Hebrew Pronunciation Instructions
Hebrew Pronunciation Instructions
Use the Hebrew Pronunciation Instructions below
with any of The WORD in HEBREW Products:
- Start from the top right and work your way towards the left.
- Syllables are separated by a “/”. Accents are CAPITALIZED.
- Pronounce “a” or “ah” like in “noah”; “eh” like in “echo”; “ee” like in “green”;
“o” like in “orange”; “oo” like in “school”; “ts” like in “boots”. - A dash before a letter, adds that letter’s BASE sound to the end of the syllable.
So, “see-d” will make “seed”, “beh-d” will make “bed”, “na-y” will make “nai” and so on. - “kh” (ח/כ/ך) is a guttural sound like when clearing out your throat.
- “r” (ר) is a guttural sound like when gargling water at the back of your mouth. A Spanish “r” is OK too.
- God’s name (יהוה) cannot be transliterated, as no one knows the correct pronunciation of it. The Jewish tradition is to say “ADONAI” instead, but feel free to say God’s name in whichever way you feel convicted to say.
Each Hebrew word on The WORD in HEBREW posters is broken into syllables and transliterated into English. Follow the transliteration from left-to-right, just like when reading English. The forward-slash (“/”) separates between syllables. The capitals point to where your accent should be.
Start by pronouncing each syllable by itself, then pronounce the entire word as a whole before moving on to the next. So, for example, the word “sha/LO-M” is broken into the syllables “sha” and “LOM” with the accent on “LOM“. Together, they make the Hebrew word “Shalom“.
In addition, each Hebrew word is translated into English, so you can understand what it means within the context. So, for example, “Shalom” could mean “Peace, “wholeness” or “Hello”, depending on the context. Therefore, with just a little practice, you will be able to recite these verses in Hebrew, and above all, gain a deeper understanding of the Word of God!
Download these basic Hebrew Pronunciation Instructions for FREE!