Hebrew Pronunciation
Hebrew Pronunciation Guide: Sounds, Niqqud & Tips
Hebrew pronunciation is more consistent than English — once you know the rules, most words sound exactly how they're written. Here's what you need to know to start sounding words out correctly.
What Is Niqqud?
Hebrew is normally written with only consonants — vowel sounds are implied or learned by memory. Niqqud (נִקּוּד) are small dots and dashes placed above, below, or inside letters that mark exactly which vowel sound to use. Beginner materials, children's books, and this trainer all include niqqud so you always know how a word is meant to sound, even before you've memorized it. If you haven't learned the letters yet, start with the Hebrew alphabet first.
Transliteration Is a Bridge, Not a Crutch
Every word in this trainer includes a transliteration — the Hebrew word spelled out using English letters — alongside the Hebrew script and niqqud. Transliteration is a helpful bridge while you're learning to read Hebrew script, but it's worth weaning off it over time, since it can't capture every Hebrew sound precisely.
Common Pronunciation Challenges for English Speakers
The guttural ח / כ sound
A raspy "kh" sound made in the back of the throat, not found in English — similar to the ch in "loch" or "Bach." It takes most learners some deliberate practice to place correctly.
The ע (ayin)
Historically a deep guttural sound. In casual Modern Israeli Hebrew it's often pronounced silently, like א (aleph), though some speakers still voice it distinctly.
Word stress on the last syllable
Hebrew words are very often stressed on the final syllable — shaLOM, toDA — which is the opposite of many English speakers' instinct to stress an earlier syllable.
Practice Listening and Repeating
The most reliable way to build accurate pronunciation is to listen to real audio and repeat it out loud. Every word and example sentence in the trainer has a speaker icon — tap it to hear native Hebrew audio as many times as you need.
- גָּדוֹלgadolbig
- קָטָןkatansmall
- טוֹבtovgood
- רַעrabad
- חָדָשׁchadashnew
- יָשָׁןyashanold