This Is The Way To Read

Pointed Hebrew Texts (nikud) Correctly.

Many people know how to read Hebrew letters, but find pointed Hebrew texts quite complicated. This is a course, which deals with the vowels and points system, or as it is called in Hebrew, nikud. The course is divided into two parts. The first part will present a quick and basic review of the points and vowels system and the second will present pointed texts from other aspects. The idea of the course is to simplify the system and enable each and every one to understand this unique way of spelling and reading without getting lost on the way.

The vowels and points system simplifies the reading of Hebrew. Unlike English, the vowels do not have to appear in the words in order to enable the reader to pronounce them correctly. Points and lines, which appear in, on and under the letters assist readers in pronouncing the words correctly. Beginners will find reading without the lines and dots almost impossible however, will manage without them, once they

practice and get the hang of it.

There has been a great demand from Yanshuf readers for a simple course in the vowels and points system. The system is not easy and by the way quite difficult and sometimes even unknown to many Israelis. Many of them find the lines and dots quite confusing and manage very well without them. This course will not go into minor details, which are not relevant to reading correctly.

PART 1

פַּתָּח, קָמַץ, חָטַף פָּתַח = A

אַ – פָּתַח (patach)  

אָ – קָמַץ  (kamatz)

אֲ – חָטַף-פָּתַח (hataf – patach)

All these symbols are pronounced     A

For example the Hebrew word for nose is  af  ף  א.

Sometimes a patach may appear under the letters ה  , ע and  ח  at the end of a word. For example: גָּבוֹהַּ ,שָׁבוּעַ, שָׂמֵחַ, מִשְׁלוֹחַ  The sound A will not be pronounced after the consonant but before it. shavuaa , sameach, mishloach, gavoah .

Sometimes a kamatz will be found in the letter "ך" – ךָּ. It should be pronounced cha. The word אָחִיךָ, meaning your brother in the masculine, is pronounced achicha . With no kamatz , it is pronounced achich meaning your brother, in the feminine.

A rule:

When a kamatz appears in the letter "ך"  it refers to the masculine.

For example: דניאל,קח את מכוניתך וסע לביתך.   Daniel, kach et mechonitcha vesa leveitcha.  (Daniel, take your car and go to your home.)

When the letter “ "ך appears with no kamatz , it refers to the feminine.

For example: דינה, קחי את מכוניתך וסעי לביתך.    Dina kchi et mechonitech usei leveitech. ( Dina, take your car and drive home.)

Let’s practice.

Read the following sentences.

דָּנָה קָמָה. לָמָּה? כָּכָה.

Dana kama. Lama? Kacha.

Dana got up. Why? Just because.

מָה הַשָּׁעָה?

Ma HaSha´ah?

What time is it?

הַזַּמָּר עָלָה לַבָּמָה.

HaZamar ala la´bama.

The singer got onto the stage.

1) Read the following sentences and place suitable nikud symbols.

1. החלה חמה השבת.
2. למה את רצה השנה?
3. הפעם הוּא גמר בננה.

חִירִיק = i

אִ – חִירִיק  chirik 

A chirik  is pronounced   I

For example the Hebrew word for "if" is   “im”  אִם .

In written Hebrew which does not contain dots, the letter  י     usually represents the vowel I  and is not pronounced “y”.                                                                            

For example:  תיקים  tikim (bags) ,סיפור   sipur ( a story )

Many words in written, dotted Hebrew, which contain the sound “I “ will substitute the “I” sound with the letter  " י".

For example:

 גִּבּוֹר – גיבור ( hero)

חִפֵּשׂ – חיפש (looked for)

חִלֵּק – חילק ( divided, handed out)

 Let’s practice.

Read these words.

שישי -  - shishi   (Friday)

אִישׁ –   - ish  (man)

 אִמָּא –  - ima ( mother)

  מַצָּה –   matzza-  (matzza)

 אִישִׁי - ishi – (privet)

צָעִיר –  - tzair   (young)

 צֵירֵי סָגוֹל, חָטַף-סָגוֹל, או שְּׁוָא בראש מילה =e

אֵ = צֵירֵי.  tzere

אֶ = סָגוֹל segol

אֱ = חָטַף-סָגוֹל chataf segol

All these symbols are pronounced “e”.

For example: the Hebrew word for mother is אֵם  em.

Let’s practice.

These words contain the tzere and segol. Read them.

יֶלֶד –  - yeled  (boy)

שֶׁמֶשׁ –  - shemesh (sun)

סֵמֶל –  – semel (symbol)

עֶרֶב –  – erev (evening)

גבר –  - gever (man)                        

שלג -  - sheleg ( snow)

2) The words below do not have lines and dots. Put the suitable signs according to the pronunciation, which appears in italics.

פריס   Paris

קיבל    kibel  ( received )

 קפיטריה   Cafiterya  ( cafeteria )

זית    zayit (olive)

חביתה- chavita    (pancake)

 התעלף   - hit alef  (fainted)

חוֹלָם וְחָטַף קָמַץ = O

אֹ = חוֹלָם  cholam

אֳ = חָטַף- קָמָץ  chataf kamatz

These symbols are pronounced O.

 The Cholam usually appears above the letter "ו", however it may be found above other letters as well.

For example: the Hebrew word for “light” is    or  אוֹר .

As explained earlier referring to the chirik, in dotted written Hebrew a “ו“ will not always be used as part of the cholam .When not dotted, a "ו"  will be used.

For example:

שָׁלֹשׁ – שלוש   shalosh (three)

חֹפֶשׁ – חופש chofesh  (freedom)

מְאֹד – מאוד    meod (very)

חֹדֶשׁ – חודש  chodesh  (month)

הַחֲטָף-קָמָץ ( chataf kamatz) is also pronounced O.

אֳנִיָּה – This word should be pronounced oniya and not aniya as many people mistakably think. 

Here are more examples:

תוכנית - תָּכְנִית  - tochnit (program)

קורבן – קָרְבָּן- korban ( sacrifice)

שׁוּרוּק וְקֻבּוּץ   = u

שׁוּרוּק = וּ = shuruk  ( The dot, which is used to specify the “u” sound, always appears with the letter “ ו”.)

ְקֻבּוּץ = אֻ = kubutz

Here are examples:

סוכות - סֻכּוֹת -  - sukut ( tabernacles )

מולבש – מֻלְבָּשׁ -  - mulbash ( dressed)

מושלם – מֻשְׁלָם -  - mushlam ( perfect)

פורסם – פֻּרְסַם -  - pursam ( advertised )

שְּׁוָוא

אְ  - (shva) שְּׁוָוא

The last symbol we are going to deal with is the shva, which consists of two dots under the letter. The shva is not pronounced in a special way. The presence of the shva means there is no vowel after the dotted letter.

Here are examples:

 לַבְקָן –  -  lavkan  –   (albino)  

 כרטיס –  - cartis      –   ( ticket ).

מזרח –  – mizrach –  ( east)

Many words in dotted Hebrew do not contain any sign under some of the letters. It is assumed that there should be a shva under them. However, seems it has no unique way of pronunciation, it is not used.

The following chart summarizes all the nikud  symbols we have studied.

Let’s practice.

3)Put a suitable nikud symbol according to the correct pronunciation, which appears in italics.

Yerushalaim shel zahav. ירושלים של זהב.

Jerusalem of gold.

Yisrael, eretz ha´kodesh. ישראל ארץ הקודש.

Israel, the holy land.

Ha´sefer hu yedido ha´tov shel ha´adam.

הספר הוא ידידו הטוב של האדם.