Hebrew Reading Lesson 3

Before you start the lesson please ensure you are comfortable the quick sound of the Ivrit letters and the Ivrit vowel symbols, Nikud.

If you need Help with letters sounds and Nikud look at my Blogg posts

Any questions don't hesitate to ask, I am here to help :)

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Hebrew Reading Lesson 2

Before you start the lesson please ensure you are comfortable the quick sound of the Ivrit letters and the Ivrit vowel symbols, Nikud.

If you need Help with letters sounds and Nikud look at my Blogg posts

Any questions don't hesitate to ask, I am here to help :)

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The Hebrew Final Letters

5 letters of the Ivrit Alef Bet have a final form.  

This means that when they appear at the end of a word they look different.

We are going to learn how these letters look in Block letters (reading) and learn how they are written in Cursive letters (writing).

The 5 letters that have a final form are:  Kaf,  Mem, Noon, Peh, Tsadi,   

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Hebrew Lessons via Skpe

Hi, My name is Pnina and I am Israeli.  I teach Hebrew (Ivrit) as a hobby because it is my language and I love teaching it.

I can teach you to read, Write and speak.

I can give you help in GCSE exam.

I can help you with reading your Torah portion for your Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah.

Whatever you require, no matter what it is, even if you just need one lesson, just get in touch. 

My rate is £15 an hour and I teach Hebrew Ivrit via Skype in the evening.

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Hebrew Letters Quick Sound

In this lesson we will learn each letter's quick sound.

A letter makes a quick sound if:
If it hasn't got any Nikud symbol
If it has two vertical dots under it.

These two letters don't have a quick sound:

 silent = א אְ

 silent = ה הְ

These 4 letters all have double sound:

Weak(without dot inside)            Strong (with dot inside)

    V = ב בְ                B = בּ בְּ

F = פ פְ                  P = פּ פְּ

H' = כ כְ                  K = כּ כְּ

S = שׂ שְׂ              SH = שׁ שְׁ

These 3 letters all change sound with apostrophe:

 GE /J = 'ג' גְ              G = ג גְ

French pronunciation J = 'ז' זְ                Z = ז זְ

 CH = 'צ' צְ            TS = צ צְ

All the remaining letters all have one quick sound

 D = ד דְ

 V = ו וְ

 H' = ח חְ

 T = ט טְ

 Y = י יְ

 L = ל לְ

 M = מ מ

 N =  נ נְ

 S = ס סְ

 A = ע ע

 K = ק קְ

 R = ר רְ

 T = ת תְ

 5 letters  have a final form and make a quick sound at the end of a word:

  Final Kaf = H' = ך

  Final Mem = M = ם

Final Nun = N  = ן

  Final Peh= F = ף

  Final Tsadi = TS = ץ

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Help with Hebrew GCSE Listening Test - June 2013

Guidance to answering the 2013 Listening Test. Question by Question. 

Link to Exam transcript:
June 2013 GCSE Unit 1 - Listening Test Transcript

Link to Exam paper:
Unit 01 - Listening Test: Question paper 

Link to hear the recording:
June 2013 GCSE Unit 1 - Listening Test Recording.

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Hebrew Reading Lesson 1

Before you start the lesson please ensure you are comfortable the quick sound of the Ivrit letters and the Ivrit vowel symbols, Nikud.

If you need Help with letters sounds and Nikud look at my Blogg posts

Any questions don't hesitate to ask, I am here to help :)

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Nikud To Ignore

You will see some Nikud symbols on letters which doesn't change the sound of the letters. 

This will typically be in text from the Bible or sometimes in other text.

We are going to look at which Nikud symbols you can Ignore.  You will learn to filter them out in your mind with practice.

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Nikud

In this lesson you will learn the Nikud symbols and how they change the sound of the consonants.

I want you to keep in mind, before we start, that there is more than one Nikud symbol per sound.  Just like in English where the sound 'ee' and the sound 'ea', sound the same;
For example in the words: Seem Seam

Before you continue with this lesson please ensure you know all the Ivrit letters quick sound.

We are going to learn all the Nikkud symbols and how they change the sound of the consonants. 
Before we start, keep in mind that there is more than one Nikud symbol per sound. Just like in English where the sound 'ee' and the sound 'ea', sound the same;For example in the words: Seem Seam.

I am not going to match each Nikud symbol to a particular vowels in English because its not exactly right.

I am going to talk about sounds rather then vowels.

There are 5 sounds:

a, u	like in Bat / Rug
e	like in Red
ee / ea / i  and y	like in Been / Bean / Bin  and like in Baby
oo / u	like in Look / Pull
o	like in Log

Lets look at how the Nikud symbol give the letter its sound.

The sound 'a' like in Bat

There are 2 main sound symbols for this sound and they are made of flat lines.
The flat lines are placed under the letter like this: סַ סָ

Hint to remember the sound: FLAT lines.

So in the word Bat we can place either of the above Nikud symbols under the B - בּ

בָּט

בַּט

The silent letters Alef and Hey will also make a sound when these Nikud symbols are placed under them:

Aah = אַ אָ
Hah = הַ הָ
Lets look at few more examples:.
Ga = גַ גָ
Da = דַ דָ
Va = וַ וָ
Za = זַ זָ
and so on...

The sound 'e' like in Red

There are 2 main Nikud symbols for this sound and they are made of dots.

The dots are placed under the letter like this   סֵ סֶ

Hint to remember the sound: pile of EGGS.

In the word Red we can place either of the above Nikud symbols under the R - ר

רֶד

רֵד

The silent letters Alef and Hey will also make a sound when these Nikud symbols are placed under them:

Eeh = אֵ אֶ
Heh = הֵ הֶ

Lets look at few more examples:
H'eh = חֵ חֶ
 Teh = טֵ טֶ
Yeh = יֵ יֶ
Keh = כֵּ כֶּ
H'eh = כֵ כֶ
and so on...

Before we start with the next 3 sounds I want to remind you that in Ivrit we read from Right to Left. 

When a letter is used as a vowel, it will be placed after the letter which will be on the left.

The sound 'i' / 'ee' like in Green / Bin and 'y' like in baby             

There is one Nikud symbol for this sound and it is made of one dot. The dot is placed under the letter like this:  סִ 

Also the smallest letter of the alphabet (Yud) can be used to create this sound and it is placed after the letter like this:  סי

Hint to remember the sound: TINY dot \ TINY letter.

In the word Green we can place the above Nikud symbols under the R - ר

גְרִן

or the letter yud after the ר

גְרין

In the word baby we can place the small letter Yud after, on the left, of the second B - ב

 Notice how the first letter Yud is making a quick sound בֵּיבּי

The silent letters Alef and Hey will also make a sound when these Nikud symbols are placed under them:
ee/i = אִ אי
He = הִ הי
Lets look at few more examples:.
Lee = לִ לי
 Me = מִ מי
Nee = נִ ני
and so on...

The sound 'oo'/ 'u' like in Look and Blue

There is one Nikud symbols for this sound and it is made of dots that are placed under the letter like this: סֻ

Also the letter (Vav) with a dot in the middle can be used to create this sound and it is placed after the letter like this: ּסו

Hints to remember the sound: 

String of LOOPS.

Think of the Vav being a person being hit in the tummy with a ball... he will say oooooo!! 

In the word Blue we can place the sound symbol under the letter L - ל

לֻק

Or the letter Vav with the dot in the middle after, on the left, of the letter L - ל

לוּק

In the word Blue we can place the letter Vav after the letter L - ל

בְּלוּ

The silent letters Alef and Hey will also make a sound when these Nikud symbols are placed under them:

oo = אֻ אוּ

Hoo = הֻ הוּ

Lets look at few more examples:

Su= סֻ סוּ

 oo = עֻ עו

Poo = פֻּ פּוּ

Foo = פֻ פוּ

and so on...

The sound 'o' like in Orange or Dog

There is one Nikud symbols for this sound and it is made of 1 dot on the top left hand corner of the letter like this. סׂ

Also the letter (Vav) with a dot on top can be used to create this sound and it is placed after the letter like this:  סׂו

Hints to remember the sound: 

On Top

Imagine the Vav being a person being hit on his head with a ball... he will say Oh!! 

In the word Orange we will place the Nikud symbol at the top left hand corner of the O - א

'אֹרֵנְג

Or the letter (Vav) with the dot on top after, on the left of the letter

'אוֹרֵנְג

The silent letters Alef and Hey will also make a sound when these Nikud symbols are placed under them:

Oh = אֹ אוֹ

Ho = הֹ הוֹ

Lets look at few more examples:

Tso = צֹ צוֹ

 Ko = קֹ קוֹ

Ro = רֹ רוֹ

To = תֹ תוֹ

and so on...

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Alef Bet Poster

This attractive Alef Bet Poster is digitally created. It is high quality with variant colours. It will brighten up your child's room and make learning the Hebrew Alef Bet FUN! 
It will also look fabulous in a classroom or Kindergarten.

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Nikud Explaind

In this lesson I will explain the vowel system in Hebrew, Ivrit.  The Ivrit vowels is called Nikud, it means dotting, pointing. 
It is a system of small marks or symbols. Lines and dots are used to represent the vowels. They are places under, on top or in letters.

Once you become a more comfortable reader you will be able to read without the Nikud (sound symbols).

Although the Ivrit letters are all consonants, two of them can be used as vowels. Its just like in English where the consonant letter 'Y' sometimes behaves like a vowel. 
Example of this is in the word Baby.  This will be explained separately.

To help you understand how the Nikud system  works, lets look at the sentence:

The Rabbit took the carrot.

Now lets imagine this sentence, written again, but lets put the vowels (as smaller letters), where they would appear if it was Ivrit. 

What we end up with, is a string of consonants with vowels underneath or on top of the letters.  In Ivrit these will be small symbols (Lines and dots)

Lets look at an example: 

The vowel 'a' in the word Rabbit is places under the 'R' to make 'R' sound like 'Ra'. 

In Ivrit , instead of letter we use this symbol:

 and it will be placed under the letter.

Look at the rest of the sentence to understand how the consonants gets the sound by placing the small vowel underneath.

This is a post to teach you all the symbols - Nikud.

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Cursive Script Letters

In this lesson we are going to learn the Appearance of Cursive / Script Letters. 

You will learn how to write each letter. There are arrows showing the direction and where to start when writing each letter. I also provide some steps for each letter.

Practice writing the letters. Its important to write the letters correctly because it will make writing easier and will add speed to your writing. 

You can watch my video on Kidima channel on Youtube, it shows you how to write each letter.

Have fun.

Alef Block - א

Alef in Cursive / Script

1. Start from the top of the curve

2. Draw the curved line

3. Draw the line on the right

(The line can touch the curve)

Bet Block - ב

Bet Cursive / Script

1. Start from the top

2. Draw a curve line to the right and continue down
3 Draw a smaller curve under the top curve

Gimel Block - ג

Gimel Cursive / Script

1. Start from the top

2. Draw the line which can be a little slanted

3. Draw the curve to the left




Dalet Block - ד

Dalet Cursive / Script

1. Start from the top

2. Draw curve, loop  round and down






Hey Block - ה

Hey Cursive / Script

1. Start from the top

2. Draw the first curve

3. Draw another smaller curve inside

Vav Block - ו

Vav Cursive / Script

1. Start from the top

2. Draw a line straight down

Zayin Block - ז

Zayin Cursive / Script

1. Start from the top

2. Draw the line which can be straight or a little slanted

3. Draw the curve to the right

H'et Block - ח

H'et Cursive  / Script

1. Start from the top of the curve

2. Draw the curve

3. Go back to the top
4. Draw the straight line down

Tet Block - ט

Tet Cursive / Script

1. Start from the top right

2. Draw a line down

3. Curve
4. Continue the curve to the top right

Yud Block -  י

Yud Cursive / Script

1. Start from the top

2. Draw a short line straight down

(Yud is floating above the writing line)






Kaf Block - כ

Kaf Cursive / Script

1. Start from the top

2. Draw a curve

 3. Continue and finish bellow the start point






Kaf Sofit Block - ך

Kaaf Sofit Cursive / Script

1. Start from the top

2. Draw a curve and continue down

3 Curve the line in and go up a little
4 Draw a line straight down

(The line of kaf Sofit finishes below the writing line)

Lamed Block - ל

Lamed Cursive / Script

1. Start from the top of the loop

2. Draw a closed loop

3. Continue up
4. Curve the top to the right and down a little






Mem Block - מ

Mem Cursive / Script

1. Start from the top

2. Draw a line straight down

3 Draw a slanted line up to the left
3. Draw a line straight down

Mem Sofit Block - ם

Mem Cursive / Script

1. Start from the top

2. Draw a closed circle

3. Continue with a line straight down

Nun Block - נ

Nun Cursive / Script

1. Start from the top

2. draw a line straight down

3. Curve the line a little to the right
4. Draw a short line to the left

Nun Sofit Block - ן

Nun Sofit Cursive / Script

1. Start from the top

2. Draw a longish line straight down

(Nun Sofit finishes below the writing line)

Sameh' Block - ס

Sameh' Cursive / Script

1. Start from the top

2. Draw a circle

Ayin Block - ע

Ayin Cursive / Script

1. Start from the top right

2. Draw a curve

3. Continue up and back over the first curve

Peh Block - פ

Peh Cursive / Script

1. Start from the top

2. Draw a spiral

Peh Sofit Block - ף

Peh Sofit Cursive / Script

1. Start from the top of the bottom loop

2. Draw a closed loop

3. Continue up and curve the top to create another loop
4. Finish with another loop

Tsadi Block - צ

Tsadi Cursive / Script

1. Start from the top

2. Draw a curve

3. Draw another curve
(Like the number 3)

Tsadi Sofit Block - ץ

Tsadi Sofit Cursive / Script

1. Start from the top of the bottom loop

2. Draw a closed loop

3. Continue up and curve the top to create another loop
4. Flick the line upwards

Kuf Block - ק

Kuf Cursive / Script

1. Start from the top

2. Draw a curve to the right and down

3. Draw a longish  line down

(The line of kuf finishes below the writing line)




Resh Block - ר

Resh Cursive / Script

 1. Start from the top
2. Draw a curve to the right and down

Shin Block - ש

Shin Cursive / Script

 1. Start from the top of the right line
2. Draw a curve to the left

3. Continue the curve up
4. Draw a loop





Tav Block - ת

Tav Cursive / Script

1.  Start from the top
2. Draw a curve to the right and down

3. Go back to the top
4 Draw a line down and to the left

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