Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Hebrew Vowels (And a Few Marks)

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Hebrew Vowels (and a Few Marks)

Name (& How it Notes & Other Appearances Mnemonics Length) + Sounds Sample Dāgēsh 1. בּ, גּ, דּ, כּ, NOWADAYS A Dāgēsh looks like a .It is also very common dot .תּ as a ת and a ;דּ as a ד a ;גּ as a ג and It is extremely common today to pronounce a ,תּ ,פּ —( שֵׁגָדּ ) can only come as the last letter of a word—many people do הּ and—because) ה as הּ today to pronounce רּ sometimes with no vowel beneath it at the end of the word is silent). It is rather ה at all since הּ but a make sounds not pronounce dot in a that can’t be uncommon for anybody to lengthen or to double the sound of a letter in which a Dāgēsh may be found. Hē’ is a held—unlike There are also many folks who still make these distinctions and keep these little things alive. the ancient WHAT ABOUT VĀV? Mappīq וּ is just a vowel or is a consonant with a Dāgēsh. VOWEL: וּ is a shūrūq vowel a) if the וּ has no vowel ,ב sounds of ( קיִפַּמ ) is either the 1st letter וּ vowel or shūrūq; and b) if the וֹ under or over it and doesn’t come right before a ,ת ,פ ,כ ,ד ,ג of a word or right after a consonant that has no vowel un-der or over it. CONSONANT: The consonant הּ .2 .ר and וּ—always has a vowel a) under or over it or b) immediately to its left. (with a Map- LET’S TALK ABOUT RĒYSH IN SOCIETY—THEN & NOW רּ pīq, which The most popular theory goes a little like this: Hebrew used to have a commonly doubled or lengthened and nobody ever batted an eye. (How ,(רּ but was a ר or at least some letter that sounded a little bit like) רּ looks like a Dāgēsh) was רּ pronounced? I’ll let you imagine that one!) The רּ is still remembered—but rarely and with no sounds like consistency—in the Masoretic Text, which is the now-standard Hebrew text of the Hebrew Bible. (The as Σάῥῤα, which הָרָשׂ —the “h” in Septuagint—the Greek translation of the Torah—transliterates the name of Sarah “hi.” 3. Peo- sounds something like “SARH-ra.”) Over time, the whole רּ thing got to be too much for some reason, ple used to and we have very little remaining evidence that this רּ ever was such a common thing in Hebrew. It is, by גּ a ,ב from a בּ is a Dāgēsh Qal (which distinguishes a רּ lengthen or the way, often unclear whether the dot in the a Dāgēsh Chāzāq (which lengthens a ,(תּ from a תּ and a ,פ from a פּ a ,כ from a כּ a ;ד from a דּ a ;ג to double the from a sound of all consonant), or something else. (And what this dot is might depend on the individual words in which the other letters רּ is found). Either way, רּ has nearly gone the way of one of the mightiest of birds: the dodo. with Dāgēsh (even רּ sometimes). (וּ with a vowel over or under it or immediately to its left has a Dāgēsh; וּ is otherwise a vowel.)

Example: = ֿ ְכּ ָיוּוִּא הּ ke’ivvū-YĀH

Edited by Rabbi Jonah Rank for the Shaar Shalom Synagogue in Halifax, NS | 06.27.2018 1 Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Hebrew Vowels (and a Few Marks)

Name (& How it Notes & Other Appearances Mnemonics Length) + Sounds Sample Meteg No vowel ORIGINALLY A Meteg looks like the sound; a In the TaNaKh (the Hebrew Bible), the Meteg can serve a few different purposes. I. A Meteg often bottom of a stop sign ( גֶתֽ ֶמ ) mark in the appears beneath a letter to indicate that the syllable that that letter begins is an accented syllable (but not being held by a stressed stop-sign-holder telling ָתוֹבֲאֽ ֵמ םֽ :TaNaKh (the the most heavily accented syllable—but rather a secondary or even a tertiary accent). Example ֽר = mē’avō-TĀM (and note that when a Meteg is on the same word as the Torah reading mark of Sillūq—as Hebrew you to slow down for the second vertical mark—which looks identical to a Meteg—is the— ָתוֹבֲאֽ ֵמ םֽ Bible) is the case with the word telling us on Silluq, and the first one is a Meteg). II. A Meteg next to a Qāmātz (and beneath the same letter as the the stress(ed syllable). zākhe-RĀH. III. In a few rare = ֙הָרְכָֽז :what Qāmātz) indicates that the Qāmātz is a Qāmātz Gādōl. Example syllable a cases, if a Meteg appears under a letter with a short vowel that is both followed immediately by a letter e word’s stress with a Sh vā’ and as part of a word that would typically be spelled with a long vowel, the Meteg makes the short vowel be pronounced as a long vowel (and the Shevā’ becomes a Shevā’ Nā‘). (Applying this falls. e e e - g nūv = ְ ֿגּ ֻֽנ ְבֿ יִ֣ת ;vayyīr -SHŪ = ַוִֽיּ ְֿרשׁוּ :rule requires some knowledge of Hebrew vocabulary.) Examples TĪ. IV: If a Meteg appears underneath a definite article prefix and the letter after the definite article Example: prefix is a letter without a dāgēsh but with a Shevā’ beneath it, the Shevā’ beneath the letter immediately e = ֶצֻּקְ ֿמ תֶרְֶֻֽֿ e after the definite article prefix is a Sh vā’ Nā‘. (Applying this rule requires some knowledge of Hebrew bamesil-LĀH. V: There are those who say that the combination of a = הָ֣לִּסְמֽ ַבּ :m qutz-TZE- vocabulary.) Example ret Meteg and a Shevā’ used to make a vowel sound that was determined based on the consonant immediately following it. Before a Yōd, a Meteg-Shevā’ combination produced the vowel Chīrīq, such or Rēysh ,(ע) Ayin‘ ,(ה) ’Hē ,(א) in Exodus 7:5) would be pronounced viyāde-U; before ’Ālef) וּעְדָיְֽו that in Joshua) ַמָאְֽו ְר ָ֖תּ a Meteg-Shevā’ combination produced the vowel of the next consonant, such that ,(ר) ַה־דַﬠְֽו ָנּ רָ֧ה ,in Judges 1:7) would be pronounced bôhô-NŌT) ְֽבּ נֹה וֹ ֩ת ,would be pronounced vā’āmar-TĀ (7:13 in Judges 8:4) would be) םיִֽפְדֹרְֽו in Joshua 1:4) would be pronounced va-‘AD hannā-HĀR, and) pronounced vôrôde-FĪM; and, before any other letter, a Meteg-Shevā’ combination produced the vowel .in I Samuel 14:36) would be pronounced vanā-VÔ-zāh) הָזֹ֥בָנְֽו Pattāch, such that BEYOND THE BIBLE If a Meteg appears outside of the TaNaKh, it almost exclusively is placed beneath the letter that starts the most heavily stressed syllable of a word. In Hebrew, most words are stressed on their last syllable, and many books place—in words where the most stressed syllable of a word is not where one might expect—a Meteg beneath the first letter of the most stressed syllable. .RŪ-tzū = וּצוּֽר :Example

Edited by Rabbi Jonah Rank for the Shaar Shalom Synagogue in Halifax, NS | 06.27.2018 2 Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Hebrew Vowels (and a Few Marks)

Name (& How it Notes & Other Appearances Mnemonics Length) + Sounds Sample Maqqēf Maqqēf Maqqēf is like a bridge produces no that connects two (or ( ףֵקַּמ ) sound of its more) words. own. It ־ connects whatever word is to its immediate left and its immediate right (sometimes connecting multiple words), which makes us count those connected words as just-1-word (and this string of words has only one primary accent).

Example: = לַﬠ כּ־ ׇ ־ל ְמִשׁ ‘al-kol- shim-KHĀ

Edited by Rabbi Jonah Rank for the Shaar Shalom Synagogue in Halifax, NS | 06.27.2018 3 Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Hebrew Vowels (and a Few Marks)

Name (& How it Notes & Other Appearances Mnemonics Length) + Sounds Sample Shevā’ No vowel THE WAY WE DO THINGS: The Shevā’ Nāch makes e e Nāch sound. In this packet, we usually put a line above a Sh vā’ Nā‘ to make distinct-looking any Sh vā’ that makes a the sound that you might .uvshokhbe-KHĀ = בוּ שְׁ ׇ ְבְּכ ֿ :sound. Example Just say the make when you are) ( אָוְ ֿשׁ חָנ ) consonant as THE RULES: e (“ultra- if no vowel 1. Without exception—a Shevā’ under the last letter with a vowel in a single word is always a Shevā’ silent, and the Sh vā’ e e e short”) were Nāch (and a Sh vā’ under the letter immediately before a last letter with a Sh vā’ under it is also a Sh vā’ Nā‘ makes the sound of vay-YAR. 2. A Shevā’ under a letter that is the same as the you saying a really short = אְרַיַּו ;vay-YĒSHT = ְשֵׁיַּו ְתּ :Nāch). Examples beneath it.) e e e e hal -LŪ. 3. A Sh vā’ is a Sh vā’ Nā‘ if it “Eh” after someone asks = ֿלַה ְ לוּ :letter that comes right after it is a Sh vā’ Nā‘. Example with no vowel under or above it coming between the you for your opinion [א] Example: comes right after any “long” vowel (and an ’ālef = ָדְבָֿא ה :long vowel and the consonant with the Shevā’ still keeps the Shevā’ a Shevā’ Nā‘). Examples ְר -sif = וֹרְפִס et- about something you’ = ֿגּ־לׇכּ־תֶא ֿלוּֽבְ ְ ;tzōre-FĀM = רוֹצ פְ ֿ ָ ם ;yôre-DŌT = ֿרֹי תוֹדְ ;tzīqe-LĀG = ֿקיִצ גָלְ ;tzē’te-KHĀ = ְאֵצ ;āve-DĀH’ RŌ kol-gevūle-KHA. 4. If a word’s 1st consonant has a Shevā’ under it, then the vowel is a Shevā’ Nā‘. Exam- disliked. Either way, the ve-LÔ’. 5. A Shevā’ under any letter (except for a word’s last letter) with a dāgēsh in it, is a Shevā’ looks like the = אֹלְֿו :ple hammelā-KHĪM. 6. If a letter with a Shevā’ under it appears immediately developing bubbles = ְמַּה םיִכָלֿ :Shevā’ Nā‘. Example before another letter with a Shevā’ under it, the 2nd consecutive Shevā’ (as long as it is not in the word’s e e before the thought mach-sh vô-TĀM. 7. Rarely and only in the He-brew bubble rises, helping = ֿשְׁחַמ םָתֹבְ :last letter) is a Sh vā’ Nā‘. Example Bible: if a Meteg appears under a letter with a short vowel that is both followed immediately by a letter with a Shevā’ and as part of a word that would typically be spelled with a long vowel, the Meteg makes you figure out how to us pronounce the short vowel as a long vowel, and the Shevā’ becomes a Shevā’ Nā‘. (Applying this rule respond. genūve-TĪ. 8. In the = ְ ֿגּ ֻֽנ ְבֿ יִ֣ת ;vayyīre-SHŪ = ַוִֽיּ ְֿרשׁוּ :requires knowing many Hebrew words.) Examples and the letter immediately after ( ֽ ַל or , ֽ ַכ , ֽ ַכּ , ֽ ַה , ֽ ַב , ֽ ַבּ) TaNaKh: if a Meteg is under a definite-article-prefix said prefix has a She-vā’ under it, the Shevā’ is a Shevā’ Nā‘. (Applying this rule requires knowing some uvamena’a-FĪM. 9. If a long vowel = בוּ ַ מֽ ְ ָ ֣נ ֲ א ִ֔ פ םי ;bamesil-LĀH = הָ֣לִּסְמֽ ַבּ :Hebrew grammar.) Examples comes immediately before the Shevā’’s consonant, and if this long-vowel-with-Shevā’ combination is the most accented syllable of a word, and if this most accented syllable of a word is the syllable that would be most stressed if the word were followed by a multisyllabic word accented on its last syllable—the Shevā’ is a Shevā’ Nāch. (Applying this rule requires knowing some Hebrew vocabulary.) Examples: .HĀ-yetāh = ֿיֽ ָה הָתְ ;ta ‘avôrnāh = ֹבֲﬠַתּ הָנְרֲַֹֽ HOW THINGS SHAKE OUT: uvshokhbe-KHĀ). 2. Some = בוּ שְׁ ׇ ְבְּכ Most books print Shevā’ Nāch and Shevā’ Nā‘ identically (like .1 ׇ = beshokhbe-KHĀ). 3. Someשֿׁ ְבּ ְבְּכ ֿ ) :books print a line over any consonant with a Shevā’ Nā‘. Example books often distinguish between Shevā’ Nā‘ and Shevā’ Nāch with a line but don’t overline over a word’s ’ׇ = beshokhbe-KHĀ. 4. Some books print the Shevāשְׁבּ ְבְּכ ֿ :first consonant if it has a Shevā’ Nā‘. Example Nā‘ as a boldened or squarer (or diamond-like) version of the Shevā’ Nāch—and you might have to look really closely to tell the difference. Example: would be Shevā’ Nā‘, and would be Shevā’ Nāch. This is hard on some eyes; try comparing (at a more realistic size) vs. . GOD’S NAME: looking like ye-YĀ), but it is) ָיְי looking like yehô-VĀH) or) הֳוֹהְי Very often God’s name is spelled (ado-NAI‘) יָנֹדֲא pronounced

Edited by Rabbi Jonah Rank for the Shaar Shalom Synagogue in Halifax, NS | 06.27.2018 4 Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Hebrew Vowels (and a Few Marks)

Name (& How it Notes & Other Appearances Mnemonics Length) + Sounds Sample Chaṭaf Pronounced The Qāmātz Gādōl, the Pattāch most Chaṭaf Pattāch, and the commonly Pattāch all have a flat ”like the “ah ־ףַטֲח ) line at the top on which ( חָתַּפּ in “Ah, it is somebody could lie (ultra- good to lie down to rest and say, short) down” or the “a” in “Ah, it is good to lie “father.” down!”

:Example ֲא a-LĒH‘ = הֵלֲﬠ

appears under The Qāmātz Gādōl, the ( ַﬠ) always precedes that of the consonant when the Pattāch ( ַﬠ) Pattāch Pronounced The sound of the Pattāch Chaṭaf Pattāch, and the ,( ַח) most any of the following “guttural” (as in, “throaty”) letters appearing as the final letter of a word: Chēyt ( חָתַּפּ ) In all other cases, a Pattāch is pronounced exactly as expected. Pattāch all have a flat .( ַהּ) and Hē’ with Mappīq ,( ַﬠ) commonly ‘ayin .lā-MAD = דַמָל ;KÔ-ach = ַחֽ ֹכּ :short) Examples) like the “ah” line at the top on which in “Ah, it is somebody could lie good to lie ,down” or the down to rest and say ַר “Ah, it is good to lie “a” in “father.” down!”

Example: -hā = ַלָה LAKH

Edited by Rabbi Jonah Rank for the Shaar Shalom Synagogue in Halifax, NS | 06.27.2018 5 Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Hebrew Vowels (and a Few Marks)

Name (& How it Notes & Other Appearances Mnemonics Length) + Sounds Sample Qāmātz Pronounced THE WAY WE DO THINGS: The Qāmātz Gādōl, the ׇ ) (slightly) longer than the Chaṭaf Pattāch, and theא) Gādōl most In this packet, we always make the bottom vertical line of a Qāmātz Qāṭān Pattāch all have a flat .( ָא) commonly bottom vertical line of a Qāmātz Gādōl :like the “ah” THE RULES ץָמָק ) Almost every Qāmātz is a Qāmātz Gādōl, but three rules tell us if a Qāmātz is a Qāmātz Qāṭān: 1. line at the top on which ( לוֹדָגּ in “Ah, it is somebody could lie (long good to lie Qāmātz Qāṭān is any Qāmātz in an unaccented syllable that is “closed” (meaning, with a consonant right down to rest and say, vowel) down” or the before the vowel and, right after the vowel, with a consonant that is not attached to any other vowel) is a qodshō. 2. Many “Ah, it is good to lie = וֹשְׁדׇק = ;ugdol-CHĀ-sed = גוּ דְ ח־לׇ ָ סֽ דֶ ;vay-YĀ-qom = ַוָ ֽיּ ׇקם :a” in Qāmātz Qātān. Examples“ “father.” Jews pronounce any unaccented Qāmātz that comes right before either a Chataf Qāmātz or another down!” o po‘ol-KHA. 3. Many Jews = ְלׇﬠׇפּ ;po‘ -LŌ = וֹלֳﬠׇפּ :Qāmātz Qātān as a Qāmātz Qātān. Examples holy objects”)—and the first“) ָק םיִשָׁד roots”) and“) םיִשָׁרָשׁ Example: pronounce the first Qāmātz in the plural words ָר Qāmātz in any word with these two plural nouns at the centre, plus any prefixes and modified by any hā- e = ַלָה ;(v shorā-SHE-ha) ָהיֶֽשָׁרׇשְֿׁו ;(qodā-SHĪM) ִשָׁדׇק םי ;(shorā-SHĪM) םיִשָׁרׇשׁ :LAKH possessive suffixes. Examples .(miqqodā-SHĒY-nū) ֵשָׁדׇקִּמ וּניִֵׇָֽ HOW THINGS SHAKE OUT: 1. Books often print the vowels Qāmātz Gādōl and Qāmātz Qāṭān as looking the same. In fact, they originally were drawn identically, and, way back when, folks (hopefully) knew the rules of Hebrew grammar so well that they just knew whether a Qāmātz was Qāmātz Gādōl or Qāmātz Qāṭān. 2. In some books, a Qāmātz Qātān looks like a cut-through Qāmātz, like a horizontal line with a dot beneath it: . More commonly, a Qāmātz Qāṭān looks like a Qāmātz with an elongated bottom vertical line: .

Edited by Rabbi Jonah Rank for the Shaar Shalom Synagogue in Halifax, NS | 06.27.2018 6 Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Hebrew Vowels (and a Few Marks)

Name (& How it Notes & Other Appearances Mnemonics Length) + Sounds Sample Shevā’ Pronounced THE WAY WE DO THINGS: The Shevā’ Nāch makes e e Nā‘ like the “eh” In this chart, we put a line above Sh vā’ Nā‘ to make distinct-looking any Sh vā’ that makes a sound. the sound that you might .uvshokhbe-KHĀ = בוּ שְׁ ׇ ְבְּכ ֿ :Example in “meh” or make when you are ( אָוְ ֿשׁ עָנ ) the “e” in THE RULES: e (ultra- “den.” 1. A Shevā’ under any word’s last letter with a vowel is always a Shevā’ Nāch (and a Shevā’ under the silent, and the Sh vā’ e vay- Nā‘ makes the sound of = ְשֵׁיַּו ְתּ :short) letter right before a last letter with no pronounced vowel is also Sh vā’ Nāch). Examples vay-YAR. 2. A Shevā’ under a letter identical to the letter that comes right after it is a She- you saying a really short = אְרַיַּו ;YĒSHT Example: e e e hal -LŪ. 3. A Sh vā’ is a Sh vā’ Nā‘ if it comes right after any long vowel (and “Eh” after someone asks = ֿלַה וּלְ :vā’ Nā‘. Example e = ֶצֻּקְ ֿמ תֶרְֶֻֽֿ with no vowel under or above it and between the long vowel and the consonant with the Sh - you for your opinion [א] mequtz-TZE- an ’Ālef ;tzīqe-LĀG = ֿקיִצ גָלְ ;tzē’te-KHĀ = ְאֵצ ;āve-DĀH’ = הָדְבָֿא :vā’ keeps the Shevā’ a Shevā’ Nā‘). Examples ְ ֿר ret et-kol-gevūle-KHA. 4. If a word’s 1st consonant has about something you’ = ֿגּ־לׇכּ־תֶא ֿלוּֽבְ ְ ;tzōre-FĀM = רוֹצ ְ ֿ םָפ ;yôre-DŌT = ֿרֹי תוֹדְ ve-LÔ’. 5. A Shevā’ under any letter disliked. Either way, the = אֹלְֿו :a Shevā’ under it, then the vowel is a Shevā’ Nā‘. Exam-ple hammelā-KHĪM. Shevā’ looks like the = ְמַּה םיִכָלֿ :except for a word’s last letter) with a dāgēsh in it, is a Shevā’ Nā‘. Example) 6. If a letter with a Shevā’ under it comes right before another letter with a Shevā’ under it, the 2nd conse- developing bubbles machshe- before the thought = ֿשְׁחַמ םָתֹבְ :cutive Shevā’ (as long as it is not in the word’s last letter) is a Shevā’ Nā‘. Example vô-TĀM. 7. Rarely and only in the Hebrew Bible (TaNaKh): if a Meteg is under a letter with a short vow- bubble rises, helping el that is both followed immediately by a letter with a Shevā’ and as part of a word normally spelled with a long vowel, the Meteg renders the short vowel a long vowel, and the Shevā’ becomes a Shevā’ you figure out how to .respond ְ ֿגּ ֻֽנ ְבֿ יִ֣ת ;vayyīre-SHŪ = ַוִֽיּ ְֿרשׁוּ :Nā‘. (Applying this rule requires knowing many Hebrew words.) Examples and the ( ֽ ַל or , ֽ ַכ , ֽ ַכּ , ֽ ַה , ֽ ַב , ֽ ַבּ) genūve-TĪ. 8. In the TaNaKh: if a Meteg is under a definite-article-prefix = letter immediately after said prefix has a She-vā’ under it, the Shevā’ is a Shevā’ Nā‘. (Applying this rule .uvamena’a-FĪM = בוּ ַ מֽ ְ ָ ֣נ ֲ א ִ֔ פ םי ;bamesil-LĀH = הָ֣לִּסְמֽ ַבּ :requires knowing some Hebrew grammar.) Examples 9. If the one reason a Shevā’ looks like a Shevā’ Nā‘ is a long vowel right before the Shevā’’s consonant and that long vowel appears only because the word is in “pausal form” (which is when, in classical He- brew, to make a nice sound at the end of a phrase, a word is altered slightly—and noticing this requires gā-’ĀL-tī (as the non-pausal form = ָאָגּ יִתְּלֽ :knowing Hebrew well), the Shevā’ makes no sound. Example gā-’AL-tī). 10. Some say that a Meteg = ַאָגּ יִתְּלֽ :’of this pausal word has a short vowel before the Shevā -a Meteg ,(י) with a Shevā’ used to make a vowel sound determined by the letter just after it. Before Yōd Meteg-Shevā’ produced the ,(ר) or Rēysh ,(ע) A-yin‘ ,(ה) ’Hē ,(א) Shevā’ produced a Chīrīq; before ’Ālef ְֽו וּעְדָי :vowel of the next letter; and, before any other letter, a Meteg-Shevā’ yielded a Pattāch. Examples -vôrôde = םיִֽפְדֹרְֽו ;va-‘AD hannā-HĀR = ַה־דַﬠְֽו ָנּ רָ֧ה ;bôhô-NŌT = ְֽבּ נֹה וֹ ֩ת ;vā’āmar-TĀ = ְרַמָאְֽו ָ֖תּ ;vi-yāde-U = .vanāVÔ-zāh = הָזֹ֥בָנְֽו ;FĪM HOW THINGS SHAKE OUT: uvshokhbe-KHĀ). 2. Some = בוּ שְׁ ׇ ְבְּכ Most books print Shevā’ Nāch and Shevā’ Nā‘ identically (like .1 ׇ = beshokhbe-KHĀ). 3. Someשֿׁ ְבּ ְבְּכ ֿ ) :books print a line over any consonant with a Shevā’ Nā‘. Example books often distinguish between Shevā’ Nā‘ and Shevā’ Nāch with a line but don’t overline over a word’s ’ׇ = beshokhbe-KHĀ. 4. Some books print the Shevāשְׁבּ ְבְּכ ֿ :first consonant if it has a Shevā’ Nā‘. Example Nā‘ as a boldened or squarer (or diamond-like) version of the Shevā’ Nāch—and you might have to look really closely to tell the difference. Example: would be Shevā’ Nā‘, and would be Shevā’ Nāch. This is hard on some eyes; try comparing (at a more realistic size) vs. .

Edited by Rabbi Jonah Rank for the Shaar Shalom Synagogue in Halifax, NS | 06.27.2018 7 Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Hebrew Vowels (and a Few Marks)

Name (& How it Notes & Other Appearances Mnemonics Length) + Sounds Sample Chaṭaf Pronounced Chaṭaf Segōl is pro- Segōl like the “eh” nounced like the “eh” in in “meh” or “meh” or the “e” in the the “e” in ־ףַטֲח ) word “petals,” and a ( לוֹגֶס “den.” Chaṭaf Segōl also looks (ultra- like a bunch of petals short) Example: :(technically five petals) = זֱחֶה ריִ ֱֶ heche-ZĪR ֱא

Segōl Pronounced Segōl is pronounced like (short) like the “eh” the “eh” in “meh” or the in “meh” or ”,e” in the word “petals“ ( לוֹגֶס ) the “e” in and a Segōl also looks “den.” like the petals of a three-

.Example: petaled flower ֶר

= זֱחֶה ריִ heche-ZĪR

Edited by Rabbi Jonah Rank for the Shaar Shalom Synagogue in Halifax, NS | 06.27.2018 8 Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Hebrew Vowels (and a Few Marks)

Name (& How it Notes & Other Appearances Mnemonics Length) + Sounds Sample Tzēyrēy Pronounced There is some disagreement over whether a Tzēyrēy is pronounced the same way whether or not a Yōd Tzēyrēy looks like two (long) pretty close with no vowel beneath, over, or immediately beneath the Yōd immediately follows the Tzēyrēy. heads of people meeting to the “ey” Although nearly all folks pronounce a Tzēyrēy followed immediately by a Yōd with no vowel beneath, up, and one of them in “hey” and over, or immediately beneath the Yōd like the “ey” in “hey,” some folks would also pronounce a Tzēyrēy ( יֵריֵצ ) not followed immediately by a Yōd-without-vowel like the “ey” in “hey;” other folks pronounce a (probably now living in possibly New Jersey but original- even more Tzēyrēy not followed immediately by a Yōd-without-vowel like the “eh” in “It’s a sunny day, eh?” e e ly from Brooklyn) says, .qōr -ĒY = רוֹק אְ ֿ ֵ י ;l vā-’ĒR = רֵאָבְֿל :closely to EXAMPLES ֵר “Ey! ‘Ow’s it goin’?” the “eh” in “It’s a sunny day, eh?”

Example: -di = רֵבִּדּ BĒR Chīrīq Usually Some folks distinguish between the vowel of a consonant with a chīrīq with a consonant right after it— Chīrīq is just one teeny -MIN), which can sound somewhere in between the “min” of “mini” and the word “mean”—vs. weeny dot beneath a let) ןִמ not pronounced like) MĪN), which can sound like the ter and makes the sound) ןיִמ right after it—such as י like the “ee” the vowel of a consonant with a chīrīq with a followed English word “mean.” in “green;” of “ee” in “green.” immedi- sometimes ately by pronounced a Yōd somewhere without a in between vowel) the “i” of “bin” and the “ee” of ( קיִריִח ) (short) “green.” (We’ll transliterate (.it as i ִר

Example: bit-TŌ = וֹתִּבּ

Edited by Rabbi Jonah Rank for the Shaar Shalom Synagogue in Halifax, NS | 06.27.2018 9 Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Hebrew Vowels (and a Few Marks)

Name (& How it Notes & Other Appearances Mnemonics Length) + Sounds Sample Chīrīq Pronounced Some folks distinguish between the vowel of a consonant with a chīrīq with a consonant right after it— Chīrīq is just one teeny -MIN), which can sound somewhere in between the “min” of “mini” and the word “mean”—vs. weeny dot beneath a let) ןִמ imme- like the “ee” like) MĪN), which can sound like the ter and makes the sound) ןיִמ right after it—such as י in “green.” the vowel of a consonant with a chīrīq with a diately English word “mean.” (We’ll of “ee” in “green.” followed transliterate by a it as ī.) vowel- less Yōd) Example: DĪN = ןיִדּ (long) ( קיִריִח )

ִרי Chaṭaf Pronounced Qāmātz Qāṭān (either Qāmātz like the “o” with an elongated bot- in “pro.” tom line or looking the (ultra- short) same as a Qāmātz Gā- Example: dōl) and Chaṭaf Qāmātz = תַרֳחׇמְֿל ־ףַטֲח ) have flat lines like the lemocho-RAT ( ץָמָק “ah” vowels (Chaṭaf Pattāch, Pattāch, and Qāmātz Gādōl). Chaṭaf Qāmātz looks like a ֳא Qāmātz next to a Shevā’. Qāmātz Qāṭān and Chaṭaf Qāmātz both make an “oh” sound.

Edited by Rabbi Jonah Rank for the Shaar Shalom Synagogue in Halifax, NS | 06.27.2018 10 Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Hebrew Vowels (and a Few Marks)

Name (& How it Notes & Other Appearances Mnemonics Length) + Sounds Sample Qāmātz Pronounced THE WAY WE DO THINGS: Qāmātz Qāṭān (either -ׇ ) (slightly) longer than the with an elongated botא) Qātān like the “o” In this packet, we always make the bottom vertical line of a Qāmātz Qāṭān tom line or looking the .( ָא) in “pro.” bottom vertical line of a Qāmātz Gādōl :THE RULES ץָמָק ) -Almost every Qāmātz is a Qāmātz Gādōl, but three rules tell us if a Qāmātz is a Qāmātz Qāṭān: 1. same as a Qāmātz Gā ( ןָטָק Example: dōl) and Chaṭaf Qāmātz Qāmātz Qāṭān is any Qāmātz in an unaccented syllable that is “closed” (meaning, with a consonant right = תַרֳחׇמְֿל (short) lemocho-RAT before the vowel and, right after the vowel, with a consonant that is not attached to any other vowel) is a have flat lines like the qodshō. 2. Many “ah” vowels (Chaṭaf = וֹשְׁדׇק = ;ugdol-CHĀ-sed = גוּ דְ ח־לׇ ָ סֽ דֶ ;vay-YĀ-qom = ַוָ ֽיּ ׇקם :Qāmātz Qāṭān. Examples Jews pronounce any unaccented Qāmātz that comes right before either a Chataf Qāmātz or another Pattāch, Pattāch, and po‘ol-KHA. 3. Many Jews Qāmātz Gādōl). Chaṭaf = ְלׇﬠׇפּ ;po‘o-LŌ = וֹלֳﬠׇפּ :ׇ Qāmātz Qāṭān as a Qāmātz Qāṭān. Examplesא holy objects”)—and the first Qāmātz looks like a“) ָק םיִשָׁד roots”) and“) םיִשָׁרָשׁ pronounce the first Qāmātz in the plural words Qāmātz in any word with these two plural nouns at the centre, plus any prefixes and modified by any Qāmātz next to a Shevā’. ;(veshorā-SHE-ha) ָהיֶֽשָׁרׇשְֿׁו ;(qodā-SHĪM) םיִשָׁדׇק ;(shorā-SHĪM) םיִשָׁרׇשׁ :possessive suffixes. Examples miqqodā-SHĒY-nū). Qāmātz Qāṭān and) ֵשָׁדׇקִּמ וּניִֵׇָֽ a HOW THINGS SHAKE OUT: Ch ṭaf Qāmātz both 1. Books often print the vowels Qāmātz Gādōl and Qāmātz Qāṭān as looking the same. In fact, they make an “oh” sound. originally were drawn identically, and, way back when, folks (hopefully) knew the rules of Hebrew grammar so well that they just knew whether a Qāmātz was Qāmātz Gādōl or Qāmātz Qāṭān. 2. In some books, a Qāmātz Qāṭān looks like a cut-through Qāmātz, like a horizontal line with a dot beneath it: . More commonly, a Qāmātz Qāṭān looks like a Qāmātz with an elongated bottom vertical line: .

Chōlām Pronounced HOW THINGS SHAKE OUT: Chōlām is a dot over a letter that makes the ֹו :is a vowel (ō) or a consonant-with-a-vowel (vô). VOWEL ֹו ; ֹו is a Chōlām vowel, but it can look like וֹ ”like the “o st ( לוֹח ָ ם ) comes right after a consonant with no sound of the “o” in ֹו (is after the 1 letter of the word; and b ֹו (in “pro.” is just a vowel if a .mō-RĪM = ומ ֹ ִ ר םי :above vowel over or under it. Example) “oh.” and to Example: CONSONANT-WITH-VOWEL: st a) is the 1 letter of a word; and/or b) comes right after a consonant ֹו is a consonant-with-a-vowel if ֹו KÔ-ach = ַחֽ ֹכּ the left a .vô-NŌT ‘ = וֲﬠ תוֹנֹ :of a con- with a vowel over or under it. Example sonant) (long)

ֹר

Edited by Rabbi Jonah Rank for the Shaar Shalom Synagogue in Halifax, NS | 06.27.2018 11 Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Hebrew Vowels (and a Few Marks)

Name (& How it Notes & Other Appearances Mnemonics Length) + Sounds Sample Chōlām Pronounced HOW THINGS SHAKE OUT: Chōlām is a dot over a letter that makes the ֹו :is a vowel (ō) or a consonant-with-a-vowel (vô). VOWEL ֹו ; ֹו is a Chōlām vowel, but it can look like וֹ ”like the “o st ( לוֹח ָ ם ) comes right after a consonant with no sound of the “o” in ֹו (is after the 1 letter of the word; and b ֹו (in “pro.” is just a vowel if a .mō-RĪM = ומ ֹ ִ ר םי :over a vowel over or under it. Example) “oh.” Vāv and Example: CONSONANT-WITH-VOWEL: st a) is the 1 letter of a word; and/or b) comes right after a consonant ֹו is a consonant-with-a-vowel if ֹו -yōre = רוֹי דְ ֿ םיִ -immedi a .vô-NŌT ‘ = וֲﬠ תוֹנֹ :ately DĪM with a vowel over or under it. Example after a consonant with no vowel over or beneath it) (long)

רוֹ

Edited by Rabbi Jonah Rank for the Shaar Shalom Synagogue in Halifax, NS | 06.27.2018 12 Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Hebrew Vowels (and a Few Marks)

Name (& How it Notes & Other Appearances Mnemonics Length) + Sounds Sample Qubbūtz Pronounced Qubbūtz is the sound of -like the “u” people who are im ( ץוּבֻּק ) (short) in “lucid” or pressed by a baseball the “oo” in getting knocked out of “boot.” the ballpark: “Ooooh!!!”

It also looks like the :Example ֻר baseball getting knocked = ֶצֻּקְ ֿמ תֶרֽ mequtz-TZE- out of the ballpark: ret