Alef Bet: The Hebrew Alphabet

Alef Bet: The Hebrew Alphabet

The Alef Bet is the Hebrew alphabet, consisting of 22 letters.

Characteristics:

• The Hebrew alphabet is written from right to left.
• All letters are consonants, with vowels indicated by diacritical marks (niqqud).
• The Alef Bet is an abjad, meaning that vowels are not explicitly written.

Letters and Their Pronunciation:

1. Alef (א): /ʔ/ or /a/ (glottal stop or a, as in "father")
2. Bet (ב): /b/ or /v/ (b or v, as in "bet" or "vet")
3. ** Gimel** (ג): /g/ (g, as in "go")
4. Dalet (ד): /d/ (d, as in "dot")
5. He (ה): /h/ (h, as in "house")
6. Vav (ו): /v/ or /u/ (v or u, as in "vet" or "put")
7. Zay (ז): /z/ (z, as in "zoo")
8. Chet (ח): /x/ (ch, as in "loch" or "Bach")
9. Tet (ט): /t/ (t, as in "tap")
10. Yud (י): /y/ or /i/ (y or i, as in "yes" or "hit")
11. Kaf (כ): /k/ or /ch/ (k or ch, as in "kite" or "loch")
12. Lamed (ל): /l/ (l, as in "let")
13. Mem (מ): /m/ (m, as in "mat")
14. Nun (נ): /n/ (n, as in "nut")
15. Samech (ס): /s/ (s, as in "sat")
16. Ayin (ע): /ʔ/ or /a/ (glottal stop or a, as in "father")
17. Pe (פ): /p/ or /f/ (p or f, as in "pat" or "fat")
18. Tzadi (צ): /ts/ (ts, as in "bits")
19. Qof (ק): /q/ (q, as in "queen")
20. Resh (ר): /r/ (r, as in "red")
21. Shin (ש): /sh/ or /s/ (sh or s, as in "shoe" or "sat")
22. Tav (ת): /t/ (t, as in "tap")

Final Forms:

• Some letters have a different form when appearing at the end of a word.
• These final forms are:
  • Kaf (ך)
  • Mem (ם)
  • Nun (ן)
  • Pe (ף)
  • Tzadi (ץ)

These notes provide a comprehensive overview of the Alef Bet, including the characteristics, pronunciation, and final forms of the Hebrew alphabet.

Characteristics of the Alef Bet

• The Alef Bet is written from right to left.
• It contains 22 letters.
• All letters are consonants, with vowels indicated by diacritical marks (niqqud).
• The Alef Bet is an abjad, meaning that vowels are not explicitly written.

Letters and Their Pronunciation

• Alef (א) represents a glottal stop /ʔ/ or a /a/.
• Bet (ב) represents /b/ or /v/.
• Gimel (ג) represents /g/.
• Dalet (ד) represents /d/.
• He (ה) represents /h/.
• Vav (ו) represents /v/ or /u/.
• Zay (ז) represents /z/.
• Chet (ח) represents /x/.
• Tet (ט) represents /t/.
• Yud (י) represents /y/ or /i/.
• Kaf (כ) represents /k/ or /ch/.
• Lamed (ל) represents /l/.
• Mem (מ) represents /m/.
• Nun (נ) represents /n/.
• Samech (ס) represents /s/.
• Ayin (ע) represents a glottal stop /ʔ/ or /a/.
• Pe (פ) represents /p/ or /f/.
• Tzadi (צ) represents /ts/.
• Qof (ק) represents /q/.
• Resh (ר) represents /r/.
• Shin (ש) represents /sh/ or /s/.
• Tav (ת) represents /t/.

Final Forms

• Some letters have a different form when appearing at the end of a word.
• The final forms are: Kaf (ך), Mem (ם), Nun (ן), Pe (ף), and Tzadi (ץ).