A Basic Chart of the Hebrew Vowels (And a Few Marks)

A Basic Chart of the Hebrew Vowels (and a Few Marks)

Name + Sample How it Sounds Mnemonics (& Some Notes) each A Dagesh looks like a dot פּ and ,כּ ,בּ .1 —( שֵׁגָדּ ) Dagesh but a dot in a Hey is make a sound that in the centre of a letter. cannot be held—as ,( קיִפַּמ ) a Mapik opposed to the sounds and a dot in a Vav .פ and ,כ ,ב of without a vowel is a 2. הּ (Heh with Mapik, which looks like ( וּשׁ ר וּ ק ) Shuruk Dagesh) sounds like the “h” in “hi.” רּ 3. If וּ has a vowel vs. under it, over it, or immediately to its הּ left, this is a Vav with a Dagesh—and you vs. can pronounce it like a regular Vav. וּ Otherwise is a Shuruk vowel that makes the sound “u” like in “tutu.” 4. For all other letters, ignore.

Example: ke’ivu-YAH = הָּיוּוִּאֿ ְכּ

Edited by Rabbi Jonah Rank for the Shaar Shalom Synagogue in Halifax, NS | 10.13.2018

A Basic Chart of the Hebrew Vowels (and a Few Marks)

Name + Sample How it Sounds Mnemonics (& Some Notes) Meteg A mark that tells us A Meteg looks like the bottom of a stop sign that a syllable should ( גֶתֽ ֶמ ) be more stressed than being held by a stressed stop-sign-holder telling other syllables in the you to slow down for the ֽר word. stress(ed syllable).

Example: -meku-TZE = ֶצֻּקְ ֿמ תֶרְֶֻֽֿ ret

Makef It doesn’t sound like Makef is like a bridge that connects two (or more) anything; it connects ( ַמ ףֵקּ ) words, and we count words.

-those connected ־ words as just-1-word.

Example: MIN = ִמן כּ־ ׇ בּ־ל רִ כְ ָ ָ ת אָתָכ ִבּלׇכּ KOL birkha-TA

Edited by Rabbi Jonah Rank for the Shaar Shalom Synagogue in Halifax, NS | 10.13.2018

A Basic Chart of the Hebrew Vowels (and a Few Marks)

Name + Sample How it Sounds Mnemonics (& Some Notes) Sheva Nach No vowel sound. The Sheva Nach makes the sound that you might Just say the) ( אָוְ ֿשׁ חָנ ) consonant as if no make when you are silent, and the Sheva Na‘ makes vowel were beneath the sound of you saying a it.) really short “Eh” after ְר someone asks you for Example: your opinion about .sif-RO something you disliked = וֹרְפִס Either way, the Sheva In this packet, we looks like the developing bubbles before the always put a line thought bubble rises, above a Sheva Na to helping you figure out make distinct-looking how to respond. any Sheva that makes a sound. Example: -uvshokhbe = בוּ שְׁ ׇ ְבְּכ ְְֿ KHA.

Edited by Rabbi Jonah Rank for the Shaar Shalom Synagogue in Halifax, NS | 10.13.2018

A Basic Chart of the Hebrew Vowels (and a Few Marks)

Name + Sample How it Sounds Mnemonics (& Some Notes) Chataf Patach Pronounced most The Kamatz Gadol, the Chataf Patach, and the commonly like the ( חָתַּפּ־ףַטֲח ) “ah” in “Ah, it is Patach all have a flat line at the top on which good to lie down” or somebody could lie down the “a” in “father.” to rest and say, “Ah, it is ֲא good to lie down!” -A = הֵלֲﬠ :Example LEH

Pronounced most The Kamatz Gadol, the ( חָתַּפּ ) Patach commonly like the Chataf Patach, and the “ah” in “Ah, it is Patach all have a flat line at the top on which good to lie down” or somebody could lie down ַר the “a” in “father.” to rest and say, “Ah, it is good to lie down!” Example: ha-LAKH = ַלָה

One exception: ִי For some reason, there is a hidden -yerusha-LA) ְֿיר שׁוּ ָ םַל in the word yim—meaning “Jerusalem” and printed ִי usually spelled with the today).

Edited by Rabbi Jonah Rank for the Shaar Shalom Synagogue in Halifax, NS | 10.13.2018

A Basic Chart of the Hebrew Vowels (and a Few Marks)

Name + Sample How it Sounds Mnemonics (& Some Notes) Kamatz Gadol Pronounced most The Kamatz Gadol, the Chataf Patach, and the commonly like the ( ץָמָק לוֹדָגּ ) “ah” in “Ah, it is Patach all have a flat line at the top on which good to lie down” or somebody could lie down the “a” in “father.” to rest and say, “Ah, it is ָר good to lie down!” Example: ha-LAKH = ַלָה

One exception: ִי For some reason, there is a hidden -yerusha-LA) ְֿיר שׁוּ ָ םַל in the word yim—meaning “Jerusalem” and printed ִי usually spelled with the today).

Edited by Rabbi Jonah Rank for the Shaar Shalom Synagogue in Halifax, NS | 10.13.2018

A Basic Chart of the Hebrew Vowels (and a Few Marks)

Name + Sample How it Sounds Mnemonics (& Some Notes) Sheva Na Pronounced like the The Sheva Nach makes the sound that you might eh” in “meh” or the“ ( אָוְ ֿשׁ עָנ ) “e” in “den.” make when you are silent, (ultra-short) and the Sheva Na makes the sound of you saying a really short “Eh” after = ֶצֻּקְ ֿמ תֶרֽ :Example mequtz-TZE-ret someone asks you for your opinion about ְ ֿר something you disliked. Either way, the Sheva looks like the developing bubbles before the thought bubble rises, helping you figure out how to respond.

Edited by Rabbi Jonah Rank for the Shaar Shalom Synagogue in Halifax, NS | 10.13.2018

A Basic Chart of the Hebrew Vowels (and a Few Marks)

Name + Sample How it Sounds Mnemonics (& Some Notes) Chataf Segol Pronounced like the Chataf Segol is pronounced like the “eh” in eh” in “meh” or the“ ( לוֹגֶס־ףַטֲח ) “e” in “den.” “meh” or the “e” in the word “petals,” and a Chataf Segol also looks like a bunch of petals = זֱחֶה ריִ :Example ֱא heche-ZIR (technically five petals); some say it looks like five eggs.

Segol Pronounced like the Segol is pronounced like the “eh” in “meh” or the eh” in “meh” or the“ ( לוֹגֶס ) “e” in “den.” “e” in the word “petals,” and a Segol also looks like the petals of a three- petaled flower. Some say = זֱחֶה ריִ :Example ֶר heche-ZIR it looks like three eggs.

Edited by Rabbi Jonah Rank for the Shaar Shalom Synagogue in Halifax, NS | 10.13.2018

A Basic Chart of the Hebrew Vowels (and a Few Marks)

Name + Sample How it Sounds Mnemonics (& Some Notes) Tzeyrey Pronounced pretty Tzeyrey looks like two heads of people meeting close to the “ey” in ( יֵריֵצ ) “hey” and possibly up, and one of them (probably now living in even more closely to New Jersey but original- ,the “eh” in “It’s a ly from Brooklyn) says ֵר sunny day, eh?” “Ey! ‘Ow’s it goin’?” It also sounds like a di- Canadian saying, “Good = רֵבִּדּ :Example BER maple syrup, eh?”

Chirik (not followed Usually pronounced Chirik is just one teeny immediately by a Yod like the “ee” in weeny dot beneath a let- without a vowel) “green.” (We’ll ter and makes the sound ”.transliterate it as i.) of “ee” in “green ( קיִריִח )

:Example ִר bi-TO = וֹתִּבּ

One hidden vowel: ִי For some reason, there is a hidden ְֿיר שׁוּ ָ םַל and ְֿיר שׁוּ ָ םָל in the words (yerusha-LA-yim—both of which mean “Jerusalem” and are usually .(printed today ִי spelled with the

Edited by Rabbi Jonah Rank for the Shaar Shalom Synagogue in Halifax, NS | 10.13.2018

A Basic Chart of the Hebrew Vowels (and a Few Marks)

Name + Sample How it Sounds Mnemonics (& Some Notes) Chirik (immediately Pronounced like the Chirik is just one teeny followed by a vowel-less “ee” in “green.” weeny dot beneath a let- Yod) (We’ll transliterate it ter and makes the sound ”.as i.) of “ee” in “green ( קיִריִח )

Example: DIN = ןיִדּ יִר

Chataf Kamatz Pronounced like the Kamatz Katan (either with an elongated bot-tom ”.o” in “pro“ ( ץָמָק־ףַטֲח ) line or looking the same as a Kamatz Gadol) and Example: Chataf Kamatz have flat lemocho-RAT lines like the “ah” vowels = תַרֳחׇמְֿל ֳא (Chataf Patach, Patach, and Kamatz Gadol). Chataf Kamatz looks like a Kamatz next to a Sheva. Kamatz Katan and Chataf Kamatz both make an “oh” sound.

Edited by Rabbi Jonah Rank for the Shaar Shalom Synagogue in Halifax, NS | 10.13.2018

A Basic Chart of the Hebrew Vowels (and a Few Marks)

Name + Sample How it Sounds Mnemonics (& Some Notes) Kamatz Katan Pronounced like the Kamatz Katan (either with an elongated bottom ”.o” in “pro“ ( ץָמָק ןָטָק ) line or looking the same as a Kamatz Gadol) and Example: Chataf Kamatz have flat lemocho-RAT lines like the “ah” vowels = תַרֳחׇמְֿל ׇא (Chataf Patach, Patach, and Kamatz Gadol). Chataf Kamatz looks like a Kamatz next to a Sheva. Kamatz Katan and Chataf Kamatz both make an “oh” sound.

Cholam Pronounced like the Cholam is a dot over a “o” in “pro.” letter that makes the ”.above and to the sound of the “o” in “oh) ( לוֹח ָ ם ) left of a consonant) Example: KO-ach = ַחֽ ֹכּ ֹר Cholam Pronounced like the Cholam is a dot over a “o” in “pro.” letter that makes the ”.over a Vav and sound of the “o” in “oh) ( לוֹח ָ ם ) immediately after a consonant with no vowel Example: yore-DIM = רוֹי דְ ֿ םיִ (over or beneath it

וֹר

Edited by Rabbi Jonah Rank for the Shaar Shalom Synagogue in Halifax, NS | 10.13.2018

A Basic Chart of the Hebrew Vowels (and a Few Marks)

Name + Sample How it Sounds Mnemonics (& Some Notes) Kubutz Pronounced like the Kubutz is the sound of people who are impressed u” in “lucid” or the“ ( ץוּבֻּק ) “oo” in “boot.” by a baseball getting knocked out of the ballpark: “Ooh!!!” It also Example: looks like the baseball -meku-TZE = ֶצֻּקְ ֿמ תֶרֽ ֻר getting knocked out of the ret ballpark: