The Hebrew Alphabet
Hebrew has 22 main letters. Start at the right edge of a word and read leftward.
How It Works
Start on the Right
In שלום, the first letter is ש at the right. Then come ל, ו and final ם. Keep that order when you read or type. A line of Hebrew continues toward the left, though numbers and English words inside it still run left to right.
Letters and Sounds
Most letters stand for a consonant, and no letter stands for a whole syllable. Some letters, such as ו and י, can also show vowels. Some letters have two sounds: ב can sound like b or v, כ like k or kh, and פ like p or f. ש can sound like sh or s. In modern speech, א and ע are often silent, as in אור. Learn each spoken word along with its letters.
This entry uses the square letters you see in print. Handwritten Hebrew uses rounder cursive shapes for the same 22 letters.
Examples (4)
- שלום
Hello; peace.
The letters in reading order are ש, ל, ו, ם.
- ספר
Book.
Read ס, then פ, then ר. The vowels are not written as letters here, so learn how the word sounds along with its spelling.
- בית
House; home.
Read ב, then י, then ת. Here י is a consonant, not a vowel letter.
- אור
Light.
Read א, then ו, then ר. Here א has no sound of its own, and ו shows the vowel.
How It Connects
Related Patterns
Practice The Hebrew Alphabet in Bubblegum
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