epstein@epsteinag.ch

Index

a) pronunciation and transliteration
b) installing Hebrew script on your computer
c) the hebrew alphabet
d) learning the alphabet while singing
e) vocalization – nikud
f) soft and hard consonants: v/b, ch/k, f/p – s and sh
g) full and defective spelling

letternamepronounciationmeaningpron.Hebrew
אalefvowel carrier - soundless
בbetb at the word’s beginninghousebayit בית
בvetv: mostly in the word
גgimelgcamelgamal גמל
'גgimel + ’j as in english Joe in foreign words
דdaletddoordelet דלת
הheh
at the word’s end: carrier
letter for a or e, e.g. in torah
teachings or roveh gun
וvavo or uhookvav וו
ווdouble vavv
זzayinzbibl. weaponzayin זין
’זzayin + ’j as in French Jean – in foreign words
חchetch – pronounced gutturally by oriental Jews (sefardim)
טtett
יyudy or i except:
yud-vav
e.g. elav – אליו – to him
ייdouble yud· as y in the word middle (eg binyan /building)
· or as e (eg me+negev, the waters of the Negev)
· I as in „size“: mostly in foreign words (eg הייטק High Tech)
כkafk at the beginning of the wordspoonkaf כף
כchafch in the middle of the word
ךfinal chafch at the end of the word
לlamedlhe learntlamad למד
מmemm
םfinal memm at the word’s end
נnunn
ןfinal nunn at the word’s end
סsamechunvoiced s as in passhe supportedsamach סמך
עayinvowel carrier – pronounced gutturally by sefardimeyeayin עין
פpehp at the beginning of a wordmouthpeh פה
פfehin the word: mostly f
ףfinal fehf at the end of the word
צtzadetz righteoustzadik צדיק 
'צtzade + ’ch as in Charly in foreign words
קkufk needle eyekuf קוף
רreshrheadrosh ראש
שshinshtoothshen שין
שsin
(rare)		s – as in kiss
eg in basar - בשר (meat)
תtavt in foreign words for th as in teoria (theory), with apostrophe: English thnotetavתו