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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