain) means: shield || // || // =====| || * * ****** || * === === || || * || || <--- Nu (noo) on the end of a word usually means: our. || || || === ----------------------------------------------------------------------- COURSE ONE LESSON TEN ========= || || || <--- Should appear as a box open on bottom, and || || an opening toward the top left || || HAY HAY has the saying sound of H as in the word: Hill. Transcription when written in English is: H. ========= || || || || <--- Should appear as HAY above, but with no opening || || at the top left. || || CHET CHET has the saying sound of CH {hard K} as in the word: loCH-ness. Transcription when written in English is: CH. {or: KH} * * <--- Should appear as two dots on top, one center * bottom [under consonants]. This vowel has the saying sound of EH as in the word: pEt. Prounounce and write the following words several times.... ==== ======== ======== \\ || || || || || || || <--- Cheder (Kheh-dehr) means: room. || || || || || || || || * * * * * * ======== || || || <--- Ha (Haw) at the beginning of words || || means: the. || || **** When CHET is at the end of a word, the vowel is pronounced first. The HAY at the end of a word is silent, unless there is a vowel under it, and then it is pronounced first then the vowel - (thus the same as with the other letters). ----------------------------------------------------------------------- COURSE ONE LESSON ELEVEN ====== \\ || || <--- Should appear as a backward C. || // ====== CHAHF has the saying sound of CH {hard K} as in the word loCH-ness; and the same sound as CHET in the prior lesson. Transcription when written in English is: CH. {or: KH} ====== \\ || * || <--- Should appear as CHAHF with a dot in the middle. || // ====== KAHF has the saying sound of a K in English as in the word: Kit. Transcription when written in English is: K. ========= || * || || <--- Should appear as the DAHLET {Lesson two} only * || longer, with two dots to middle left. || || || FINAL CHAHF has the same saying sound as CHAHF {above}, but is the form used at the end of words. It almost always appears with the SILENT SHVA vowel {as per illustration}. Transcription when written in English is: CH. {or: KH} (NOTE: Careful, it looks like a DAHLET only shorter). Prounounce and write the following words several times.... ======= ===== ======= || \\ || * || || * || <--- Berech (Beh-rehch) means: knee. * || || || || || ========== || * * * * || * * * === == ==== === || || \\ || || || || || <-- Nahchon (Naw-Chohn) means: correct || || // || || || ==== === || *** || * * ======= ==== || || \\ || || * || <--- Koahch (Koh-awch) means: strength || || // || || ==== **** ----------------------------------------------------------------------- COURSE ONE LESSON TWELVE * <--- Should appear as a single dot [under consonants]. This vowel has the saying sound of: I as in the word: sIt. == || <--- Should appear as one dot [lower, under consonant] followed by a YUD, {chapter seven}. * This vowel, [when a dot is under a consonant followed by YUD], has the saying sound of: LONG E (EE), as Y in the word: toY. [NOTE: when the "AH" vowel {lesson one} is under a consonant followed by a YUD, it usually takes on somewhat of a sound like the word: EYE; {closer to AawEE}. While Over-VAHV vowel {lesson six} followed by the YUD, sounds close to the: OY of the word: tOY. But these will become apparent to you as you practice.] Prounounce and write the following words several times.... * == == \\ || || || \\// || //\\ <--- Oy (Oh-ee) means: woe. || || \\ == === \\ || || || \\// || //\\ <--- Ahnee (Aw-nee) means: I/(myself). === || \\ * **** * * === \\ || //==== || // || <--- Min (Min) means: from. || // || || // ====| || * || Review all the vowels, letters and words that you know from these first twelve lessons. CONGRATULATIONS! You are now 3/4 through a first year short Hebrew course. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- COURSE ONE LESSON THIRTEEN * * <--- Should appear as three dots going up at * slant toward the left side of screen This vowel when it appears under a letter has the saying sound of U; as in the English word: pUt. ========= || || || || <--- Should appear similar to number 9 open in ===== || the center line. || ========|| FAY has the saying sound of F; as in the English word: Fun. Transcription when written in English is: F. ========= || || || * || <--- Should appear as FAY above; except with ===== || a dot in the center. || ========|| PAY has the saying sound of P; as in the English word: Pun. Transcription when written in English is: P. Prounounce and write the following words several times.... * ========== ========== || || || || || || * || <--- Poh (Pohw) means: here. || || ===== || || || || || || ========== ========== ========== ==== || || || || || || || || <--- Yahfah (Yaw-faw) means: nice || || ===== || (fem.) || || || || || ========== ******* ******* * * * \\ // // \\ ======== \\ // // //==== || || <--- Chumash (Ku-mawsh) means: \\ // // // || || || The Five Books Of Moses. \\// // // || || || ======= // ====| || || ******* * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------- COURSE ONE LESSON FOURTEEN ======== || || || || || // <--- Should appear similar to a capital P || // || || || KOOF has the saying sound of: K; as in the English word: Kansas. Transcription when written in English is: K. || == || // || || // || <--- should appear similar to a box, open on the || || top, with lid going into the center/right. || || =========== TET has the saying sound of: T; as in the English word: Tap. {careful, it is sometimes confused with the way MEM looks.} Prounounce and write the following word several times.... === || == ======== || || // || || || || || // || || || || || || || // <--- Katan (Kaw-tawn) means: || || || || // little (masc.) || =========== || || ***** || ***** || * || * || ----------------------------------------------------------------------- COURSE ONE LESSON FIFTEEN \\ || ||\\ || <--- Should appear similar to a capital T, || with the top slanting down left to right. || || ZAHYIN has the saying sound of: Z; as in the English word: Zap. \\ // \\// \\ <--- Should appear similar to a lower-case y. \\ ======== TSAHDEE has the saying sound of: Ts/(Tz); as in the English word: beTS {Don't confuse this with the AHYIN; they look very similar.} == || // || // ||// || <--- Should appear similar to a captial Y. || || || || FINAL TSAHDEE has the same saying sound as form shown above; but is the form used on the end of words. Prounounce and write the following words several times.... == \\ // || // \\ // || // \\// ||// |/ || ====== <--- Aets (aytz) means: tree. || * * || || || =========== \\ || || || || ||\\ <--- Zeh (zeh) means: this (masc.) || || || || || || || || || * * * * === == == \\ // || || || \\ // <--- Tzion (Tsee-on) means: Zion. || || \\ || || \\ || || ======== || * || || ----------------------------------------------------------------------- COURSE ONE LESSON SIXTEEN ========= || || || || ===== || <--- Should appear as a 9 with the an opening || toward the lower loop center. || || || || FINAL FAY has the same sound as the regular FAY {Lesson 13}; F. This is the form used at the end of words. =========== || || || || <--- Should appear as a square with a rounded || || bottom. \\____// SAHMECH has the saying sound of: S; as in the English word: Seen. Prounounce and write the following words several times.... * ========= === =========== || || || || || || || || || || <--- Sof (sohf) means: end. ===== || || || || || || \\____// || || || Review all the vowels, letters and words that you know from these sixteen lessons. CONGRATULATIONS! You have now finished a first year short Hebrew course! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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