BK Inno 000290

LESSON NOTES
Basic Bootcamp S1 #1
Self-Introduction: Basic Greetings
in Hebrew
CONTENTS
2 Hebrew
2 English
2 Romanization
2 Vowelled
3 Vocabulary
3 Sample Sentences
4 Vocabulary Phrase Usage
5 Grammar
6 Cultural Insight
# 1
COPYRIGHT © 2013 INNOVATIVE LANGUAGE LEARNING. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
HEBREW
? . . :A .1
. . :B .2
. :A .3
. :B .4
ENGLISH
1. A: Hello. My name is Amir. What's your name?
2. B: Hello, Amir. My name is Shira.
3. A: Nice to meet you.
4. B: Me too.
ROMANIZATION
1. A: Shalom. Sh'mi Amir. Mah shmekh?
2. B: Shalom Amir. Sh'mi Shira.
3. A: Na'im me'od.
4. B: Gam li.
VOWELLED
CONT'D OVER
HEBREWPOD101.COM BAS I C BOOT CAMP S 1 #1 - S ELF-I NT RODUCT I ON: BAS I C GREET I NGS I N HEBREW 2
? . . :A .1
. . :B .2
. :A .3
. :B .4
VOCABULARY
He br e w R omanization English C lass Ge nde r
shalom hello noun
ani I or I am pronoun general
meod much/great/very adjective
li (to) me pronoun none
gam also preposition
na'im lovely, pleasant adjective
SAMPLE SENTENCES
? , ? ,
Shalom, mah shlomekh Shira? shalom, ma shlomcha?
Hello, how are you, Shira? Hello, how are you? (to male listener)
. .
Ani ohev otakh. Ani me'od ohev kafeh.
I love you. (male speaker to female I like coffee very much.(male speaker)
listener)
. .
ani meod raev. yesh li darcon.
I am very hungry. (male speaker) I have a passport.
! .
Gam ani ohev kafeh! Hayah nayim.
I also love coffee! (male speaker) It was pleasant.
VOCABULARY PHRASE USAGE
".literally means "peace" but translates also as "hello
means "I" or "I am" in Hebrew. There is no present tense form for the verb "to be," so if the
.subject is not followed by a verb, the verb "to be" is implied
Fo r Exa m pl e :
. .1
Ani Amir.
"I'm Amir."
. .2
Ani mehan'des..
"I am an engineer."
"means "to me
"is " also
Here is an example of both of these terms.
Fo r Exa m pl e :
. .1
am li.
"I'm hot." (literally, "hot to me")
.2
gam li
"me too" or "also to me"
.means "my name." See the grammar section below for more information on this phrase
means "pleasant," and we can use it to describe anything we find pleasant, such as the
night, the atmosphere, the feel of something. We can also use it to describe a person as being
"."nice
",is like the English "very." It can also mean "many" as in the phrase "many people
.
GRAMMAR
Th e Fo cu s o f Th i s Ba si c Bo o tca m p L e sso n Is H o w to Ask So m e bo d y fo r H i s o r H e r

Nam e.
. .
. .
Sh a l o m Am i r. Sh ' m i Sh i ra .
"H e l l o , Am i r. My n a m e i s Sh i ra ."
You can ask someone for his or her name by asking the simple question .? means
"what," and means "your name." Here, the verb "to be" is implied because there is no
present form for the verb "to be." It is just understood anytime there is no verb present. In
Hebrew, you can show possession of nouns by adding a suffix to the end of the noun that
indicates whose possession it is. In this case, we combine "name" and "your" - , to create
the phrase "your name" . Here are the forms that you will use most often:
H e bre w R o m a n i z a ti o n "En g l i sh "
sh'mi "my name"
shim' kha "your (masculine) name"
sh'mekh "your (feminine) name"
sh'mo "his name"
sh'mah "her name"
CULTURAL INSIGHT
Me e ti n g a n d G re e ti n g i n Isra e l
In Israel, we greet each other for the first time with a handshake or a smile and a nod of
acknowledgment. What you will use depends on the cultural and religious background of the
person you are meeting. When greeting a new acquaintance in Israel, you should follow the
person's lead on what form of physical greeting is acceptable. In the Orthodox Jewish faith, it
is not acceptable for two people of the opposite sex to touch each other, so a handshake
would not be appropriate in such a situation. If you are a woman greeting a man, follow the
man's lead to see whether he offers you a hand and vice versa. You will usually be able to tell
whether someone is religious by the person's mode of dress; if the person is a man, he will
wear a yarmulke on his head at all times.
LESSON NOTES
Talking Nationality in Hebrew
CONTENTS
2 Hebrew
2 English
2 Romanization
2 Vowelled
2 Vocabulary
3 Sample Sentences
3 Grammar
5 Cultural Insight
# 2
HEBREW
. . . : .1
. . . : .2
ENGLISH
1. AMIR: Hello. My name is Amir. I'm Israeli.
2. SHIRA: Hello, I'm Shira. I'm American.
ROMANIZATION
1. AMIR: Shalom. Sh'mi Amir. Ani yisra'eli.
2. SHIRA: Shalom. Ani Shira. Ani amerika'it.
VOWELLED
. . . : .1
. . . : .2
VOCABULARY
shalom hello noun
HEBREWPOD101.COM BAS I C BOOT CAMP S 1 #2 - T ALKI NG NAT I ONALI T Y I N HEBREW 2

sh'mi my name phrase
Israeli
yisra'eli (Masculine) noun masculine
amerika'i American noun masculine
ani I or I am pronoun general
SAMPLE SENTENCES
? , ? ,
Shalom, mah shlomekh Shira? shalom, ma shlomcha?
Hello, how are you, Shira? Hello, how are you?
. .
Sh’mi Brad Pitt. Sh'm i Rut.
My name is Brad Pitt. My name is Ruth.
! .
Hummus ze ha-ochel ha-israeli ha-ahuv alai! Ha-horim sheli yisra'eli'i m.
Hummus is my favorite Israeli food! My parents are Israeli.
. , .
Lo, ani Amerikai. Ani ohev otakh.
No, I'm American. I love you.
To say that you are a certain nationality, just say , which means "I (am)" and add
after it at the end. "I am American." To change nationality to, say Russian, use the same
and just add the word for "Russian" at the end ..
GRAMMAR

Th e Fo cu s o f Th i s L e sso n Is to Te a ch Yo u H o w to Ta l k a bo u t N a ti o n a l i ty.
. . .
. . .
Sh a l o m . An i Sh i ra . An i a m e ri ka ' i t.
"H e l l o , I' m Sh i ra . I' m Am e ri ca n ."
Let's take a look at the dialogue again.
. . . :
. . . :
We start with a self-introduction ("Hello, my name is Amir."). Then we say our nationality,
.
The point that needs special attention here is gender. The phrase "I'm Israeli" sounds different
for women and men. Let's take a look at the examples with both genders, feminine and
masculine:
Fe m i n i n e
H e bre w Vo w e l e d R o m a n i z a ti o n "En g l i sh "
. . Ani yis'ra'elit. "I'm Israeli."
. . Ani rusit. "I'm Russian."
. . Hi amerika'it. "She's American."
. . Hi britit. "She is British."
"Are you
? ? At yapanit? Japanese?"
? ? At sinit? "Are you Chinese?"
Ha- everah sheli "My girlfriend is

. . tzar'fatit. French."

Ha- everah sheli "My girlfriend is
.
. ital'kit. Italian."
Ma scu l i n e
. . Ani yis'ra'eli. "I'm Israeli."
. . Ani rusi. "I'm Russian."
. . Hu amerika'i "He's American."
. . Hu briti. "He's British."
"Are you
? ? Atah yapani? Japanese?"
? ? Atah sini? "Are you Chinese?"
Ha- aver sheli "My boyfriend is

. . tzar'fati. French."
Ha- aver sheli "My boyfriend is

. . ital'ki. Italian."
CULTURAL INSIGHT
Th e Isra e l i Me l ti n g Po t
Aliyah is at the foundation of present day Israel. Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the land
of Israel. Anyone who has at least one Jewish grandparent has the right to make aliyah.
Because Jewish people were scattered all over following their exile from the land of Israel,
those who have come back to Israel have come from all over the world. The first modern
aliyah began in 1882 and brought Jews from the Russian Empire and Yemen. They were
followed by Jews from eastern and western Europe, Arab countries, Ethiopia, North Africa,
and South America. So what you find in Israel today is a huge mix of cultures and
backgrounds, all of them Israeli.

LESSON NOTES
Useful Phrases for Learning
Hebrew
CONTENTS
2 Hebrew
2 English
2 Romanization
3 Vowelled
3 Vocabulary
4 Sample Sentences
8 Grammar
10 Cultural Insight
# 3
HEBREW
? ' , : .1
: .2
. , . , : .3
: .4
, : .5
- : .6
. , : .7
ENGLISH
1. SHIR: Excuse me, how do you say "cheese" in Hebrew?
2. AMIR: Cheese.
3. SHIR: I'm sorry, I didn't understand. Is it possible to say it once again,

please?
4. AMIR: Cheese.
5. SHIR: Is it possible to speak more slowly, please?
6. AMIR: Che-ese.
7. SHIR: Could you write it, please?
ROMANIZATION CONT'D OVER
HEBREWPOD101.COM BAS I C BOOT CAMP S 1 #3 - US EFUL PHRAS ES FOR LEARNI NG HEBREW 2

1. SHIR: Sli' ah, e'ikh om'rim "cheese" be-ivrit.
2. AMIR: g'vinah
3. SHIR: Sli' ah, lo hevan'ti. Ef'shar lehagid et zeh od pa'am be-vakeshah.
4. AMIR: g'vinah
5. SHIR: Ef'shar ledaber le'at yoter be-vakeshah.
6. AMIR: g'vi-nah
7. SHIR: ef'shar likh'tov et zeh, be-vakeshah.
VOWELLED
? ' , : .1
: .2
. , . , : .3
: .4
, : .5
- : .6
. , : .7
VOCABULARY

possible, is it
ef'shar possible adverb
no equivalent in
et English particle
verb (imperative
likh'tov to write subjunctive)
I'm sorry.
sli ah (informal)/ noun feminine
Excuse me.
eikh how interrogative general
la 'zor to repeat verb
bevakasha please noun
le'daber to speak verb
lomar to say verb
be-ivrit in Hebrew adverb
lo not, no adverb
le-havin to understand verb
le'at yoter more slowly adverb
SAMPLE SENTENCES
? .
Ef's har lashevet poh? Ani ohevet et ha-yam.
Is it possible to sit here? I like the sea. (feminine)

. .
Ani ohev et ha-yam. Bikash'ti mim'kha likh'tov et ha-k'tovet shel'kha.
I like the sea. (masculine) I asked you to write down your address.
(masculine)
. ? ,
Bikash'ti mimekh likh'tov et ha-k'tovet shelakh. slicha, ma ha-sha'a ?
I asked you to write down your address. Excuse me, what's the time?
(feminine)
. , .
slicha ani me'a cher. slicha al ha-ichur.
I'm sorry, I'm late. Excuse me/sorry for being late.
? ?
Eikh atah mevashel brokoli? E'i ch kor'i m et zeh?
How do you cook broccoli? How do you read this?
? ?
kama zeh oleh? Efshar lachazor al ha-shem shelakh be-
vakeshah?
How much is it?
Can you repeat your name, please?
(feminine)
? ?
Ifshar la 'z or al ha-shem shel'kha be-vakeshah? Efshar lachazor al ha-shem shelakh be-
vakeshah?
Can you repeat your name, please?
(masculine) Can you repeat your name, please?
(feminine)
. .
glidah achat be-vakashah. Daber 'a zak yoter.
One ice cream, please. Speak more loudly. (masculine)

. ?
Dabri 'a zak yoter. E'i kh om'r im olive oil be-ivrit?
Speak more loudly. (feminine) How do you say olive oil in Hebrew?
. .
Hi yekholah ledaber be-ivrit. Ani lo rotzeh lish'tot.
She can speak in Hebrew. I don't want to drink.
. .
Ani lo yis'r a'elit. Ani lo yisra'eli.
I'm not Israeli. (feminine) I'm not Israeli. (masculine)
. ?
Ana ’nu lo mevinim a ad et ha-sheni. At mevinah oti?
We don’t understand each other. Do you understand me? (feminine)
? . , ,
ata mevin oti? iz'r i al zeh, le'a t yoter, be-vakeshah.
Do you understand me? (masculine) Repeat more slowly, please. (feminine)
. , ,
azor al zeh, le'a t yoter, be-vakeshah.
Repeat more slowly, please. (masculine)
This means "excuse me" and has the same usage as in English when we use it in questions.
However, if we use it in an interrogative sentence, its meaning will change to "I'm sorry."
This is "how" in English. When you want to ask a general question such as "How does one
say...?" or "How does one write...? you use followed by the masculine plural form of the

verb. There is no need for a subject, since it is implied with the verb.
Fo r Exa m pl e :
? ______ .1
E'ikh om'rim ________ be-ivrit?
"How do you say _______ in Hebrew?"
? ________ .2
E'ikh kot'vim ________ be-ivrit?
"How do you write ________ in Hebrew?"
This is a somewhat irregular verb in that it omits one of its root letters in the infinitive form.
This is why it appears with an ' in the sentences. It means "to say."
This is actually two words: -, which means "in" in this context, and , which is "Hebrew."
This means "no," and we use it to negate a sentence.
This means "to understand," and it is in the infinitive form.
This means "to return" or "to repeat."
This word actually means "at request," and we use it as "please." We can also use it to offer
something to someone.
This means "to speak."

This means "slow." means "more." If you use them together, you have the Hebrew
equivalent of "more slowly." If you have difficulty understanding your companion, you can
simply say this.
Fo r Exa m pl e :
. , .1
Le'at yoter, be-vakeshah.
"More slowly, please."
This means "to write."
It has no equivalent in English but marks a definite, direct object. It is used when there is a - ,
meaning "the," or a proper noun before the object. You will hear this word a lot in Hebrew.
Don't worry about the meaning, just about where the word goes in the sentence.
This means "perhaps" or "possible," and when we use it in a question, it means "is it
possible?" We use it as a polite way to ask something.
GRAMMAR
Th e Fo cu s o f Th i s L e sso n Is U si n g H e bre w Ph ra se s to L e a rn Mo re H e bre w .
. , :
. , :
e f' sh a r l i kh ' to v e t z e h , be - va ke sh a h .
"C o u l d yo u w ri te i t, pl e a se ? "
I. ("Excu se m e ")

The first word in this sentence means "excuse me" and has the same usage as in English
when we use it in questions. We can also use it to say "I'm sorry."
Fo r Exa m pl e :
? , .1
Sli ah, mah ha-sha'ah akh'shav?
"Excuse me, what time is it now?"
. , .2
Sli ah, lo ra'iti ot'kha sham.
"I'm sorry, I didn't see you there."
II. ? ("H o w d o yo u sa y i n H e bre w ? ")

The phrase literally means "How do (they) say?" We can translate as "in
Hebrew," and it refers to the language in our case.
When you want to talk about people in general who do something specific, you only need to
use the masculine plural form of the verb in any of the three tenses. There is no need for a
subject in the sentence because the subject is implied by the verb tense. The "they" or "people
in general" as the subject is understood.
Fo r Exa m pl e :
. " " .1
Om'rim "g'vinah" be-ivrit.
"(They) say 'cheese' in Hebrew."
. .2
Dibru pa'am aramit.
"(They) spoke Aramaic once."
, .3
Yivinu yom echad.
"(They) will understand one day."

III. ("Pl e a se ")
The word has the same usage as the English "please," and we use it with both
requests and offers. You can also use it like you would "sure" or "be my guest" in English.
Here is an example of both usages.
Fo r Exa m pl e :
. , .1
Kafe e ad, be-vakeshah.
"One coffee, please."
! .2
Be-vakeshah!
literally, "Be my guest!"
IV. , ? ("C o u l d yo u w ri te i t, pl e a se ? ")
A polite way to ask something in Hebrew is to use the word followed by a verb in the
infinitive form. , in this context, literally means "is it possible." is followed by ,
which means "to write." The end of our sentence has the word , which means "it" or "that."
Because is a direct object, you must place before it to indicate that you are talking about
something specific.
CULTURAL INSIGHT
C a fé C u l tu re
When you think of a café culture, you think of Paris or Italy. But you will be surprised to find out
that Israel also has a very strong café culture. There are even a few Israeli café chains that
have been transplanted in other countries. Friday mornings are for cleaning, shopping, and
getting ready for Shabbat to start, but they are also for sitting in a café with your closest
friends, sipping a coffee, and chatting about the latest gossip. One of the favorite coffees in
Israel is called café hafukh or "upside-down coffee." It is the equivalent of a latte or a coffee
with milk.

LESSON NOTES
Counting from One to One
Hundred in Hebrew!
CONTENTS
2 Hebrew
3 English
4 Romanization
5 Vowelled
6 Vocabulary
7 Sample Sentences
9 Grammar
12 Cultural Insight
# 4
HEBREW
,(1) :A .1
.. :B .2
(2) :A .3
... :B .4
(3) :A .5
... :B .6
(4) :A .7
... :B .8
(5) :A .9
... :B .10
(6) :A .11
... :B .12
(7) :A .13
... :B .14
(8) :A .15
... :B .16
CONT'D OVER
HEBREWPOD101.COM BAS I C BOOT CAMP S 1 #4 - COUNT I NG FROM ONE T O ONE HUNDRED I N HEBREW! 2
(9) :A .17
... :B .18
(10) :A .19
ENGLISH
1. A: one,
2. B: and
3. A: two,
4. B: and
5. A: three,
6. B: and
7. A: four,
8. B: and
9. A: five,
10. B: and
11. A: six,
12. B: and
CONT'D OVER
13. A: seven,
14. B: and
15. A: eight,
16. B: and
17. A: nine,
18. B: and
19. A: ten
ROMANIZATION
1. A: a at,
2. B: ve….
3. A: shtayim,
4. B: ve….
5. A: shalosh,
6. B: ve….
7. A: ar'ba
8. B: ve….
CONT'D OVER
9. A: amesh
10. B: ve….
11. A: shesh
12. B: ve….
13. A: sheva
14. B: ve….
15. A: sh'moneh
16. B: ve….
17. A: tesha
18. B: ve….
19. A: eser
VOWELLED
,(1) :A .1
.. :B .2
(2) :A .3
... :B .4
CONT'D OVER
(3) :A .5
... :B .6
(4) :A .7
... :B .8
(5) :A .9
... :B .10
(6) :A .11
... :B .12
(7) :A .13
... :B .14
(8) :A .15
... :B .16
(9) :A .17
... :B .18
(10) :A .19
VOCABULARY
achat one noun feminine
shtayim two
shesh six noun feminine
tesha nine noun feminine
sheva seven noun feminine
shalosh three noun feminine
arba four noun feminine
chamesh five noun feminine
shmona eight adjective masculine
asara ten adjective masculine
SAMPLE SENTENCES
. .
yalda achat. Sh'n ei kartisim le-Tel Aviv be-vakeshah.
One girl. Two tickets to Tel Aviv, please.
. .
Yesh od shesh dakot ad le-t' ilat ha-kon'tzert. Hu hayah be-israel tesha pa'a mim.
There are six minutes left till the beginning He's been to Israel nine times.
of the concert.
. .
le-chatulim ish tesha neshamot. Hu gar be-Tel Aviv sheva shanim.
Cats have nine lives. He lived in Tel Aviv for seven years.
. .
yesh li shalosh achayot, arba smalot.
I have three sisters. Four dresses.
. .
Hu chika amesh sha'ot be-s'd e ha-te'u fah. chamesh yeladot.
He waited five hours at the airport. Five girls.
. ! ,
Yesh li shmonah ac im. Ani rotzeh asarah cadurei falafel bevakeshah!
I have eight brothers. I would like ten falafel balls, please!
N u m be rs fro m El e ve n to Tw e n ty
As you might have already noticed, we form the numbers eleven to nineteen simply by
adding es'reh ("ten") after the number. Here are some more examples.
Fo r Exa m pl e :
e at es'reh shanim "eleven years"
sh'tem es'reh
me oniyot "twelve cars"
ben shesh es'reh "sixteen years old"
es'rim anashim "twenty people"
Th e Mu l ti pl e s o f Te n
Multiples of ten in Hebrew combine the numbers one through ten with the ending - , which
makes it easier to remember. The only exceptions are twenty and one hundred.
es'rim "twenty"
shloshim "thirty"
ar'ba'im "forty"
amishim "fifty"
shishim "sixty"
shi'vim "seventy"
sh'monim "eighty"
tish'im "ninety"
me'ah "one hundred"
Oth e r C o m po u n d N u m be rs
We form other compound numbers in the same way we form the English numerals: that is, by
placing the numbers from one to nine after twenty, thirty, forty, fifty...up through ninety, joined
by the word "and."
Fo r Exa m pl e :
.1
es'rim ve-ar'bah komot
"twenty-four stories"
.2
arba'im ve- amesh dakot
"forty-five minutes"
.3
sh'monim ve-shesh a uz
"eighty-six percent"
GRAMMAR
G ra m m a r Po i n t
Th e Fo cu s o f Th i s L e sso n Is H e bre w N u m e ra l s fro m On e to On e H u n d re d .
aat
"o n e "
From the point of view of the word order, Hebrew numerals generally have the same usage
as in English: the number comes first followed by a noun (the thing you are counting). The
only exception to this is with the number one, where the number comes after the noun. When
using the number two in combination with a noun, we drop the mem and shorten it to or
.
Fo r Exa m pl e :
.1
kar'tis e ad
"one ticket"
.2
sh'tei dakot
"two minutes"
.3
sh'loshah anashim
"three people"
.4
ar'ba'im shanim
"forty years"
N u m be rs fro m On e to
Te n
The two things that need special consideration when using Hebrew numerals are:
1. number
2. gender (masculine or feminine)
But the only numbers that change are one through nineteen. So let's take a look at examples
of the difference between feminine and masculine numbers.
"On e " H e bre w R o m a n i z a ti o n "En g l i sh "
feminine yal'dah a at "one girl"
masculine gever e ad "one man"
As we can see, the number agrees with the related noun in gender, number, and case.
Now the number "two," or .
"Tw o " H e bre w R o m a n i z a ti o n "En g l i sh "
Feminine sh'tei yak'dot "two girls"
Masculine sh'nei g'varim "two men"
Moving on to "three," or :
"Th re e " H e bre w R o m a n i z a ti o n "En g l i sh "
Feminine shalosh yal'dot "three girls"
Masculine sh'loshah g'varim "three men"
The next example is "fourteen," or :
"Fo u rte e n " H e bre w R o m a n i z a ti o n "En g l i sh "
Feminine shalosh yal'dot "fourteen girls"
Masculine sh'loshah g'varim "fourteen men"
Numbers higher than twenty do not have gender agreement with nouns, so the number stays
the same for both masculine and feminine nouns.
Fo r Exa m pl e :
"Fi fty" H e bre w R o m a n i z a ti o n "En g l i sh "
Feminine amishim mat'be'ot "fifty coins"
Masculine sh'loshah g'varim "fifty people"
CULTURAL INSIGHT
Th e Ve rsa ti l i ty o f H e bre w L e tte rs
In Hebrew, numbers are also represented by letters. We usually see this in such things as
dates, biblical references, days of the week, and school grades. Aleph represents one, bet
represents two, and so on until you reach ten, which is yod. After ten, you combine the letters
to make bigger numbers. A great example of this usage is in the popular expression
', which means "hello, first grade."
LESSON NOTES
Counting from One Hundred to
One Million in Hebrew
CONTENTS
2 Hebrew
3 English
5 Romanization
7 Vowelled
9 Vocabulary
10 Sample Sentences
11 Grammar
13 Cultural Insight
# 5
HEBREW
:B .1
:A .2
:B .3
:A .4
:B .5
:A .6
:B .7
:A .8
:B .9
:A .10
:B .11
- :A .12
- :B .13
- :A .14
- :B .15
- :A .16
CONT'D OVER
HEBREWPOD101.COM BAS I C BOOT CAMP S 1 #5 - COUNT I NG FROM ONE HUNDRED T O ONE MI LLI ON I N HEBREW 2
- :B .17
- :A .18
- :B .19
:A .20
:B .21
:A .22
:B .23
:A .24
:B .25
:A .26
:B .27
:A .28
:B .29
ENGLISH
1. A: one hundred
2. B: two hundred
CONT'D OVER
3. A: three hundred
4. B: four hundred
5. A: five hundred
6. B: six hundred
7. A: seven hundred
8. B: eight hundred
9. A: nine hundred
10. B: one thousand
11. A: two thousand
12. B: three thousand
13. A: four thousand
14. B: five thousand
15. A: six thousand
16. B: seven thousand
17. A: eight thousand
18. B: nine thousand
CONT'D OVER
19. A: ten thousand
20. B: twenty thousand
21. A: thirty thousand
22. B: forty thousand
23. A: fifty thousand
24. B: sixty thousand
25. A: seventy thousand
26. B: eighty thousand
27. A: ninety thousand
28. B: one hundred thousand
29. A: one million
ROMANIZATION
1. A: me'ah
2. B: matayim
3. A: shalosh me'ot
4. B: ar'bah me'ot
CONT'D OVER
5. A: amesh me'ot
6. B: shesh me'ot
7. A: sh'va me'ot,
8. B: sh'moneh me'ot
9. A: t'sha me'ot
10. B: elef,
11. A: al'payim
12. B: sh'loshet alafim,
13. A: arba'at alafim,
14. B: ameshet alafim,
15. A: sheshet alafim,
16. B: shiv'at alafim,
17. A: sh'monat alafim,
18. B: tish'at alafim,
19. A: aseret alafim
20. B: esrim elef,
CONT'D OVER
21. A: sh'loshim elef,
22. B: arbaim elef,
23. A: amishim elef,
24. B: shishim elef,
25. A: shiv'im elef,
26. B: sh'monim elef,
27. A: tish'im elef,
28. B: me'ah elef,
29. A: miliyon,
VOWELLED
:B .1
:A .2
:B .3
:A .4
:B .5
:A .6
CONT'D OVER
:B .7
:A .8
:B .9
:A .10
:B .11
- :A .12
- :B .13
- :A .14
- :B .15
- :A .16
- :B .17
- :A .18
- :B .19
:A .20
:B .21
CONT'D OVER
:A .22
:B .23
:A .24
:B .25
:A .26
:B .27
:A .28
:B .29
VOCABULARY
one hundred Numeral,

me'ah (100) Adverb male
two hundred
matayim (200)
seven hundred
shva me'ot (700)
one million
miliyon (1,000,000)
eight hundred
sh'moneh me'ot (800)
nine hundred
t'sha me'ot (900)
three hundred
sh'losh me'ot (300)
four hundred
arba me'ot (400)
five hundred
amesh me'ot (500)
six hundred
shesh me'ot (600)
one thousand
elef (1000) noun
efes zero noun masculine
SAMPLE SENTENCES
. ?
Hu a'i k'var me'a h shanah. Ha-im matayim sh'kalim hem har'b eh?
He has already lived one hundred years. Are two hundred shekels a lot?
! .
Ha-tik oleh sh'va me'ot yuro. Ho'tzeti sh'm onah me'ot sh'kalim be-yom a at.
The bag cost seven hundred euros! I spent eight hundred shekels in one day.
. .
Ha-rehut ha-atik hayah ben t's ha me'ot shanah. Ha-ir bat sh'l osh me'ot shanah.
The antique was nine hundred years old. This city is three hundred years old.
.
Hu natan li ar'b ah me'ot sh'kalim. .
Yesh'n am amesh me'ot ov'd im she-ov'd im be-
He gave me four hundred shekels.
mis'r ad shelanu.
There are five hundred employees

working in our company.
. , , !
Ta 'l if li, be-vakeshah shesh me'ot dolarim le- Matzati elef sh'kalim!
yuro.
I found one thousand shekels!
Please change six hundred dollars into
euros for me.
.
Ha-mispar efes.
The number zero.
The two numbers that stand out here are zero and one million.
"Zero" is , and we can also use it as "nothing" in some instances.
.is the same as the English "million" with a slightly different pronunciation
GRAMMAR
Th e Fo cu s o f Th i s L e sso n Is H o w to L e a rn N u m be rs L a rg e r th a n 1 0 0 i n H e bre w .
m i l i yo n
"o n e m i l l i o n "
The easiest way to remember large Hebrew numbers is to understand their structure first. In
the previous Basic Bootcamp lesson, we covered the numbers from one to one hundred. As
you can remember, the most important thing was to memorize the numbers from one to ten
and then build larger numbers by modifying endings, adding or dropping some parts, and so
on. There are exceptions among the common rules, but in general, Hebrew numbers have a
strong logical system according to which we build the numbers.
On e
H u n d re d
"One hundred" in Hebrew is ; however, when counting the rest of the hundreds, this word
changes. For example, "two hundred" is , and "three hundred" is . As you
might have noticed, we use the numbers three through nine first, and then we add . This
makes the hundreds.
On e Th o u sa n d
Here, we construct the thousands very similarly to the hundreds, except that we use
masculine numbers. We start with the base, , "one thousand." We construct "two
thousand" as in the hundreds, with the special double ending ; therefore, it becomes .
We construct the rest of the numbers with the masculine number preceding . The
masculine number changes a bit in conjunction with : you need to drop the - and add a
- .
Fo r Exa m pl e :
.1
elef
"one thousand"
.2
al'payim
"two thousand"
- .3
shloshet alafim
"three thousand"
The rest of the numbers up to ten thousand follow the same pattern.
From eleven thousand to nineteen thousand, the pattern is similar, except you use the
masculine number as is and the singular form for .
Fo r Exa m pl e :
.1
a ad asar elef
"eleven thousand"
.2
arba'ah asar elef
"fourteen thousand"
.3
tish'ah asar elef
"nineteen thousand"
Once you go beyond nineteen thousand, you just combine with the preceding number, as
in English.
Fo r Exa m pl e :
.1
es'rim elef
"twenty thousand"
.2
amishim elef
"fifty thousand"
.3
tish'im elef
"ninety thousand"
And then we get to the big number, "one million," , the same as in English.
CULTURAL INSIGHT
Wh e re Yo u ' l l Fi n d So m e o f th e Bi g g e st N u m be rs i n Isra e l
Looking for big numbers? Look no further than Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv is the financial center of
Israel. It hosts some of Israel's highest-profiting companies and has the second-largest
economy in the Middle East. It is also home to the only stock exchange in Israel, the Tel Aviv
Stock Exchange or the Bursa, as it is known locally.
All this has its downside as well. Tel Aviv is the most expensive city in Israel and the Middle
East and the nineteenth most expensive city in the world. It recently made headlines when
hundreds of thousands of people went to the streets to protest the high cost of living and rent,
especially in Tel Aviv.
LESSON NOTES
All About S1 #1
The Top Five Reasons to Learn
Hebrew
CONTENTS
2 Grammar
# 1
GRAMMAR
Th e Fo cu s o f Th i s L e sso n Is th e H i sto ry o f th e Mo d e rn H e bre w L a n g u a g e .
L i n g u i sti cs
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic language family. It belongs to the Canaanite
group of languages, which are a branch of the Northwest Semitic family of languages.
Scholars believe that it developed from a dialect of the Canaanite language, but no one has
been able to pinpoint its exact origin.
Modern Hebrew has its roots in Classical Hebrew, which Jewish communities around the
world have used for prayer and study for centuries. As a spoken language, Classical Hebrew
was most widely used in the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah during the tenth to seventh
centuries BCE. Spoken Hebrew declined in ancient times following the Babylonian exile of
the Jewish people, and it became practically extinct as a spoken language by late antiquity
(the second to the eighth century CE). It was replaced by Aramaic, which was the regional
language used for trade, and temporarily by Greek as well, which was the language of the
ruling class at the time.
After the Bar Kokhba revolt against the Romans in 132 to 136 AD, most of the Jewish
population was exiled, and they adapted to the societies they were in, speaking the local
language and adapting that language into a dialect of their own. Yiddish and Ladino are good
examples of this. Jewish people continued to use Classical Hebrew in the written form for
many things, such as letters, documentation, poetry, and the written laws.
Around 200 CE, the Jewish people realized that vowels needed to be added to the Hebrew
alphabet to make it more accessible and to keep it consistent for further generations. Several
different groups of Jews came up with systems for this, but the one that remained came from
the Masoretes. Not wanting to hinder the sacred texts, they decided to develop vowels
consisting of marks in and around the letters.
Near the end of the nineteenth century, the Zionist movement began, and this led to
dispersed Jews returning to the ancient land of Israel, which was then part of the Ottoman
Empire. A few things contributed to the revival of Hebrew as a spoken language. First of all,
there were several groups of Jewish people who were attempting to revive the language in
different ways, some using Hebrew language newspapers as a vehicle and others publishing
non-religious texts in Hebrew. Most notably and famously known was Eliezer Ben-Yehuda,
who worked very hard to revive Hebrew as a spoken language. Ben-Yehuda had seen other
nationalities, such as Bulgarians, receive a state of their own, so he began working toward a
state and a unified language for the Jewish people. Ben-Yehuda began to speak Hebrew in
his home and with all the Jewish people he came in contact with. He filled in the need for
HEBREWPOD101.COM ALL ABOUT S 1 #1 - T HE T OP FI VE REAS ONS T O LEARN HEBREW 2

modern words, such as ice cream, by coining them himself. The next step was to bring
Hebrew to the schools, where young people from different language backgrounds would be
able to speak together with the common language of Hebrew. These two experiments were
successful, but Hebrew was still not spoken on a large scale.
To get people familiar with Hebrew in an everyday context, Ben-Yehuda needed a vehicle, so
he looked to publishing articles in Hebrew in a local paper. This had been a vehicle for other
attempts to revive Hebrew throughout the last half of the nineteenth century, and it was
successful. By the end of the 1800s, almost every male Jew living in Palestine could read
and understand the Hebrew in the newspaper without too much difficulty. To aid those
learning Hebrew, he began to compile a dictionary and published new words in the
newspaper, so people would be able to fill in the gaps of what Modern Hebrew was still
lacking.
The last contributing factor and the key to the success of Ben-Yehuda's mission was that at
the time, Jews from all over the world were returning to Israel, and they spoke many different
languages. Many of those that returned were Zionists, like Ben-Yehuda himself, and they
were eager to use Hebrew as a common language. They needed one common language in
which to converse, so Hebrew became that language. In spite of these successes, there were
some who were opposed to this idea. The extremely religious Jews did not think that Hebrew
should be used to discuss everyday things because it is a holy language. To this day, there
are ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel who speak Yiddish instead of Hebrew for everyday matters.
Hebrew became an official language of British-ruled Palestine in 1922, along with English
and Arabic. In 1948, it became the official language of the newly declared State of Israel. It is
the most widely spoken language in Israel today. Modern Hebrew is constructed from the
Semitic vocabulary of Classical Hebrew and has the same written appearance, but it is often
European in phonology and borrows many words from English and other languages.
Today there are two different dialects of Hebrew: Sephardic and Ashkenazi Hebrew.
Sephardic Hebrew originated with the Jews who were dispersed to Spain. It is now spoken by
Jews who were most recently located in the Middle East and Africa. Ashkenazi Hebrew is
spoken by Jews in most of Europe and North America. Pronunciation of Modern Hebrew in
Israel is based on Sephardic Hebrew.
Abo u t th e C o u n try o f Ori g i n
Although Hebrew originated in the Middle East, in the area that is now Israel, there were
several times throughout history that Hebrew was not spoken there. The Jews spent many
years in exile and later in the Diaspora before returning to their homeland and declaring the
State of Israel. For that reason, Hebrew went through many changes.
Wh e re Is It

Spo ke n ?
Culturally, Hebrew is considered to be the language of the Jewish people. Modern Hebrew is
one of the official languages of Israel; therefore, it is spoken by the seven million people living
in Israel, both Jewish and non-Jewish, and by the approximately 750,000 Israelis living
abroad.
Wh y It Is Im po rta n t
The top five reasons to learn this language are...
Hebrew is one of the oldest languages in the world.

•
Modern Hebrew comes from Classical Hebrew, which is the language that the
• Tanach and Old Testament are written in.
By learning Hebrew, you can get new insight into Jewish history and culture.
•
Knowing Hebrew will help you travel more easily in Israel and interact with Israelis
• abroad.
Learn Hebrew and you will gain an understanding and an appreciation for Israeli
• history and its culture-a modern nation built on historical roots that has gone through
so much to survive until today.
Hebrew is fun!
•

LESSON NOTES
All About S1 #2
Cracking the Hebrew Writing
System
CONTENTS
2 Grammar
# 2
GRAMMAR
Th e Fo cu s o f Th i s L e sso n Is th e H e bre w Wri ti n g Syste m .
Hebrew has its own writing system using the Hebrew alphabet. It is written from right to left
and contains no vowels. We use it for other Jewish languages as well, such as Yiddish,
Ladino, and Judeo-Arabic. In Hebrew, the alphabet is called the alephbet after the first two
letters.
The original Hebrew script was closely related to the ancient Phoenician script. By the tenth
century BC, the paleo-Hebrew alphabet emerged. It was commonly used during the time of
the ancient Israelite kingdoms of Israel and Judah. This form of the alphabet was preserved in
the Samaritan script. During the Babylonian exile, Jews adopted the Aramaic script used in
Babylon at the time, which then evolved into the present Hebrew alphabet.
Around 200 CE, the need for vowels was realized and a system of points was developed to
indicate vowel sounds, and placed them in and around the letters of the alphabet. This way
they did not need to alter any previous texts.
Al ph a be t
The Hebrew alphabet consists of twenty-two characters, all of which were originally
consonants. Five of these letters have a slightly different form, which is used at the end of the
word. There is only one case in Hebrew, so there is not distinction between lowercase and
uppercase letters as there is in other languages.
Traditionally, vowels were indicated by four weak consonants: Aleph, Heh, Vav, and Yohd.
This letter combines with the previous vowel and becomes silent. Today, two of these weak
consonants can behave like vowels as well as consonants. We can use Vav to indicate an "-
o" as well as a "-v," and we can use yud as an "-i" and a "-y."
The system of vowel points is called nikud. Hebrew uses a very structured system in which
three letter roots are applied to a pattern to determine the meaning and part of speech of the
word. Since Hebrew is so structured, nikud is not used in an everyday context. Israelis know
which vowels to use by the structure of the word, the part of speech, and the context within the
sentence. You will only find text written with nikud in religious writings, children's books, and
literature for new immigrants.
Block letters are used in texts and on signs, but cursive writing is used almost exclusively in
writing. Children learn to write block letters in primary school to learn the letters, but they
quickly exchange these for their cursive counterpart.
The Hebrew alphabet is also used to signify numbers. You will find letters used in dates,
HEBREWPOD101.COM ALL ABOUT S 1 #2 - CRACKI NG T HE HEBREW WRI T I NG S YS T EM 2

grades of school, and in religious texts. It's important to learn the first thirty letter combinations
used to signify numbers at the very least.
HEBREWPOD101.COM ALL ABOUT S 1 #2 - CRACKI NG T HE HEBREW WRI T I NG S YS T EM 3

LESSON NOTES
All About S1 #3
Painless Hebrew Grammar
CONTENTS
2 Grammar
# 3
GRAMMAR
Th e Fo cu s o f Th i s L e sso n Is H e bre w G ra m m a r.
It's time for the big, bad G-word! But there's nothing to be scared of: there are just a few words
we need to introduce to you.
R e vi e w i n g En g l i sh G ra m m a r
Before we look at Hebrew grammar, let's quickly review English grammar.
English is an SVO language, meaning "Subject-Verb-Object."
Fo r Exa m pl e :
1. "I eat fruit."

"I" = subject
"eat" = verb
"fruit" = object
Hebrew is the same as English where you have the Subject-Verb-Object in most situations.
English has three simple tenses: present, past, and future. The tense of the verb mainly refers
to the "time" of the action of the verb (present, past, or future time). In Hebrew, we have the
same three simple tenses, and that is all you need to learn. This makes it very simple for you
because you use these three tenses to creatively express things that would otherwise be
expressed by other forms of these tenses in other languages.
1. Gender
In English, some nouns are automatically thought of as masculine or feminine, such as

"king," "man," "queen," or "woman." We refer to everything else as "it" or having no gender
such as "pencil," "dog," etc.
In Hebrew, however, we assign gender to all nouns. Some of them, such as the words for
"man" and "woman," go into the natural classification. Unlike English, nouns that we would
think of as "it" (having no gender) are classified into one of these two categories. Here are
some examples.
Fo r Exa m pl e :
HEBREWPOD101.COM ALL ABOUT S 1 #3 - PAI NLES S HEBREW GRAMMAR 2

Gender H e bre w "En g l i sh "
Masculine "boy"
Masculine "king"
Masculine "circle"
Feminine "girl"
Feminine "queen"
Feminine "brush"
D e te rm i n i n g G e n d e r
In most cases, the end of the word will give you some clues as to what gender the word is.
1. If a noun ends in - or - , it's probably feminine
2. If it ends with any other letter, it's probably masculine.
There are, however, exceptions: words that come in pairs (ending with - ), such as "legs"
and "socks," can be either feminine or masculine. There are a few exceptions that you will
need to learn by heart because they don't follow the normal pattern.
Arti cl e s
English has three articles: the definite article, "the," and the indefinite articles "a" and "an."
Hebrew has only the definite article "the," and like in English, it does not determine the
gender, so you use it for both masculine and feminine nouns. The one big deference is that
we use this word as a prefix and sometimes it blends with another prefix if there are two. In
Hebrew, the indefinite article is implied, so there is no word for "a" or "an" like in English.
Let's look at the definite article.
Th e D e fi n i te Arti cl e : "Th e "
Fo r Exa m pl e :

G e n d e r (H e bre w Arti cl e ) H e bre w "En g l i sh "
Masculine ( ) "the boy"
Masculine ( ) "the king"
Masculine ( ) "the circle"
Feminine ( ) "the girl"
Feminine ( ) "the queen"
Feminine ( ) "the brush"
Th e In d e fi n i te Arti cl e : "A" o r "An "
The indefinite article in English is "a" or "an," depending upon whether the word begins with a
vowel sound. The indefinite article in Hebrew is implied, and there is no additional word
needed to determine this state, as shown below.
Fo r Exa m pl e :
Gender H e bre w "En g l i sh "
Masculine "a boy"
Masculine "a king"
Masculine "a circle"
Feminine "a girl"
Feminine "a queen"
Feminine "a roof"
2 . Pl u ra l s o f N o u n s

Of course, we don't just talk about "one book" or "a book." Sometimes we have to talk about
"books," "two books," or "many books." To make an English noun plural, we usually add -s or -
es to the end. "Book" becomes "books"; "fox" becomes "foxes", etc. Making a noun plural in
Hebrew requires that you know its gender. It is usually quite easy and straightforward.
1. For masculine nouns, you will add - to the end of the word.
2. For feminine nouns, you will drop the - or the - and add - to the end of the word.
Fo r Exa m pl e :
Si n g u l a r Pl u ra l
Gender H e bre w "En g l i sh " H e bre w "En g l i sh "
Masculine "boy" "boys"
"king" "kings"
"circle" "circles"
Feminine "girl" "girls"
"queen" "queens"
"brush" "brushes"
3. Pro n o u n s
Pronouns are that small class of words found in many languages that we use as
replacements or substitutes for nouns and noun phrases and that have a very general
reference-words such as "I," "you," "he," "this," etc.
If we didn't have pronouns in English, we'd have to talk like this: "My brother lives in Maryland.
My brother works for the government. My brother is married, and my brother's wife works as a
paralegal. I visit my brother and my brother's wife twice a year."
Aren't we lucky we have pronouns-words that take the place of a noun-to simplify our lives
and avoid that horrible, lengthy repetition? Try this instead: "My brother lives in Maryland. He
works for the government. He is married, and his wife works as a paralegal. I visit him and his
wife twice a year."

Pronouns have person, which tell us who's talking or whom we're talking about.
Here's a chart of the English pronouns.
Pe rso n Si n g u l a r Pl u ra l
First person "I" "we"
Second person "you" "you"
"he"
"she"
Third person "they"
"it"
Notice that English does give a nod to gender in the third person singular. Now, here's the
corresponding table in Hebrew.
First person ani ( ) "I" anach'nu ( ) "we"
Second person atah ( ) "you" masculine atem ( ) "you" masculine
Second person at ( ) "you" feminine aten ( ) "you" feminine
Third person hu ( ) "he" hem ( ) "they," masculine
Third person hi ( ) "her" hen ( ) "they," feminine
In Hebrew, second person singular and plural and third person singular and plural have
different forms for masculine and feminine.
4 . C o n j u g a ti o n
Generally, a verb describes existence, a condition, or an action.
Let's start our discussion of verbs with a regular verb in English, "to study."
First person "I study" "we study"

Second person "you study" "you study"
Third person "he, she, it studies" "they study"
When we combine the pronouns and verb forms, that's called conjugating a verb. You'll notice
that the verb "to study " in English is pretty simple in its conjugation. Most other verbs in
English, like "to walk" or "to run," don't change as much, just like "to study."
In Hebrew, each regular verb in the present tense has four conjugated forms that you will
need to learn. Most verbs are regular in Hebrew because they fit into a structured system of
conjugation. Even verbs that are partially irregular (they have weak letters that disappear or
turn into other letters) still fit within this system.
In Hebrew, the verb meaning "to study" also needs to be conjugated. Here it is.
Pe rso n Si n g u l a r "En g l i sh " Pl u ra l "En g l i sh "
anach'nu
First person ani lomed ( lom'dim
"I study" "we study "
Masculine ) ( )
anach'nu
First person ani lomedet lom'dot
feminine ( ) ( )
Second person ata lomed atem lom'dim

masculine ( ) "you study " ( ) "you study "
Second person at lomedet ( aten lom'dot

feminine ) ( )
Third person hu lomed ( hem lom'dim

masculine ) "he studies" ( ) "they study"
Third person hi lomedet ( hen lom'dot (

feminine ) "she studies " ) "they study"
Notice that in the present tense, there are four forms of the verb:
1. Masculine singular

2. Feminine singular
3. Masculine plural
4. Feminine plural
Once you've learned these forms, you'll be in a position to make a complete Hebrew
sentence.
Note: The verb "to be" in Hebrew does not have a present tense form, which can be confusing
in the beginning, but you will get used to it. You simply put a subject with another noun or
adjective and the verb "to be" is understood. For instance, if you want to tell someone what
your profession is, you simply say "I" and then your profession, such as "I teacher" (ani
moreh) .
U n i q u e Aspe cts o f th e H e bre w L a n g u a g e
The Hebrew language is built from a system of three- and four-letter roots. These root letters
are then put into a pattern, including vowels and sometimes additional consonants, which
determine the meaning of the word. When you see words that have the same three-letter root
in it, those words will most likely be related in some way.
There are examples of this concept used in English that may help you to understand how it
works. If you take the root "cred-," which means "to believe," you get the following related
words that use that root: credo, credible, credence, credit, credential, credulity, incredulous,
creed, and incredible.
Ad j e cti ve s
Another important part of speech is the adjective, which is a word that describes a noun. The
bo l d words in the sentences below are all adjectives.
1. "The bi g city is in Israel."
2. "The apple is sw e e t."
3. "I read a g o o d book."
4. "The g o o d books are on the shelf."
Look at the last two sentences. In English, you see that adjectives don't change their form
when the noun becomes plural. English adjectives come before the nouns. In English, an
adjective's form never changes.

In Hebrew, however, adjectives must change their endings to match their nouns. An adjective
has to match the noun that it modifies in:
number (singular or plural) and

•
gender (masculine or feminine)
•
In Hebrew, adjectives follow the noun instead of coming before the noun. For example, let's
look at the adjective "gadol" ( ), which means "big."
Fo r Exa m pl e :
Pe rso n R o m a n i z a ti o n H e bre w "En g l i sh "
Masculine singular yeled gadol "big boy"
Feminine singular yal'dah g'dolah "big girl"
"big boys" or "big

Masculine plural yeladim g'dolim children"
Feminine plural yeladot g'dolot "big girls"

LESSON NOTES
All About S1 #4
Hebrew Pronunciation Made Easy
CONTENTS
2 Grammar
# 4
GRAMMAR
Th e Fo cu s o f Th i s L e sso n Is Ba si c H e bre w Pro n u n ci a ti o n .
A good foundation in pronunciation is important to learning Hebrew. One of the best ways to
perfect your Hebrew pronunciation is to listen and repeat, then listen and repeat again. Just
like that annoying song you can't get out of your head, one day Hebrew will get stuck in your
head, and you'll be set for life.
H e bre w U se s Se m i ti c Ph o n e ti cs
The Hebrew alphabet consists of twenty-two characters that are all consonants. Words are
built around the consonants, which we use with different vowel combinations to change the
meaning. In Modern Hebrew, four of these consonants may represent vowels at times. A
system of dots called nikud notates vowels, but we mostly use nikud in texts such as poetry,
children's books, and some religious literature.
H e bre w Vo w e l s
The Hebrew alphabet is accompanied by five vowel sounds and seventeen symbols or
symbol/consonant combinations for these sounds. Historically, these represent different
lengths and qualities for the vowel. These basic sounds are similar to the vowel sounds in
English: -i, -e, -a, -o, and -u. One of these vowel markers, shva na ( ), actually tells you
that there is no vowel sound following that letter, but in some cases it is pronounced like a
short "-e" sound. Here are some examples of the vowel sounds you find in Hebrew (I have
used the letter Same , to show you the vowels):
"sounds like "-a" in "tart .1
"sounds like "-e" in "bet .2
"sounds like "-i" in "ski .3
"sounds like "-o" in "more .4
"sounds like "-u" as in "loop .5
this symbol means there is no vowel sound, but sometimes we pronounce it like "-e" in .6
""bell
In this chapter, we're not going to go over the pronunciation of all the consonants, but if you're
HEBREWPOD101.COM ALL ABOUT S 1 #4 - HEBREW PRONUNCI AT I ON MADE EAS Y 2

interested, watch for our pronunciation series designed to help you master Hebrew
pronunciation. Instead, we're going to discuss some of the interesting aspects of
pronunciation.
H e bre w C o n so n a n ts
Consonants are the foundation of word structure in Hebrew. Words are based on a three- or
four-letter root, and the sequence of the consonants determines the basic sense of the word.
There are twenty-two consonants in Hebrew, and five of them have a special form (called
sofit) when they come at the end of the word. Three letters have two possible sounds
depending on their position in a word.
"We can pronounce Bet like "-b" or "-v - .1
"We can pronounce Kaf like "-kh" or "-k - .2
"We can pronounce Peh like "-p" or "-f - .3
We can also pronounce shin ( ) two ways: sometimes we pronounce it like "-s" and other
times like "-sh," and you will know which letter it is representing by where the dot is above it.
Shin does not change back and forth like the previous letters; it is always one or the other
according to the root.
Stre ss
The first thing that needs mentioning is that in Hebrew, stress is almost always on the last
vowel. Despite that, there is a group of words (mostly nouns) where the stress pattern is on
the second-to-last vowel. Many words in Hebrew are spelled the same, and where the word
is stressed is one of the ways of determining the meaning on the word.
C o n so n a n t G ro u ps
In Hebrew, linguists group the consonants depending on where and how we pronounce them.
There are nine groups of consonants, so we will just cover those that are different from
English at this point:
1. Alveolar consonants, n ( ), t ( ), and d ( ),

will be familiar to you:
tz ( ) is a sound you don't have in English. You articulate these consonants by pressing your
tongue against your upper teeth.

2. Uvular consonants, ( ), and r ( ),
are the consonants you articulate with the back of the tongue, near or against the uvula.
Resh ( )
was traditionally articulated further in the front of the mouth, but because of the influence of
European languages on Hebrew, you now articulate it at the back of the tongue.
3. Pharyngeal consonants, kh ( ) and Ayin ( ),

are consonants you articulate with the root of the tongue against the pharynx. Only part of the
population pronounces them this way; most pronounce them like the glottal consonants.
4. Glottal consonants, Aleph ( ) and h ( ),

are consonants articulated with the glottal.
Historically, pronunciation in Hebrew has changed quite a bit. Because Modern Hebrew
speakers have come from so many different backgrounds, these diverse linguistic roots have
had an influence on the way that we pronounce Hebrew today. Two of the biggest influences
on modern pronunciation are Ashkenazi Hebrew and Sephardic Hebrew. The Academy of the
Hebrew language adopted the Sephardic pronunciation for the alphabet, but a large part of the
Israeli population has not adopted this pronunciation in its entirety. As a result, there are pairs
of letters that sound the same today but were not always the same and officially are not
supposed to be pronounced the same. An example of this is Tav (( and Tet ( ), which today
both sound like the English "-t" but historically were two different sounds.
H e bre w ' s Ad a pta ti o n o f C o m m o n So u n d s fro m Oth e r L a n g u a g e s
There are sounds common in other languages that do not exist in Hebrew. These include
sounds such as [-Z] as in "pleasure," [-ch] as in "ch urch , " [-dZ] as in "j ob," and [-th] as in
"th anks." So what do Israelis do when they want to spell foreign words with these sounds?
They simply take letters close to these sounds and adapt them by adding an apostrophe-like
symbol called a diacritic "geresh." [-Z] is ', [-ch] is ', [-dZ] is ', and [-th] is '.
R e fe re n ce s
Here are a few references for Hebrew pronunciation to help you on your way:
1. http://www.dictionary.co.il/pronunciation_guide.php
2. http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Grammar/Unit_One/Letter_Chart/letter_chart.html
One of the best ways to perfect your Hebrew pronunciation is to listen and repeat, then listen
and repeat again, which is something you can do at HebrewPod101.com. We have audio
files of native speakers and even a voice recorder for you to see how you sound in
comparison.

LESSON NOTES
All About S1 #5
Basic Hebrew – Top Five Important
Phrases for Learning Hebrew
CONTENTS
2 Grammar
# 5
GRAMMAR
Th e Fo cu s o f Th i s L e sso n Is Fi ve Mu st- Kn o w H e bre w Ph ra se s.
The following are five essential phrases that will make the most difference in your studies.
Ph ra se On e : "H e l l o " a n d "G o o d - bye "
The most useful phrase you should know in Hebrew is shalom ( ), which means both
"hello" and "good-bye."
Fo r Exa m pl e :
1. Shalom, ma shlom'cha? (Feminine: Ma shlomech?)

, ?
"Hello, how are you?"
Ph ra se Tw o : "Th a n k Yo u "
Show off your manners by saying "thank you," which in Hebrew is toda ( ).
Fo r Exa m pl e :
1. Toda al ha-mam'takim.
.
"Thank you for the sweets."
Ph ra se Th re e : "Pl e a se " a n d "Yo u ' re We l co m e "
With these next two expressions, you can ask for anything you like. "Please" or "you're
welcome" is be-vakashah ( ).
Fo r Exa m pl e :
1. Kafeh, be-vakeshah.
, .
"Coffee, please."
Ph ra se Fo u r: "I D o n ' t U n d e rsta n d ."
HEBREWPOD101.COM ALL ABOUT S 1 #5 - BAS I C HEBREW – T OP FI VE I MPORT ANT PHRAS ES FOR LEARNI NG HEBREW 2
A phrase that comes in handy when you have no idea what people are talking about is Ani lo
mevin ( ), meaning "I don't understand."
Fo r Exa m pl e :
1. Ani lo mevin, ef'shar lach'zor al zeh? (Feminine: Ani lo mevina...)

(... :Feminine) , ?
"I don't understand, can you repeat it?"
Ph ra se Fi ve : "So rry" o r "Excu se Me ."
Another useful Hebrew phrase is slichah ( ), which means "sorry" or "excuse me." Being
humble and apologizing when appropriate is another way of showing good manners.
Fo r Exa m pl e :
1. sli ah al ha-tir' ah.

. .
"I'm sorry for the inconvenience."
HEBREWPOD101.COM ALL ABOUT S 1 #5 - BAS I C HEBREW – T OP FI VE I MPORT ANT PHRAS ES FOR LEARNI NG HEBREW 3
LESSON NOTES
All About S1 #6
Can You Answer These Five
Questions About Israel?
CONTENTS
2 Grammar
# 6
GRAMMAR
Th e Fo cu s o f Th i s L e sso n Is th e Fi ve Th i n g s Yo u H a ve to Kn o w a bo u t Isra e l .
Test your Hebrew knowledge! This lesson will build your basic knowledge of Israel by
quizzing you on five areas of Israeli knowledge: geography, pop culture, travel, economics,
and myth busting.
Qu e sti o n On e : G e o g ra ph y o f Isra e l
Is Israel one big desert?
A. True
B. False
The correct answer is B, false. Although is this a common misconception, Israel actually has
a very diverse geography, consisting of mountains, fertile valleys, forests, and coastal plains,
as well as desert.
And here's a little extra trivia for you: we can categorize the climate of Israel as a
Mediterranean climate with long, hot, rainless summers and relatively short, rainy winters.
Qu e sti o n Tw o : Isra e l i Po p C u l tu re Qu e sti o n
I'm going to name three people: one is a famous actor, one is a politician, and one is a sports
star. Match the name with the profession.
A. Menachem Begin
B. Shachar Pe'er
C. Chaim Topol
And here are your answers. Menachem Begin was the sixth prime minister of the State of
Israel. He had a long military and political career, beginning in the British Mandate and
ending in the 1980s. His political rise to power opened the door for Sephardim and the
religious in Israeli politics. He is most well known for his part in the peace treaty with Egypt in
1979.
Shachar Pe'er is an Israeli professional tennis player, currently the highest-ranked Israeli
HEBREWPOD101.COM ALL ABOUT S 1 #6 - CAN YOU ANS WER T HES E FI VE QUES T I ONS ABOUT I S RAEL? 2
female singles tennis player at number thirteen in the world. In 2007, she reached the
quarterfinals of both the Australian Open and the US Open.
That leaves Chaim Topol. You may remember Chaim as the beloved Tevye from The Fiddler
on the Roof. Chaim Topol is a well-known Israeli actor and has appeared on both stage and
screen. In 1972, he won a Golden Globe for his role as Tevye and he was nominated for an
Oscar for Best Actor.
Bonus: Israeli-born Natalie Portman. Although Natalie left Israel with her family at the age of
three, she is still a source of pride for Israelis.
Qu e sti o n Th re e : H e bre w Tra ve l Qu e sti o n
Rank in correct order the most popular travel destinations in Israel.
A. The Sea of Galilee
B. Jerusalem
C. The Dead Sea/Masada
This should be easy for you! Jerusalem is by far the most popular tourist area. It has religious
sites for three religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
Number two is the Dead Sea and Masada, which are in close proximity to each other. The
Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth at 423 meters below sea level and is a very unique
experience. The Dead Sea is over eight times more salty than the ocean, and for that reason
it is impossible to swim in it, but it does make for a very fun floating experience. People will
often make the journey to the Dead Sea for health reasons as well. The dry air and the sea
itself have been known to help many different medical conditions.
Although the Sea of Galilee is not number three, it is next on our list. It is hard to determine
the actual rating of sites in Israel because there are so many different reasons why people
travel to Israel. Jews, Muslims, and Christians all come to Israel as tourists, and each group
has different sites that are important to them. The Sea of Galilee, or the Kineret, as we call it
in Hebrew, has something for everyone. There is a lot of history connected to the area around
the Sea of Galilee, both ancient and modern. It is also a recreational area, and opportunities
for boating, swimming, and hiking are open to everyone.
Qu e sti o n Fo u r: H e bre w Eco n o m i cs Qu e sti o n
Today, Israel's currency is the New Israeli Shekel. However, what did we call the previous
Israeli currency?
A. Israeli lira
B. Israeli dollar
C. Israeli dinar
The answer is A, the Israeli Lira, or sometimes called the Israeli Pound. This was the first
currency the State of Israel used, and the country used it until 1980 when the Old Israeli
Shekel replaced it. The New Israeli Shekel replaced the Old Israeli Shekel after only five years
because of runaway inflation.
Qu e sti o n Fi ve : D e bu n ki n g Isra e l i Myth s
Israel is a war-torn country, and you must be extremely careful when traveling there.
A. True
B. False
The correct answer is B, false. Many people think that Israel is a very dangerous place to visit.
All you see in the news are the bombings, rockets being fired into Israel, and fighting that
sometimes erupts between the Palestinians and the Israelis. The truth is that Israel is a very
safe country. In general, Israel has very low rates of street crime and homicide. You can feel
safe walking in Israeli cities, even in the middle of the night. Traffic accidents kill many more
people per year than terrorist attacks and rocket attacks combined. You should feel just as
safe or even safer traveling in Israel than in other countries.
LESSON NOTES
All About S1 #7
Top Five Israeli Foods
CONTENTS
2 Grammar
# 7
GRAMMAR
Th e Fo cu s o f Th i s L e sso n Is a Ba si c In tro d u cti o n to Isra e l i C u i si n e .
Isra e l i C u i si n e Ba si cs
1 . Mo st Pe o pl e Are Al re a d y Fa m i l i a r w i th Isra e l i Fo o d .
Some familiar foods are falafel, pita bread, hummus, and olive oil. However, this is just the
starting point. Israelis have one of the richest food cultures in the world, combining local
Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes with dishes brought from all over the world by
Jewish immigrants and popular world cuisine.
2 . D i ve rsi ty i n D i sh e s
Many dishes have accompanied the immigrants who came to Israel from different
geographical areas. Some of the most common dishes come from Sephardic, Ashkenazi, or
Mizrachi sources.
3. Po pu l a r D i sh e s
Falafel is one of the most famous Israeli dishes. Falafel is a deep-fried seasoned ball of
ground chickpeas. We usually eat it in a pita with salad and hummus, and it is a very popular
fast food in Israel, sold by many street vendors.
4 . Se a so n a l D i sh e s
In Israel, many special dishes are prepared throughout the year for different holidays. Jewish
people from different backgrounds will celebrate with different traditional foods.
One traditional dish that all Israelis have widely accepted, no matter their background, is
Matzo Ball Soup. The soup is served during the Passover Seder and is made of "matzo
dumplings" (kneidlach) and chicken soup.
5. Th e Sh a bba t Me a l
The Shabbat meal on Friday evenings is a very important meal for Israelis, both religious and
HEBREWPOD101.COM ALL ABOUT S 1 #7 - T OP FI VE I S RAELI FOODS 2

secular. The Shabbat meal is shared with friends and family and usually comprises traditional
dishes that include challah, chicken soup, meat dishes, and salads. In religious families,
cooking is not permitted once the sun sets on Shabbat eve (Friday night) so you must cook
everything beforehand and keep it warm by using a hot plate.
To p Fi ve Isra e l i D i sh e s
Number Five: Israeli breakfast ("Israeli salad served with eggs, cheese, and bread")
•
Number Four: burekas ("pastries filled with cheese, spinach, potatoes, or
• mushrooms")
Number Three: shakshuka ("eggs made in a special tomato sauce")

•
Number Two: kubbeh ("bulgur cake filled with spiced meat")
•
Number One: falafel ("fried chickpea balls served in pita bread")
•
Th e To p Fi ve Fo o d s fo r th e Bra ve
Number Five: labneh ("a yogurt-based sour cheese")

•
Number Four: salat bamya ("okra in tomato sauce")
•
Number Three: skhug ("spicy hot pepper spread")
•
Number Two: shipud levavot ("grilled chicken hearts")
•
Number One: Jerusalem mixed grill ("grilled chicken giblets and lamb")
•
HEBREWPOD101.COM ALL ABOUT S 1 #7 - T OP FI VE I S RAELI FOODS 3

LESSON NOTES
All About S1 #8
Top Five Things You Need to Know
About Israeli Society!
CONTENTS
2 Grammar
# 8
GRAMMAR
Th e Fo cu s o f Th i s L e sso n Is a n In tro d u cti o n to Isra e l i So ci e ty.
Society is a very broad topic, and we can't summarize it in a single lesson. That's why we're
narrowing it down to the top five most important aspects of Israeli society!
1 . Ma j o r C i ti e s a n d H o w Th e y Wo rk
First, Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. It's located in the east of central Israel, and it is a
hotbed of controversy and centuries-old tension. About seven hundred thousand inhabitants
live in Jerusalem, which has the largest population of all Israeli cities. Some of the most
famous attractions are the Old City, the Mount of Olives, the Western Wall, Dome of the Rock,
and Yad Vashem. There is so much to see in Jerusalem; our list could go on and on. The city
is famous for its history and its religious relevance for three religions: Judaism, Christianity,
and Islam. Jerusalem is one of the oldest cities in the world, and it is packed with history and
culture. It is also the place where you can see all types of Israel's diverse population merge in
one place.
Second, Tel Aviv is the second-largest city in Israel after Jerusalem. Over four hundred
thousand inhabitants live in the major metropolitan area. It was the first Hebrew city in Israel,
with its beginnings in early 1900s. Some of the most popular attractions are the beach, the
nightlife, the museums, the shopping, and the architecture. Tel Aviv has joined New York in
being known as "The City That Never Sleeps" because of the round-the-clock activity that you
can find there.
You might be surprised at how international Israel is. Tel Aviv gathers many non-Jewish
immigrants and temporary workers, both legal and illegal, from the Southeast Asia, Eastern
Europe, and Africa who come to Israel seeking jobs. There is a big Filipino community in Tel
Aviv, as they are often the caretakers of the elderly.
Other major cities are Haifa on the northern coast and Beer Sheva in the southern desert.
2 . Fa m i l y L i fe
Families in Israel are mainly traditional, but they are beginning to be more nontraditional as
well. Israel is such a small country: families usually live close enough to each other that they
can meet often. The average modern Israeli family consists of a mother, a father, and two or
three children. Religious Jewish families and Arab families are generally larger. Also, over
the recent years, single parents have increased, thus making families smaller than they used
HEBREWPOD101.COM ALL ABOUT S 1 #8 - T OP FI VE T HI NGS YOU NEED T O KNOW ABOUT I S RAELI S OCI ET Y! 2
to be. However, families still remain quite close and divorce rates are still lower than in the
USA. Marriages are considered a religious affair so there is no state marriage. This means
that if the religious authorities do not consider someone Jewish (the person's mother was not
technically Jewish), the person must either convert or the couple must travel to another
country to marry. The state recognizes marriages between two people of different religions if
the marriage was performed in another country.
3. Wo rk C u l tu re a n d Eco n o m y
According to Wikipedia, Israel is considered to be one of the most advanced countries in

Southwest Asia in economic and industrial development. The Israeli economy thrives in its
strong tourism and product exports. Israel has become a global leader in green technology
with its cutting-edge developments in solar and geothermal energy and water conservation.
Israel is also a leader in the area of software development, hosting such companies as Intel
and Microsoft.
The Israeli work culture is not very relaxed and laid back. Work hours in the private sector are
generally longer than in European and North American countries. Work hours in the public
sector are more limited, and sometimes it may be hard to find public offices open. Israelis are
very direct in the workplace, just as they are in day-to-day life. They openly say what they are
feeling and what their opinions are about their own work and the work of others. Creativity and
improvisation are encouraged, with many people taking initiative in their jobs without waiting
for their supervisor's approval. Israelis are pretty casual about time, and this applies to the
working environment as well. Meetings and deadlines may not start or end at the stated time,
which can be frustrating for people coming from more time-oriented countries.
4 . Po l i ti cs
Israel has a parliamentary democracy, and the prime minister is the head of the government.
The Knesset is Israel's parliament and has 120 seats made up of many different political
parties. People have the right to vote for the party but not the individual members who will take
seats in the Knesset. The number of votes the party receives determines the number of seats
that party will obtain in the Knesset. The head of the country, the prime minister, is selected by
the president from the party with the most seats as the most capable person to make a
coalition within the Knesset. The president is considered a figurehead in the Israeli
government. He or she is elected with an absolute majority by the Knesset and serves a one-
time only seven-year term. The current prime minister of Israel is Binyamin Netanyahu, and
the current President is Shimon Peres.
5. Mi l i ta ry
The Israel Defense Forces, or IDF as is it known worldwide, are made up of the Israeli Air
Force, the Israeli Navy, and the Israeli Army. The majority of Israelis are drafted into the IDF
at the age of eighteen: men serve a mandatory three years, and women serve two years.
Exemptions to this draft are most Arab citizens and those who are in full-time religious
studies. There is an alternative to serving in the army for those who still want to serve but
have objections. Those who choose to can perform National Service ("shirut le'umi") in a
hospital, in a school, or in some sort of national welfare program.
Many look forward to their military service. It is a rite of passage for teenagers during their
most formative years. After the mandatory service, soldiers may sign a contract with the IDF
to work in permanent service for several years or for an entire career. Most men, when
finished with their mandatory service, will serve in reserve duty for several weeks each year
up to the age of forty-two to forty-five.
LESSON NOTES
All About S1 #9
The Top Five Important Dates
During the Israeli Calendar Year!
CONTENTS
2 Grammar
# 9
GRAMMAR
Th e Fo cu s o f Th i s L e sso n Is th e To p Fi ve Im po rta n t D a te s D u ri n g th e C a l e n d a r
Ye a r.
We'll go in reverse order.
5. N u m be r Fi ve : Su kko t
Sukkot, or as it is often called in English, the "Feast of Booths" or "Feast of Tabernacles," is a

joyful biblical holiday that is celebrated on the fifteenth day of Tishrei, which is usually in late
September or Early October. Sukkot lasts seven days and is one of the three pilgrimage (to
Jerusalem) holidays that God mandated in the Torah. Families build a hut, or sukkah in
Hebrew, in their yard, and many families eat all their meals in the sukkah. Some families
even sleep in the sukkah the whole week. The sukkah reminds us of the temporary shelters
the Israelites lived in during the forty years they spent wandering in the desert after their exile
from Egypt. Sukkot also has an agricultural aspect, being a harvest festival, celebrating the
ingathering of crops.
There are a few regulations concerning the sukkah. It must have three sides that won't blow
away and must be covered on top by something that grew from the ground and had to be cut
off, like tree branches or bamboo reeds. The covering should leave enough space between
branches that you can see the stars. The sukkah is supposed to be a joyful place, so many
families decorate the sukkah with colorful drawings of seasonal fruit and fall-colored
decorations. Another thing we are commanded to do is take the four species and "rejoice
before the Lord." The four species are a citron, a palm branch, two willow branches, and three
myrtle branches. We hold these species and say a blessing every morning. We use them in
special Sukkot services as well.
4 . N u m be r Fo u r: R o sh h a - Sh a n a h
Rosh ha-Shanah is the "Jewish New Year." The Jewish New Year starts on the first two days
of the month of Tishrei, which is usually in the month of September. Rosh ha-Shanah is a
time of introspection because it comes ten days before Yom Kippur, and traditionally it is
thought to be the time that God decides whether or not you are righteous. The blowing of the
shofar is part of this holiday, and although there is nothing mentioned about this in the Bible,
people believe that it may be to call people to repentance before Yom Kippur.
One tradition is to dip apples in honey as a symbol of the wish for a sweet new year. Another
custom is to walk to a place where there is running water and empty your pockets into it as a
HEBREWPOD101.COM ALL ABOUT S 1 #9 - T HE T OP FI VE I MPORT ANT DAT ES DURI NG T HE I S RAELI CALENDAR YEAR! 2
way of symbolizing our casting off of sins. Common greetings are shanah tovah ("good year")
or shanah tovah u-metukah ("good and sweet year").
3. N u m be r Th re e : Yo m Ki ppu r
Yom Kippur is also called the "Day of Atonement." Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year for
observant Jews. According to Jewish tradition, God seals your fate, whether you are wicked
or righteous or in between, on Yom Kippur. He seals it in the book of life. Yom Kippur is your
last chance to appeal to God before your fate is sealed for that year. Jewish people fast for a
twenty-five-hour period, from sundown on the evening of Yom Kippur to sundown on the day
of Yom Kippur.
Very religious Jews spend most of the day in the synagogue. Yom Kippur has five prayer
services, as opposed to the normal three or four on other days, in which public confession
and petition to God take place. It is customary to wear white on Yom Kippur to symbolize
purity. Most Jewish people, whether they are religious or secular, take part in Yom Kippur in
some way, either by attending services at a synagogue or by fasting.
Yom Kippur is a very strict day of rest. People in Jewish areas are prohibited from driving their
cars or doing work of any kind. None of the Israeli television stations broadcast on Yom Kippur.
All stores are closed and most do not open until the next day, even though it ends at
sundown. Even those people who do not observe the fasting part of Yom Kippur refrain from
cooking anything during that time so that their cooking smells will not disturb those who are
fasting.
Even though Yom Kippur is a very solemn day for many, it has become a day of activity for
others. Since there are only emergency vehicles on the roads, much of Israel takes to the
streets on foot, on bicycles, or on rollerblades. The streets become packed with children on
bikes and with families out for a stroll. It is important not to bring any food on to the street so as
not to offend anyone.
2 . N u m be r Tw o : Pe sa ch
Pesach, or "Passover" as it is known in English, is a celebration of God's deliverance of the

ancient Israelites from slavery in Egypt. We celebrate it on the fifteenth day of the month of
Nisan, which is in March or April, depending on the year. We celebrate Pesach for seven days
and open and close the celebration with a seder, which is a "special holiday meal." The word
seder means "order" in Hebrew, and we call it that because the meal is accompanied by a
ritual that we should do in a specific order. The ritual symbolizes the events that happened in
Egypt before the Israelites were released from captivity.
Since the Israelites had to leave Egypt quickly, they could not allow their bread to rise. So
during all the days of Pesach, we eat only matzos and no regular bread. The Bible calls for
everyone to get rid of all the leaven, or ametz , in their houses before Pesach begins, so
most people clean out their entire house and get rid of anything that could be considered
leaven. They can burn it, use it up, or sell it to their non-Jewish neighbors. In some
households, the head of the household or the children will go around the house with a candle
or a flashlight the night before Pesach to look for ametz all around the house. Some place
ten morsels of bread around the house to make sure that some ametz will be found .
Pesach is a family holiday, and many people have the entire week off to relax and spend time
together. Many people use the free time to travel within Israel and abroad.
1 . N u m be r On e : Yo m H a z i ka ro n a n d Yo m H a ' a tz m a o u t
Yom Ha-Atzma'ut and Yom Ha-Zikaron are actually two consecutive days that complement
each other. One is very solemn and the other very joyful. Yom ha-Zikaron le-Hayalei Tzahal
is the "Israeli Remembrance Day" for Israeli soldiers. Memorial services are held all over the
country in remembrance of the Israeli soldiers who fell in service of the country. The services
include special Israeli songs about the wars and soldiers of Israel, special memorial
speeches, stories, poems, prayers, and a reading of the names of the fallen soldiers
connected to that base or city. There are two sirens sounded during Yom ha-Zikaron: one on
the evening in which it begins and one during the day of Yom ha-Zikaron. When the siren
sounds, everyone stands wherever they are to remember the fallen soldiers. Even those who
are driving on busy highways will pull their cars over and step out of their cars to stand and
remember.
As Yom ha-Zikaron ends, Yom ha-Atzma'ut begins. Yom ha-Atzma'ut is "Israeli

Independence Day." It's fitting that these two are joined since it is because of those fallen
soldiers that we can celebrate the freedom we have. On the evening of Yom ha-Atzma'ut,
people gather in their town to celebrate. Many municipalities will fund a free public show for its
residents with music and dancing. During the day of Yom ha-Atzma'ut, many families will go
on hikes or picnics or host a barbecue for their friends and family.
LESSON NOTES
All About S1 #10

Top Five Hebrew Pop Culture
Things/Icons You Need to Know
About!
CONTENTS
2 Grammar
# 10
GRAMMAR
Th e Fo cu s o f Th i s L e sso n Is a n In tro d u cti o n to Isra e l i Po p C u l tu re .
Po pu l a r Mu si c
Just like Israeli culture has had many influences in its short existence, so has Israeli music.
Influences have been both Jewish and non-Jewish. In the beginning, popular music was
influenced by Russian folk tunes and Eastern European Klezmer tunes. Yemenite music and
Miz'rachi (Oriental) styles have had a strong influence since the 1950s as a result of the
Miz'rachi waves of immigration. Other influences have been American rock music, Greek,
Arabic, and Ethiopian styles of music. All these styles have come together to create an unique
Israeli sound.
Music icons attest to the variety of styles found in Israeli music. Popular musical artists include
Gidi Gov, who has been a popular artist since the 1970s; Shlomo Artzi, a folk rock singer-
songwriter who has also been popular for many years; Ninet Tayeb, who won the Israeli
version of Pop Idol; Aviv Gefen, a singer songwriter whose songs are between rock and punk;
Subliminal, from the rap/hip-hop genre; and Eyal Golan, who is a dominant figure in Miz'rachi
music. Israelis are fond of music from many different eras and from many different genres.
All Israelis have a love for a collection of songs called Shirei Eretz Israel or "Songs of the
Land of Israel." These songs, which were primarily composed from 1920 to the 1970s, have
some uniting characteristics such as their use of minor keys, dance rhythms such as hora
and debka, use of the darbuka or "tambourine," and lyrics that relate to the Israeli experience.
These songs are sung in public sing-a-longs, which are called shira be-tzibur. They are also
often accompanied by folk circle dances that many Israelis know and love.
Po pu l a r Mo vi e s
Film production only developed after the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. The first
film studios were established in the 1950s, and the state further supported film production
through a special fund. In the beginning, many of the most popular films were bourekas films,
which played on the differences between classes, culture, and religion. Later, films became
more artistic, being under the influence of the French New Wave Films. Social and religious
conflict have been two very important topics dealt with in Israeli films. Other popular topics
have been the Holocaust and the Wars.
Israel has produced a few internationally well-known and acclaimed films such as Walz with
Bashir, an animated film about the Lebanese War, and Kadosh, a film about a religious
HEBREWPOD101.COM ALL ABOUT S 1 #10 - T OP FI VE HEBREW POP CULT URE T HI NGS /I CONS YOU NEED T O KNOW ABOUT ! 2
woman struggling with infertility in a world where it is unacceptable.
With that short introduction to movies in Israel, our next pop culture icon is Mili Avital. Mili was
born in 1972. She is one of the most popular contemporary Israeli actors and has starred in
many Israeli and American productions. She has attained international success through her
multifaceted roles in film, television, and theater. Her most well-known role was as the
female lead in Stargate (1994), and she has recently had a recurring role on the TV show
Damages. Her most popular roles in Israel were in the films Ahava Colombianit and Noodle
and the controversial TV show Chatufim ("Homeland").
Po pu l a r Te l e vi si o n
Israel only had one television station for the first twenty years of national broadcasts, from
1966 to 1986. At that time, television programming was very limited. Israeli television
programs were in black and white up until 1980, even though the general public could acquire
color televisions. Broadcasts were a mix of black and white and color, as American and
British programs were also broadcast by the same station. Foreign programs were broadcast
with Hebrew and Arabic subtitles. The popularity of American and British television programs
has had a profound effect on Israel's entertainment industry. This is part of the reason why
almost all Israelis have some basic knowledge of English. In spite of the popularity of foreign
television, prime time television is still reserved for local productions. In recent years, Israeli
reality shows based on the American versions, such as Big Brother, Survivor, and American
Idol, have become very popular among Israeli viewers.
Our third pop icon is a popular actor and comedian, Assi Cohen. He is best known for being a
part of the comedy duo Assi and Guri. Since 2002, he has imitated numerous political
characters and created many well-loved, original characters in the long-running comedy
news show Rak Be-Israel and later in Eretz Nehederet. Eretz Nehederet is the most popular
satirical comedy; it is focused on current affairs and parodies of political figures and cultural
characters. His acting abilities are not limited to comedy; he has also acted in several
dramatic TV shows, such as Chatufim , in which he acted opposite our second pop icon, Mili
Avital.
Po pu l a r C o u n trym e n a n d Wo m e n Abro a d
Israel has a fair amount of stars abroad. Israeli-born stars include Natalie Portman and Gene
Simmons. Sacha Baron Cohen has one Israeli parent. A few Israeli models have made their
way into the international scene. Bar Rafaeli has become well-known in the past couple of
years as she was the cover model for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, and she was
Leonardo DiCaprio's girlfriend for many years. Esti Ginzburg is also a well known Israeli
model: she has been featured in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue and recently made her
acting debut in the film Twelve.
Po pu l a r Spo rts Fi g u re s
Israelis are very passionate about soccer and basketball. Soccer is by far the most popular
sport in Israel, despite having a much better track record in basketball-winning the European
championship five times. On the other hand, the national soccer team has only qualified for
the World Cup one time, in 1970.
One of Israel's greatest sport figures and our number one in the ranking is soccer player Eyal
Berkovic. Eyal "Ha-Kossem" ("the Wizard") Berkivic was born in 1972, in kibbutz Regba, and
began his soccer career in Maccabi Haifa. In many ways, Eyal changed soccer in Israel by
redefining the role of midfielder. Despite his short stature, his ability to avoid tackles and set
up goals earned him the title of a great playmaker, earning him a comparison to Zinedine
Zidane. Berkovic had a long career in the British league, playing for South Hampton, West
Ham, United, Celtic, Portmouth, and above all, Manchester City. Unfortunately, he is also
know for his arrogance and his temperament and had several clashes with teammates and
managers.
LESSON NOTES
All About S1 #11

Top Five Tools for Learning
Hebrew!
CONTENTS
2 Grammar
# 11
GRAMMAR
Th e Fo cu s o f Th i s L e sso n i s to G i ve So m e Su g g e sti o n s fo r th e To p Fi ve U se fu l
To o l s fo r L e a rn i n g H e bre w .
Here are some great tools to aid you in your Hebrew studies.
I. A H e bre w D i cti o n a ry
A good old dictionary is always a good start when learning a new language. There are a few
electronic dictionaries out there, and you can find this great one at http://
www.hebrewworld.com/babylon.html. But if you prefer good old hardbacks, check out the
Oxford English Hebrew Dictionary.
II. On l i n e D i cti o n a ri e s
You can find some good dictionaries online. One of the best is Morfix (http://morfix.mako.co.il/
). This is a free dictionary and the webpage is in Hebrew, but it is by far the best online
dictionary. Just type the word you want to translate into the text box, and it will give you the
translation you need.
Free ones, such as Babylon (http://www.babylon.com/products/babylon/) or LingvoSoft (http://

www.lingvozone.com/LingvoSoft-Online-English-Hebrew-Dictionary), work fine but have
limitations.
If you use FireFox as your browser, you can install an add-on called Quick TransLation that
translates from Babylon just by hovering your mouse over the word you are looking to
translate.
III. H e bre w G ra m m a r R e fe re n ce
A Reference Grammar of Modern Hebrew by Edna Amir Coffin and Shmuel Bolozky is one of
the best grammar references on the market. This book is very well organized and easy to use
for quick look ups or as a primer for Hebrew grammar.
Two good online references for verb conjugation can be found here, http://www.hebrew-
verbs.co.il/, and here, http://learnhebreweasily.blogspot.com/2010/02/grammar-verbs-
table.html
Note: When looking for grammar references, be sure that the reference is for Modern Hebrew
HEBREWPOD101.COM ALL ABOUT S 1 #11 - T OP FI VE T OOLS FOR LEARNI NG HEBREW! 2

and not Biblical Hebrew.
IV. Fl a sh ca rd s
We recommend flashcards as a language-learning tool for learning any language. Be sure to

make flash cards with any new vocabulary you learn. At first, you might want to learn theme-
related vocabulary (e.g., at the hotel, fruits and vegetables, or common greetings).
We have developed a very useful iOS and Android application for this called WordPower. You
can check it out here: http://www.innovativelanguage.com/products/WordPower
V. Au d i o a n d Vi su a l
Audio and visual means are two of the best ways to learn a language. Make sure you listen to
the language every day, even for five minutes, to let your ears get used to the sound. You can
listen to Israeli radio online at http://www.iba.org.il/ o r http://www.radiox.co.il/. The first site also
has links for Israeli television.
Moreover, have your eyes memorize the language through reading. At first, reading may be
a challenge, but remember, we were all learning our own language at some stage, and
picture books came in handy. It is fortunate that you are studying Hebrew, since the Bible has
some of the best-written stories in the world! Picture Bible story books are readily available for
all levels.
HEBREWPOD101.COM ALL ABOUT S 1 #11 - T OP FI VE T OOLS FOR LEARNI NG HEBREW! 3

LESSON NOTES
All About S1 #12

Top Five Hebrew Classroom
Phrases
CONTENTS
2 Grammar
# 12
GRAMMAR
Th e Fo cu s o f Th i s L e sso n Is to L e a rn So m e U se fu l Ph ra se s fo r th e C l a ssro o m i n
H e bre w .
Here are the phrases from the lesson.
? .1
If'shar la 'zor al zeh?
"Please repeat that."
? ... .2
E'ikh om'rim... be-ivrit?
"How do you say...in Hebrew?"
... .3
If'shar lish'ol...
"May I ask..."
. \ .4
Ani lo mevin/mevinah.
"I don't understand."
. .5
If'shar la 'zor al zeh le'at yoter?
"Can you repeat that a bit more slowly?"
Ph ra se On e : ?
This phrase is so useful because you can use it anytime, whether it is in class or outside the
classroom.
If'shar means "Is it possible?"
La 'zor means "to repeat."
Al means "on."
Zeh means "that."
HEBREWPOD101.COM ALL ABOUT S 1 #12 - T OP FI VE HEBREW CLAS S ROOM PHRAS ES 2

Ph ra se Tw o : ... ?
This is a great phrase. You get to rediscover the world again through Israeli eyes.
You can learn very quickly if you use this phrase and ask lots of questions.
E'ikh means "how."
Om'rim is the verb for "they say."
After that, you insert the word or point at what you want to know.
Be-ivrit means "in Hebrew."
Ph ra se Th re e : ...
This is a great phrase to learn so that you can ask the teacher a question!
If'shar, means "Is it possible?"
Lish'ol means "to ask."
Ph ra se Fo u r: \ .
We can use this phrase on all occasions.
Ani means "I."
Lo here is a negative and translates as "no."
Mevin/mevinah means "understand." Mevin is masculine singular, and mevinah is feminine

singular.
Ph ra se Fi ve : .
As Israelis tend to talk at the speed of light, this phrase will come in handy.
If'shar means "Is it possible?"
Lach'zor, as mentioned earlier, is "to repeat."

Al is "on."
Zeh means "that."
Yoter is "more."
Le'at means "slowly."

LESSON NOTES
All About S1 #13

Five Phrases Your Hebrew Teacher
Might Never Teach You
CONTENTS
2 Grammar
# 13
GRAMMAR
Th e Fo cu s o f Th i s L e sso n i s Te a ch i n g Yo u So m e Ve ry C o m m o n H e bre w
Expre ssi o n s Th a t Yo u Mi g h t N o t L e a rn fro m a H e bre w Te a ch e r.
Here are the phrases we will explain in further detail below:
.1
haval al ha-zman
"it's a waste of time" or "fantastic"
.2
Atah dafuk.
"You're crazy."
.3
balagan
"a mess"
.4
sof ha-derekh
"excellent"
.5
al ha-panim
"terrible," "awful"
These are high-frequency Hebrew phrases and expressions that you can use all the time.
( h a va l a l h a - z m a n )
This expression literally means "a pity on the time." It can mean either "fantastic" or "it's a
waste of time," depending on the context. You can usually tell which meaning the speaker
intends by the tone of his or her voice as well. We frequently use this phrase in response to a
question like "How was the...?"
( a ta h d a fu k )
This expression means "you're a fool" or "you crazy." When a person is displeased with
another's actions or words, (atah dafuk) is a cutting retort. You usually utter it on its
HEBREWPOD101.COM ALL ABOUT S 1 #13 - FI VE PHRAS ES YOUR HEBREW T EACHER MI GHT NEVER T EACH YOU 2
own and direct it at someone as an insult. The word (dafuk) literally means "beaten" or
"knocked."
( ba l a g a n )
This word can have many meanings, such as "mess," "disorder," or "confusion." We can also
use it to describe a difficult situation. We use it as a noun and use it in reference to anything
from your difficult relationship with your parents, to the political situation in the Middle East, to
the state of your bedroom.
( so f h a - d e re kh )
This literally means "end of the road," but we use it as an adjective to describe something
"excellent." This phrase is usually reserved for really special cases, usually something that is
"out of this world" as we would say in English.
( a l h a - pa n i m )
This phrase means "awful" or "terrible." It literally means "on the face." You can use it to
describe people, places, things, experiences, etc.
Fo r Exa m pl e :
1. !
Ha-mesibah et'mol hay'tah aval al ha-zman!
"The party yesterday was fantastic!" or "The party yesterday was a waste of time!"
2. ?!
Ma atah, dafuk?
"What are you, crazy?"
3. .
Yesh lekha balagan ba- eder.
"You have a mess in your room."
4. .
Ha-ugah ha-zot hi sof ha-derekh.
"That cake is out of this world."
5. .
Ani mar'gish al ha-panim!
"I feel terrible."
LESSON NOTES
All About S1 #14

Five Most Common Mistakes
People Make in Hebrew
CONTENTS
2 Grammar
# 14
GRAMMAR
Th e Fo cu s o f Th i s L e sso n Is to H e l p Stu d e n ts Ove rco m e So m e C o m m o n Erro rs

Th a t H e bre w L e a rn e rs Ma ke
C o m m o n Erro r N u m be r On e : n o u n a n d a d j e cti ve a g re e m e n t
In Hebrew, adjective endings agree with the noun they modify.
C o rre ct:
Hi studentit tovah.
"She's a good student."
In co rre ct:
Hi student tov.
"She's a good student."
C o m m o n Erro r N u m be r Tw o : U se o f d e fi n i te a rti cl e w i th a d j e cti ve
In Hebrew, if the noun has the definite article prefix, the adjective must also have the same
prefix.
Correct:
Ha-studentit ha-tovah lomedet har'beh.
"The good student studies a lot."
In co rre ct:
Ha-studentit tovah lomedet har'beh.
HEBREWPOD101.COM ALL ABOUT S 1 #14 - FI VE MOS T COMMON MI S T AKES PEOPLE MAKE I N HEBREW 2
"The student who is good studies a lot."
C o m m o n Erro r N u m be r Th re e : N u m be r a g re e m e n t
In Hebrew, there are feminine and masculine numbers and the number must agree with the
noun it modifies. The confusion comes with masculine numbers because they end in "ah",
which is a typical feminine ending.
C o rre ct:
Ani ro'eh shlo'sha g'varim.
"I see three men."
In co rre ct:
Ani ro'eh shalosh g'varim.
"I see three men."
C o m m o n Erro r N u m be r Fo u r: Ve rb co n j u g a ti o n i n th e fi rst a n d se co n d pe rso n
Verb conjugation in the first and second person must agree with the gender of the subject.
Fo r e xa m pl e :
Se co n d pe rso n m a scu l i n e :
Atah lomed ivrit.
"You study Hebrew."
Se co n d pe rso n fe m i n i n e :
At lomedet ivrit.
"You study Hebrew. "
C o m m o n Erro r N u m be r Fi ve : Pro n u n ci a ti o n o f g u ttu ra l l e tte rs
The last common mistake is wrong pronunciation. Hebrew uses several guttural letters that
may be difficult for foreign speakers to say. Chet, Khaf and Resh can be particularly
troublesome.
Fo r e xa m pl e :
We pronounce "wise" - ( akham)
We pronounce "bitter" - (mar)
LESSON NOTES
All About S1 #15

Top Five Pet Phrases
CONTENTS
2 Grammar
# 15
GRAMMAR
Th e Fo cu s o f Th i s L e sso n Is to L e a rn a Fe w o f H e bre w Po d 1 0 1 ' s Fa vo ri te Pe t

Ph ra se s i n H e bre w .
Pe t Ph ra se N u m be r On e
You often use this phrase when asking a favor from someone.
?
Ef'shar levakesh mim'cha mashehu?
"Can I request something from you?"
Ef'shar means "Is it possible?"
Levakesh means "to request."
Mim'kha means "from you."
Mashehu means "something."
Pe t Ph ra se N u m be r Tw o
You will hear this phrase often in Israel. It means "No problem."
.
E'in Be'ayah.
"No problem."
E'in means "there isn't."
Be'ayah means "problem."
Pe t Ph ra se N u m be r Th re e
This is a lifesaver in a desperate situation! You will never end up looking for a toilet all day
ever again!
HEBREWPOD101.COM ALL ABOUT S 1 #15 - T OP FI VE PET PHRAS ES 2

?
E'ifo ha-shirutim?
"Where is the toilet?"
E'ifo means "where." Shirutim literally means "services," which is the polite way to say "toilet"
in Hebrew.
Pe t Ph ra se N u m be r Fo u r
Use this phrase when you want to say "Let's go."
!
Bo nilekh!
"Let's go!"
Bo literally means "come."
Nilekh means "we will go."
Pe t Ph ra se N u m be r Fi ve
Just like the English phrase "Really?" we use this phrase to express surprise or disbelief. It is a
very good way to acknowledge something interesting your conversation partner has said.
?
Be'emet?
"Really?"
Be'emet literally means "in truth."
HEBREWPOD101.COM ALL ABOUT S 1 #15 - T OP FI VE PET PHRAS ES 3

LESSON NOTES
Pronunciation S1 #1
Are You Practicing for an Opera or
Learning Your Hebrew Vowels?
CONTENTS
2 Grammar
# 1
GRAMMAR
Th e Fo cu s o f Th i s L e sso n Is L e a rn i n g H o w to Pro n o u n ce H e bre w Vo w e l s.
Hebrew is one of the oldest living languages, with more than seven million fluent Hebrew
speakers today. Use it regularly so you start on the right foot, so you can understand others,
and so others will understand you. Learning the Hebrew sounds will help you to become
sensitized to the language's unique sound and better master its pronunciation.
The Hebrew alphabet consists of twenty-two letters, but those letters traditionally didn't
include any vowels. Vowel sounds were determined by the word type and its placement in a
sentence. The vowel signs, (nikud) that we use today were an afterthought, only being
developed around 200 C.E. There are two consonants that have evolved to become
consonantal vowels, vav and yod, and we will address these special consonant/vowels in our
next lesson.
We generally do not use the vowel signs that we are going to use in this lesson in everyday
Hebrew. They are only used in religious texts, literature for small children, and in Hebrew
learning material, so the sooner you can learn to read without them, the better.
In this lesson, we will look in detail at the five vowel sounds, determined by this system of
signs, with many simple examples and pronunciation practice exercises. The basic sounds of
the Hebrew vowels are similar to English vowels, so it will be easy for you to make the
connection between the symbol and the sound.
So let's jump right into the vowels. They are:
"En g l i sh
H e bre w Vo w e l R o m a n i z a ti o n Sym bo l Eq u i va l e n t"
kamatz pronounce like "-a"
pata "-a"
- ataf-pata "-a"
segol "-e"
- ataf-segol "-e"
shva na short "-e"
HEBREWPOD101.COM PRONUNCI AT I ON S 1 #1 - ARE YOU PRACT I CI NG FOR AN OPERA OR LEARNI NG YOUR HEBREW VOWELS ? 2
tzereh "-e"
tzereh male "-ei" ("-ey")
irik aser "-i" ("-ee")
irik male "-i" ("-ee")
olam "-o"
kamatz katan "-o"
- ataf kamatz "-o"
kubutz "-u" ("-oo")
shuruk "-u" ("-oo")
shva na X
shva na short "-e"
As you may have noticed, there are a few symbols for each vowel sound. This is because the
symbols historically signified different vowel qualities and length. In modern Hebrew, the
length of the vowel is determined more by the stress pattern, but it can still be deduced from
the vowels. It's difficult to get used to reading the letters and the vowel signs at the same time
when you are not familiar with the language yet, but it will become easier and easier as you
continue learning. You will also begin to get to know the vowel patterns for specific kinds of
words, such as nouns, verbs, and adverbs, and then the vowels will become second nature
to you, and you won't need to read the vowel signs anymore.
The first vowel group is the "-a" type vowels, which have the same sound as in "fa ther."
The second vowel group is the "-e" type vowels. We pronounce the second vowel the same
as in "ge t." One vowel in the "-e" group is sh'va nah, which is technically not a vowel.
However, when it is included in a sequence of consonants that are difficult to pronounce, it
becomes a short "-e."
Next up is the "-i" type vowel. There is only one vowel sign for this vowel, but it can be
accompanied by one of our consonantal vowels, yod. This vowel sounds like a double "-e" in
English, as in "gre e n."
Finally, we have the "-o" type vowels and the "-u" type vowels. The "-o" sound is similar to that
in "mo re." There are two symbols in this group that you may recognize from the "-a" type
vowels. These vowels can be either "-a" or "-o", but you will be able to tell which one it is from
the word it appears in. It appears in a closed, unstressed syllable. The "-u" sound like a double
"-o" in English, as in the vowel sound in "lo o p."
We already briefly mentioned the last set of vowel signs with the "-e" type vowels. They are
sh'va nah and sh'va na . These vowel signs mean that there is no vowel sound there, but as
we mentioned before, it is sometimes pronounced as a short "-e" when the consonants are
difficult to pronounce.
Now that you have gotten the idea of the Hebrew vowel sounds, let's put them in some words
and learn some vocabulary!
A- Type Vo w e l s
adam "man" or "human"
ba'al "husband" or "owner"
ahavah "love"
E- Type Vo w e l s
e re tz "earth"
e me t "truth"
me sibah "party"
he m "they"
I- Type Vo w e l s
im "with"
i sh "man"
O- Type Vo w e l s
lo "no"
yo m "day"
ko l "all"
U - Type Vo w e l s
ku lam "everyone"
su s "horse"
Sh ' va Vo w e l s
b' rakhah "blessing"
me sibah "party"
That's all the vowel sounds for you! Remember to keep your mouth moving, even
exaggerating when you practice to get yourself used to the sounds and movements!
Good luck!
LESSON NOTES
Pronunciation S1 #2
The Hebrew Double Agents: Which
Sound Was That Again?
CONTENTS
2 Grammar
# 2
GRAMMAR
Th e Fo cu s o f Th i s L e sso n Is H e bre w D o u bl e - D u ty C o n so n a n ts.
In the first part of this lesson, we will take a closer look at the consonants that can double as
vowels. In the second part of this lesson, we will focus on consonants that can represent two
different sounds.
C o n so n a n ta l Vo w e l s
Before the emergence of the vowel signs that we learned about in the previous lesson,
Hebrew speakers used a few of the consonants to indicate certain vowels. These consonants
are ' (vav), ' (yod), and, at the end of words, ' (aleph) and ' (heh).
Let's have a look at them one by one and give you some examples to play around with.
We use the letter vav to represent the consonant v and the vowels o and u.
Exa m pl e o f: H e bre w R o m a n i z a ti o n "En g l i sh "
v va'ad "committee"
o yom "day"
u tut sadeh "strawberry"
Note: We can use a double vav in foreign words to represent the sound [-w] , such as in the
word "Washington": .
The letter yod represents the consonant "-y" and the vowel "-i," and we use it in the
diphthongs "-ay" and "-ey ("-ei")." In the case of the diphthongs, the yod is accompanied by
HEBREWPOD101.COM PRONUNCI AT I ON S 1 #2 - T HE HEBREW DOUBLE AGENT S : WHI CH S OUND WAS T HAT AGAI N? 2
another yod (ay) or as a part of the tzere ma'le vowel sign ("-ey").
y yam "sea"
i ginah "garden"
ay ayim "life"
ey beit sefer "school"
and
When aleph and heh are found at the end of a word, it indicates that the ending vowel will be
"-a" or "-e." Aleph found elsewhere in a word is considered to be silent; it carries the sound of
following vowel and in some specific cases acts as a glottal stop. Heh found elsewhere in a
word represents the consonant "-h."
a kara "call"
e pe'le "wonder"
a mah "what"
e kafeh "coffee"
aleph ishur "approval"
aleph: glottal stop nish'ar "remained"
h zehirut "caution"
While in Hebrew there are no official vowels, there are certain consonants that indicate a
vowel is there. This will be very useful for you to remember when you begin to read Hebrew
without the vowel signs.
C o n so n a n ts w i th Tw o So u n d s
Now, we will look at consonants that can have two different sounds, depending on their
placement in a word.
Historically, there are six consonants that can receive a dagesh kal, or a "light stress." The
dagesh kal changes the pronunciation of the letter. You can tell the difference between the
two pronunciations by a small dot placed in the middle of letter, which indicates the dagesh
kal. If the letter appears at the beginning of the word, we will pronounce it with the dagesh kal.
If the letter appears later in the word, either version can occur, depending on the stress
pattern.
Three of these consonants, ' (gimmel), ' (dalet), and ' (tav), no longer have a distinction of
two different sounds, although they still retain the symbol. The remaining three consonants,
' (bet), ' (kaf), and ' (peh), still have this distinction in Modern Hebrew.
Let's take a look at these last three consonants, one by one, and we will give you some
examples to play around with.
We can pronounce the consonant bet as [-b], , or [-v], .
H e bre w L e tte r Wo rd Exa m pl e R o m a n i z a ti o n "En g l i sh "
bayit "house"
taba "cook"
lev "heart"
We can pronounce the consonant kaf as [-k], , or [-kh], .
ken "yes"
rakevet "train"
mikh'tav "letter"
We can pronounce the consonant peh as [-p], , or [-f], .
peh "mouth"
mapah "map" or "tablecloth"
s'finah "ship"
And there you have them!
That's all for this lesson! Good luck!
LESSON NOTES
Pronunciation S1 #3
The Hebrew Consonants
CONTENTS
2 Grammar
# 3
GRAMMAR
Th e Fo cu s o f Th i s L e sso n Is th e H e bre w C o n so n a n ts
In this lesson, we will take a closer look at all the consonants we didn't cover in the last
lesson.
So far, we looked at, ' , ' , ' , ' , ' ' and . ' Now we will look at all of the consonants.
First of all, let's talk about how we form words in Hebrew. We build words from a three- to four-
letter root. The vowel pattern attached to this base and any prefix or suffix added to the root
determine the meaning of the word. You can have one three-letter word with seven different
meanings because of the different vowel patterns attached to it. So the consonants are a very
important part of the word.
Let's take a look at the consonants one by one and give you some examples to play around
with.
The consonant aleph is considered to be silent. It carries the sound of following vowel and in
some specific cases acts as a glottal stop. At the end of a word, it can indicate an [-a] or [-e]
sound.
af "nose"
kara "call"
anglit "English"
We can pronounce the consonant bet as [-b], , or [-v], .
bayit "house"
taba "cook"
HEBREWPOD101.COM PRONUNCI AT I ON S 1 #3 - T HE HEBREW CONS ONANT S 2

lev "heart"
We pronounce the consonant gimmel as [-g], as in "green." In foreign words, we can also
pronounce it as [-g], as in "George," and we spell it as '.
gal "wave"
agigah "celebration"
' ' jazz "jazz"
We can pronounce the consonant dalet as [-d], as in "deal."
delet "door"
sod "secret"
davar "thing"
The consonant heh represents [-h], as in "heat," except when found at the end of a word
when it indicates that the ending vowel will be "-a" or "-e.
havanah "understanding"
tehilim "Psalms"
peh "mouth"

We use the letter vav to represent the consonant [-v] and the vowels [-o] and [-u].
va'ad "committee"
yom "day"
tut sadeh "strawberry"
Note: We can use a double vav in foreign words to represent the sound [-w], as in the word
"Washington": .
We pronounce the consonant zayin as [-z], as in "zoo." In foreign words, it can represent the
sound [-zh], and it's written '.
zahav "gold"
ez "goat"
' ' zhaner "genre"
We pronounce the consonant et as [-h]. It is a guttural [-h] sound, at the back of the throat. It
is like the [-ch] at the end of the name "Bach." In our romanizations, we have romanized this
both with "-h" and "-ch." In language literature, you will see this letter romanized usually with
"-h," but in Israel on street signs and other places with romanization, you will usually see "-
ch."

aver "friend"
ma ol "dance"
no'a "comfortable"
We pronounce the consonant tet as [-t], as in "tale." We often use tet in Hebrew to represent "-
t" in foreign words, like "pasta." Tet and tav represent the same sound in modern Hebrew, so
Hebrew learners must learn which letter belongs in which words.
tov "good"
kar'tis "card" or "ticket"
pasta "pasta"
The letter yod represents the consonant [-y] and the vowel [-i], and we use it in the
diphthongs "-ay" and "-ey" ("-ei"). In the case of the diphthongs, the yod is accompanied by
another yod ("-ay") or as a part of the tzere male vowel sign ("-ey").
yam "sea"
ayim "life"
beit sefer "school"

,
We can pronounce the consonant kaf as [-k], , or [-kh], . It also has a special form that
appears at the end of words, called khaf sofit, .
ken "yes"
rakevet "train"
mikh'tav "letter"
e'ikh "how"
We pronounce the consonant lamed as [-l], as in "lane."
le em "bread"
shalosh "three"
kal "easy"
We pronounce the consonant mem as [-m], as in "made." It also has a special form that
appears at the end of words, called mem sofit, .
mah' "what"
t'munah "picture"

sham "there"
We pronounce the consonant nun as [-n], as in "not." It also has a special form that appears at
the end of words, called nun sofit, .
ner "candle"
ginah "garden"
beten "stomach"
We pronounce the consonant samekh as [-s], as in "sin."
sakin "knife"
ka'as "anger"
ski "skiing"
The consonant ayin carries the sound of the preceding vowel. Sometimes, at the end of the
word, ayin carries the following vowel. Traditionally, we pronounce it deep in the throat, but in
Modern Hebrew only a small percentage of the population pronounces it traditionally.

avodah "work"
na'im "pleasant"
ofano'a "motorcycle"
We can pronounce the consonant peh as [-p], , or [-f], . This consonant has a special form
for the end of the word, called feh sofit, . In foreign words that end in [-p], the peh is retained
as is and we do not use the special ending.
peh "mouth"
mapah "map" or "tablecloth"
s'finah "ship"
sof "end"
We pronounce the consonant tzadik as [-tz]. This consonant has a special form for the end of
the word, called tzadik sofit, . This consonant can appear as both "-tz" and "-ts" in
romanization, but we use only "-tz" in our romanizations. We can also use tzadik to represent
the [-ch] sound in foreign words, in which case we use ' and '.
tzomet "intersection"
mik'tzo'a "profession"
' ' chitah "cheetah"

botz "mud"
We pronounce the consonant kuf as [-k], as in "king."
kof "monkey"
makom "place"
ra ok "far"
We pronounce the consonant resh as [-r]. The [-r] sound is rolled deep in the throat, similar to
the German or French pronunciation of "-r."
rekhev "vehicle"
sha'ar "gate"
ir "city"
This letter represents both shin and sin or [-sh] and [-s], respectively. When there is a dot
above the letter on the left side, the letter is sin, and when there is no dot or a dot above the
right side, the letter is shin.

shir "song"
toshav "resident"
sin'ah "hate"
musag "concept"
We pronounce the consonant tav as [-t], as in "tear."
toshav "resident"
stav "fall"
a at "one"
And there you have them!

That's all for this lesson! Good luck!

LESSON NOTES
Pronunciation S1 #4
When Is a Hebrew Vowel Not a
Vowel? The Shva Vowels
CONTENTS
2 Grammar
# 4
GRAMMAR
Th e Fo cu s o f Th i s L e sso n i s th e Sh va Vo w e l s.
In this lesson, we will look at the vowel that is technically not a vowel. As you may have
noticed, this vowel is sometimes treated like a vowel and sometimes not like a vowel at all.
Using it correctly may be confusing in the beginning. Don't worry; there are some general
guidelines to help you know when you should vocalize a shva vowel.
When we vocalize the shva vowel, we call it a shva na . We vocalize it as a short -e in

the following circumstances:
1. When under the first letter of a word, if that word begins in the following letters: ' ( yod),
' (lamed), ' (mem ), ' (nun), and (resh' ).
2. When under the first letter of the word, if the second letter is ' ( aleph), ' (heh), or ' (ayin).
3. When under the first letter of a word, if that letter is a prefix such as - ("in"), - ("and"), -
("as"), and ' ("to").
4. When a shva immediately follows another shva, the second shva becomes a shva na.
When you see a shva vowel that does not fall under these circumstances, you should most
likely not vocalize it.
Exa m pl e s o f sh va n a :
yeladim "children"
mesibah "party"
te'unah "accident"
le-pariz "to Paris"
yish'meru "they guard"
Exa m pl e s o f sh va n a :
HEBREWPOD101.COM PRONUNCI AT I ON S 1 #4 - WHEN I S A HEBREW VOWEL NOT A VOWEL? T HE S HVA VOWELS 2

g'malim "camels"
t' um "area"
b'reikhah "pool"
b'li "without"
There are a few consonantal combinations that may seem very unnatural for the non-Hebrew
speaker. When these consonants are combined with a shva na , it may feel like you are
speaking with marbles in your mouth. It will be worthwhile for you to practice these
combinations as much as possible.
So m e e xa m pl e s to pra cti ce w i th :
g'dolim "large" (plural)
k'tanim "small" (plural)
k'tovet "address"
b'di ah "joke"
b' ilah "nausea"
t' inah "tahini"
Good luck!
HEBREWPOD101.COM PRONUNCI AT I ON S 1 #4 - WHEN I S A HEBREW VOWEL NOT A VOWEL? T HE S HVA VOWELS 3

LESSON NOTES
Pronunciation S1 #5
Don't Be Stressed about Hebrew
Accents
CONTENTS
2 Grammar
# 5
GRAMMAR
Th e Fo cu s o f Th i s L e sso n Is Expl o ri n g Stre ss Pa tte rn s i n H e bre w Wo rd s.
This lesson is a summary of syllables and stress patterns in Hebrew. First, we will cover the
types of syllables in Hebrew, and then we will move on to stress patterns. This will help you be
able to read and speak easier as you begin to build a basic vocabulary.
Syl l a bl e s
There are two basic types of syllables in Hebrew: a closed and an open syllable. Generally,
most syllables begin with a consonant and not a vowel, as is common in English. A closed
syllable ends in a consonant or consonants and an open syllable ends in a vowel. There is
only one vowel per syllable, so that makes it easier to split up the syllables.
Exa m pl e s o f o pe n a n d cl o se d syl l a bl e s:
C o n so n a n t/
H e bre w Wo rd R o m a n i z a ti o n Syl l a bl e Type Vo w e l Pa tte rn
ye-led ye: open syllable CV
ye-led - led: closed syllable CVC
shi-lamt shi: open syllable CV
- lamt: closed
shi-lamt syllable CVCC
g'vul closed syllable CCVC
par'par par: closed syllable CVC
par'par - par: closed syllable CVC
Stre ss
HEBREWPOD101.COM PRONUNCI AT I ON S 1 #5 - DON'T BE S T RES S ED ABOUT HEBREW ACCENT S 2

Stress is a very easy concept in Hebrew. The stress of a word usually falls on the last syllable
of the word. When the stress is in a different place (usually on the next-to-last syllable), it's
because the word falls into a very well-defined group of words.
Exa m pl e s o f w o rd s w i th th e stre ss o n th e l a st syl l a bl e :
a ót "nurse" or "sister"
shotér "police officer"
menahél "manager"
The first case where the stress pattern is different is in nouns with a predominant segol vowel
pattern. The stress then moves to the syllable before last.
Exa m pl e s o f se g o l a te n o u n s:
géver "man"
régel "leg"
béten "stomach"
The second group is similar to the first. It also has a segolate pattern. It is the feminine
singular conjugation of many verbs in the present tense. The stress here also falls on the
second-to-last syllable.
Exa m pl e s o f se g o l a te ve rb fo rm s:
lomédet "studies"
medabéret "speaks"
mit'labéshet "gets dressed"
The next group is also a verb group. Verbs in the past tense in the first and second person are

stressed on the second-to-last syllable (before the suffix).
lamád'ti "I studied"
dibár'nu "we spoke"
hit'labásh'ti "I got dressed"
The next group is a little more complicated. In verbs that contain a ' (yod) or ' (vav) in the past
or future verb stem when that stem is followed by a suffix, the syllable containing these
consonants is stressed. Here are some examples to help you understand:
yavó'u "they will come"
yapílu "they will throw down"
The last group is the special double nouns, which have their own special ending, - áyim . The
stress is on the second-to-last syllable of the special suffix.
reg'láyim "legs"
mikh'nasáyim "pants"
pa'amáyim "twice"
The last group of words where the stress pattern differs is foreign words. Generally, foreign
words retain the stress pattern of their original language.
Remember to practice, practice, and practice. That's the only way to master a language.
So all you future biblical scholars and tourists out there learning Hebrew don't give up!
Good luck!

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LESSON NOTES

1. A: Hello. My name is Amir. What's your name?

2. B: Hello, Amir. My name is Shira.

3. A: Nice to meet you.

1. A: Shalom. Sh'mi Amir. Mah shmekh?

2. B: Shalom Amir. Sh'mi Shira.

He br e w R omanization English C lass Ge nde r

shalom hello noun

ani I or I am pronoun general

meod much/great/very adjective

li (to) me pronoun none

gam also preposition

na'im lovely, pleasant adjective

I am very hungry. (male speaker) I have a passport.

I also love coffee! (male speaker) It was pleasant.

VOCABULARY PHRASE USAGE

".literally means "peace" but translates also as "hello

"is " also

Here is an example of both of these terms.

"me too" or "also to me"

Th e Fo cu s o f Th i s Ba si c Bo o tca m p L e sso n Is H o w to Ask So m e bo d y fo r H i s o r H e r

H e bre w R o m a n i z a ti o n "En g l i sh "

sh'mi "my name"

shim' kha "your (masculine) name"

sh'mekh "your (feminine) name"

sh'mah "her name"

1. AMIR: Hello. My name is Amir. I'm Israeli.

2. SHIRA: Hello, I'm Shira. I'm American.

1. AMIR: Shalom. Sh'mi Amir. Ani yisra'eli.

2. SHIRA: Shalom. Ani Shira. Ani amerika'it.

He br e w R omanization English C lass Ge nde r

shalom hello noun

HEBREWPOD101.COM BAS I C BOOT CAMP S 1 #2 - T ALKI NG NAT I ONALI T Y I N HEBREW 2

amerika'i American noun masculine

ani I or I am pronoun general

Hello, how are you, Shira? Hello, how are you?

My name is Brad Pitt. My name is Ruth.

Hummus is my favorite Israeli food! My parents are Israeli.

No, I'm American. I love you.

VOCABULARY PHRASE USAGE

HEBREWPOD101.COM BAS I C BOOT CAMP S 1 #2 - T ALKI NG NAT I ONALI T Y I N HEBREW 3

"H e l l o , I' m Sh i ra . I' m Am e ri ca n ."

Let's take a look at the dialogue again.

H e bre w Vo w e l e d R o m a n i z a ti o n "En g l i sh "

. . Ani yis'ra'elit. "I'm Israeli."

. . Ani rusit. "I'm Russian."

. . Hi amerika'it. "She's American."

. . Hi britit. "She is British."

? ? At sinit? "Are you Chinese?"

Ha- everah sheli "My girlfriend is

HEBREWPOD101.COM BAS I C BOOT CAMP S 1 #2 - T ALKI NG NAT I ONALI T Y I N HEBREW 4

H e bre w Vo w e l e d R o m a n i z a ti o n "En g l i sh "

. . Ani yis'ra'eli. "I'm Israeli."

. . Ani rusi. "I'm Russian."

. . Hu amerika'i "He's American."

. . Hu briti. "He's British."

? ? Atah sini? "Are you Chinese?"

Ha- aver sheli "My boyfriend is

Ha- aver sheli "My boyfriend is