Hebrew (עברית)

travel phpto to inspire Hebrew language study
By Israel Museum - The Israel Museum's 'Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Project', Public Domain

ALPHABET MATCHING GAME VOCABULARY FLASHCARDS

Why learn Hebrew?

Learning Hebrew improves the knowledge of your own language. Knowing Hebrew provides a competitive edge in career choices Analytical skills improve when you study Hebrew. Hebrew study leads to an appreciation of cultural diversity.

Modern Hebrew is spoken by about nine million people, most of whom are are citizens of Israel. Ancient Hebrew, or Biblical Hebrew is a Semitic language that was replaced as the Jewish vernacular by the western dialect of Aramaic beginning in the third century BCE, though it continued to be used as a liturgical and literary language. It was revived as a spoken language in the 19th and 20th centuries and is now the official language of Israel. Hebrew is the only Canaanite language still spoken, and the only truly successful example of a revived dead language.

How Long Does it Take to Learn Hebrew?

Hebrew is rated as a category 3 language by the Foreign Service Institute. It is considered moderately difficult for English speakers to learn and takes an average of 44 weeks (or 1100 class hours) to gain professional working proficiency.

Hebrew Alphabet & Pronunciation

Hebrew is written from right to left and has no upper/lower case. The Hebrew alphabet has 22 letters. Five letters have different forms when used at the end of a word. Originally, the alphabet was an abjad consisting only of consonants. Niqqud is the system of dots that help determine vowels and consonants, but this 'full-spelling' is generally limited to learning materials. Both traditional consonants and the Niqqud vowels are shown in the list below. When they are used, the vowel sounds are attatched to the consonants by adding them below the letter.

א
(aleph)
[a]
בּ
(bet)
[b]
ב
(vet)
[v]
ג
(gimel)
[g]
ד
(dalet)
[d]
ה
(hei)
[h]
ו
(vav)
[v]
ז
(zayin)
[z]
ח
(chet)
[ch]
ט
(tet)
[t]
י
(yod)
[y]
כ
(chaf)
[ch]
ך
(final chaf)
[ch]
כּ
(kaf)
[k]
ךּ
(final kaf)
[k]
ל
(lamed)
[l]
מ
(mem)
[m]
ם
(final mem)
[m]
נ
(nun)
[n]
ן
(final nun)
[n]
ס
(samech)
[s]
ע
(ayin)
[silent]
פּ
(pei)
[p]
פ
(fei)
[f]
ף
(final fei)
[f]
צ
(tzadei)
[ts]
ץ
(final tzadei)
[ts]
ק
(kof)
[qu]
ר
(reish)
[r]
ש
(shin)
[sh]
שׂ
(sin)
[s]
שׁ
(shin)
[sh]
ת
(tav)
[t]
תּ
(tav)
[t]
ָ
(kamatz)
[a]
ַ
(patach)
[a]
ִ
(hiriq)
[i]
וּ
(shuruk)
[u]
וֹ
(holam male)
[o]
ְ
(shva)
[silent]
ֶ
(segol)
[eh]
ֶ
(kubutz)
[u]
ֵ
(tsere)
[e]

Basic Phrases in Hebrew

Helloשלום (shlvm)
Goodbyeהֱיה שלום (hyh shlvm)
Yesכן (chn)
Noלא (la)
Excuse meסלח לי (slch ly)
Pleaseאנא (ana)
Thank youתודה (tvdh)
You are welcomeבבקשה (vvqushh)
Do you speak englishהאם אתה מדבר אנגלית? (ham ath mdvr anglyt)
Do you understandהאם אתה מבין? (ham ath mvyn)
I understandאני מבין (any mvyn)
I do not understandאני לא מבין (any la mvyn)
How are youמה שלומך? (mh shlvmch)
Fine thanksבסדר תודה! (vsdr tvdh)
What is your nameמה השם שלך? (mh hshm shlch)
My name isשמי (shmy)
Pleased to meet youשמח לפגוש אותך (shmch lfgvsh avtch)

Hebrew Grammar

Hebrew Nouns

Manאיש (ish)
Womanאישה (nashim)
Boyילד (yld)
Girlילדה (yldh)
Catחתול (ẖetol)
Dogכלב (khelev)
Fishדג (dg)
Waterמים (ma-yim)
Milkחלב (kha-lav)
Eggביצה (bei-tsa)
Houseבית (veyt)
Flowerפרח (frch)
Treeעץ ('ts)
Shirtחולצה (ẖoletseh)
Pantsמכנסיים (mekheneseyeym)

Hebrew Adjectives

Colors in Hebrew

Blackשחור (shchvr)
Whiteלבן (lvn)
Redאדום (advm)
Orangeתפוז (tfvz)
Yellowצהוב (tshvv)
Greenירוק (yrvqu)
Blueכחול (chchvl)
Purpleסגול (sgvl)
Pinkורוד (vrvd)
Grayאפור (afvr)
Brownחום (chvm)

Numbers in Hebrew

Zeroאפס (afs)
Oneאחד (achd)
Twoשתיים (shtyym)
Threeשלוש (shlvsh)
Fourארבע (arv')
Fiveחמש (chmsh)
Sixשש (shsh)
Sevenשבע (shv')
Eightשמונה (shmvnh)
Nineתשע (tsh')
Tenעשר ('shr)
Elevenאחת עשרה (acht 'shrh)
Twelveשתים עשרה (shtym 'shrh)
Twentyעשרים ('shrym)
Thirtyשלושים (shlvshym)
Fortyארבעים (arv'ym)
Fiftyחמישים (chmyshym)
Sixtyשישים (shyshym)
Seventyשבעים (shv'ym)
Eightyשמונים (shmvnym)
Ninetyתשעים (tsh'ym)
Hundredמאה (mah)
Thousandאלף (alf)

Hebrew Verbs

To beלהיות (lhyvt)
To haveיש (ysh)
To wantלרצות (lrtsvt)
To needלהצטרך (lhtstrch)
To helpלעזור (l'zvr)
To goללכת (llcht)
To comeלבוא (lvva)
To eatלאכול (lachvl)
To drinkלשתות (lshtvt)
To speakלדבר (ldvr)

Building Simple Sentences

More Complex Hebrew Sentences

Andו (v)
Orאו (av)
Butאבל (avl)
Becauseכי (chy)
Withעם ('m)
Alsoגם (gm)
Howeverלמרות זאת (lmrvt zat)
Neitherלא זה ולא זה (la zh vla zh)
Norולא (vla)
Ifאם (am)
Thenלאחר מכן (lachr mchn)

Useful Hebrew Vocabulary

Hebrew Questions

Whoמי (my)
Whatמה (mh)
Whenמתי (mty)
Whereאיפה (ayfh)
Whyלמה (lmh)
Howאיך (aych)
How manyכמה (chmh)
How muchכמה (chmh)

Days of the Week in Hebrew

Mondayיום שני (yvm shny)
Tuesdayיום שלישי (yvm shlyshy)
Wednesdayיום רביעי (yvm rvy'y)
Thursdayיום חמישי (yvm chmyshy)
Fridayיום שישי (yvm shyshy)
Saturdayיום שבת (yvm shvt)
Sundayיום ראשון (yvm rashvn)
Yesterdayאתמול (atmvl)
Todayהיום (hyvm)
Tomorrowמחר (mchr)

Months in Hebrew

Januaryינואר (ynvar)
Februaryפברואר (fvrvar)
Marchמרץ (mrts)
Aprilאפריל
Mayמאי (may)
Juneיוני (yvny)
Julyיולי (yvly)
Augustאוגוסט (avgvst)
Septemberספטמבר (sftmvr)
Octoberאוקטובר (avqutvvr)
Novemberנובמבר (nvvmvr)
Decemberדצמבר (dtsmvr)

Seasons in Hebrew

Winterחורף (chvrf)
Springאביב (avyv)
Summerקיץ (quyts)
Autumnסתיו (styv)

Telling Time in Hebrew

What time is itמה השעה? (mh hsh'h)
Hoursשעות (sh'vt)
Minutesדקות (dquvt)
Secondsשניות (shnyvt)
O clockהשעה (hsh'h)
Halfחצי (chtsy)
Quarter pastורבע (vrv')
Beforeלפני (lfny)
Afterלאחר (lachr)