Hebrew Vowels Vowels 2 X quamats a as

Hebrew Vowels

Vowels

2 X quamats a as in father a-class

y. X 3 hireq-yod i as in machine i-class

4 X Tsere e as in they -class i

WX or holam o as in row -class X u

OX shuruk oo as in cool u-class

Notice that two of the long vowels, y w and are consonants used as vowels. These are known as matres lectionis (mothers of reading)

Vowels

1 X patah a as in father a-class

3 X hireq i as in bit -class i

X segol e as in bed i-class

X qubbuts u as in put u-class

2 X qamats hatuf* o as in hold -class * unaccented, closed syllable u

The qamats… and the qamats hatuf… 2 2 X X 2 have the same symbol: but two different sounds.

Sheva 5 X

5 X Ø Sheva may be silent or vocal

5 X Ø The silent sheva occurs after a closed syllable

5 X Ø The vocal sheva is pronounced as a very short e (as in severe)

5 X \NWSRV 7474 VOL 1DEPTGTHEMMDr. L. BreckenridgeFront. Page Web PagesHebrewhmpg_filesPower PtsGutteral Letters. ppt ØA vocal sheva is used after a consonant, except gutterals, in which case a composite sheva used. is

5 X Ø Words that end in a consonant do not have a sheva, except { and t 5

Composite shevas

Composite shevas * X Hataf patah a as in along

Composite shevas 9 X 0 Hataf segol e as in effect

Composite shevas X Hataf qamats o as in only