Help:IPA/Hebrew

The charts below show the way in which the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) represents Biblical and Modern Hebrew language pronunciations in Wikipedia articles. For a guide to adding IPA characters to Wikipedia articles, see Template:IPA and {{section link|Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Pronunciation#Entering IPA characters}}.

Since Modern Hebrew has different pronunciations in Israel, certain letters may be transcribed differently depending on the background of the speaker. See Biblical Hebrew phonology and Modern Hebrew phonology for a more thorough look at the sounds of Hebrew.

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|+Consonants

! {{abbr|BH|Biblical Hebrew}} !! {{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}!! Letter(s) !! Romanization !! English approximation

colspan="2" | {{IPAlink|b}}

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=בּ}} (Beť dǝgušah)

| b

| bet

colspan="2" | {{IPAlink|d}}

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=דּ}} (Daleť dǝgušah)

| d

| dark

| {{IPAlink|d}}

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=ד}} (Ďaleť rafah)

| {{abbr|BH|Biblical Hebrew}}: ḏ
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: d

| {{abbr|BH|Biblical Hebrew}}: this
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: dark

style="background-color: darkgray" |

|{{IPAlink|dʒ}}{{IPA|/dʒ, ts, tʃ/}} are officially written with a tie-bar in the IPA {{IPA|/d͡ʒ, t͡s, t͡ʃ/}} respectively, but the tie-bar is here omitted for simplicity./dʒ/ and /ʒ/ are sometimes confused by speakers who don't hear a distinction between them (mostly Russian and Arabic speakers).

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=ג׳}} (Gimel with geresh)

| j

| joy

colspan="2" | {{IPAlink|f}}

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=פ ף}} (Fei rafah)

| {{abbr|BH|Biblical Hebrew}}: p̄
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: f

| fool

colspan="2" | {{IPAlink|ɡ}}

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=גּ}} (Gimel dǝgušah)

| g

| go

| {{IPAlink|ɡ}}

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=ג}} (Ǧimel rafah)

| {{abbr|BH|Biblical Hebrew}}: ḡ
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: g

| {{abbr|BH|Biblical Hebrew}}: No English equivalent; Arabic Ghayn (غ‎‎‎)
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: go

colspan="2" | {{IPAlink|h}}

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=ה}} (He), {{Script/Hebrew|1=הּ}} (He mappiq)

| h

| hen

| {{IPAlink|χ}} ({{IPAlink|ħ}})

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=ח}} (Ḥeť)

| {{abbr|BH|Biblical Hebrew}}: ḥ
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: h or ch/kh

| {{abbr|BH|Biblical Hebrew}}: No English equivalent; Arabic ḥāʾ (ح‎‎)
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: Scottish loch

colspan="2" | {{IPAlink|j}}

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=י}} (Yoď)

| y

| yes

colspan="2" | {{IPAlink|k}}

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=כּ ךּ}} (Kaf dǝgušah)

| k

| skin

colspan="2" | {{IPAlink|l}}

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=ל}} (Lameď)

| l

| left

| {{IPAlink|s}}

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=שׂ}} (Sin semalith)

| {{abbr|BH|Biblical Hebrew}}: ś
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: s

| {{abbr|BH|Biblical Hebrew}}: No English equivalent; Welsh llwyd
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: see

colspan="2" | {{IPAlink|m}}

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=מ ם}} (Mem)

| m

| man

colspan="2" | {{IPAlink|n}}

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=נ ן}} (Nun)

| n

| no

colspan="2" | {{IPAlink|p}}

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=פּ}} (Pei dǝgušah)

| p

| spin

| {{IPAlink|k}}

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=ק}} (Qof)

| {{abbr|BH|Biblical Hebrew}}: q
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: k

|{{abbr|BH|Biblical Hebrew}}: No English equivalent; Arabic qāf (ق‎‎‎).
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: skin.

| {{IPAlink|ʁ}} ({{IPAlink|r}})The sound is uvular for most speakers, but some speakers, mostly Sefardim, Mizrahim, Arab Israelis, Jews from the former USSR and Ethiopian Jews (in the 20th century also news broadcasters and singers) retain an alveolar pronunciation: {{IPAblink|r}}~{{IPAblink|ɾ}}.

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=ר}} (Resh)

| r

|{{abbr|BH|Biblical Hebrew}}: trilled or tapped run.
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: French rouge

colspan="2" | {{IPAlink|s}}

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=ס}} (Samekh)

| s

| see

| {{IPAlink|ts}}

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=צ ץ}} (Ṣadi)

| {{abbr|BH|Biblical Hebrew}}: ṣ
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: ts/tz

| {{abbr|BH|Biblical Hebrew}}: No English equivalent; Arabic ṣād (ص‎)
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: cats

colspan="2" | {{IPAlink|ʃ}}

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=שׁ}} (Šin Yemanit)

| {{abbr|BH|Biblical Hebrew}}: š
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: sh

| she

colspan="2" | {{IPAlink|t}}

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=תּ}} (Taw)

| t

| sting

| rowspan="2" | {{IPAlink|t}}

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=ט}} (Ṭeť)

| {{abbr|BH|Biblical Hebrew}}: ṭ
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: t

| {{abbr|BH|Biblical Hebrew}}: No English equivalent; Arabic ṭāʾ (ط‎)
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: sting

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=ת}} (Ťaw)

| {{abbr|BH|Biblical Hebrew}}: ṯ
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: t

| {{abbr|BH|Biblical Hebrew}}: thing
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: sting

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| {{IPAlink|tʃ}}

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=צ׳ ץ׳}} (Tsade with geresh)

| ch

| chair

colspan="2" | {{IPAlink|v}}

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=ב}} (Veť rafah)

| {{abbr|BH|Biblical Hebrew}}: ḇ
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: v

| voice

| {{IPAlink|v}}

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=ו}} (Vav)

| {{abbr|BH|Biblical Hebrew}}: w
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: v

| {{abbr|BH|Biblical Hebrew}}: would
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: voice

style="background-color: darkgray" |

| {{IPAlink|w}}Appears in new loanwords: {{lang|he|וואלה}} /wala/ "Wow!, really?, you don't say!, no kidding!". In some old loanwords that originally had {{IPAslink|w}}, it was approximated to {{IPA|/v/}}: {{lang|he|ואדי}} /vadi/ "Wadi".

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=וו}} (double Vav) or {{Script/Hebrew|1=ו}} (single Vav)

| w

| we

| rowspan="2" | {{IPAlink|χ}}

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=כ ך}} (Ǩaf rafah)

| {{abbr|BH|Biblical Hebrew}}: ḵ
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: ch/kh

| rowspan="2" | Scottish loch

style="background-color: darkgray" |

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=ח׳}}Only appears in transliterations from Arabic script to transliterate the letter Ḫāʾ (خ) (Heth with geresh)

| kh

colspan="2" | {{IPAlink|z}}

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=ז}} (Zayin)

| z

| zoo

style="background-color: darkgray" |

| {{IPAlink|ʒ}}

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=ז׳}} (Zayin with geresh)

| zh

| beige

| {{IPAlink|ʔ}} ({{IPAlink|ʕ}})In Modern Israeli Hebrew, {{IPA|/ħ, ʕ/}} have merged with {{IPA|/χ, ʔ/}} respectively, but are still distinguished by some Sephardi, Mizrahi and Arab speakers.

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=ע}} (Ayin)

| {{abbr|BH|Biblical Hebrew}}: ʿ
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: '

| {{abbr|BH|Biblical Hebrew}}: No English equivalent; Arabic 'ayn (ع)
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: uh-(ʔ)oh

colspan="2" | {{IPAlink|ʔ}}

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=א}} (Alef)

| {{abbr|BH|Biblical Hebrew}}: ʾ
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}:'

| uh-(ʔ)oh

IPA	Usual pronunciation	Letter(s)	Romanisation	English
class="wikitable sortable sort-under" \|+Marginal consonants of Modern Hebrew in transliteration and loanwords (used only by some speakers)
{{IPAlink\|ð}} \| {{IPAlink\|d}} / {{IPAlink\|z}} \| {{Script/Hebrew\|1=ד׳}} (Dalet with geresh) \| dh \| the
{{IPAlink\|ɣ}} \| {{IPAlink\|ʁ}} / {{IPAlink\|ɡ}} \| {{Script/Hebrew\|1=ע׳}}Only appears in transliterations from Arabic script to transliterate the letter Ghayn (غ‎‎‎). (Ayin with geresh) or {{Script/Hebrew\|1=ר׳}}Only appears in transliterations from Arabic script to transliterate the letter Ghayn (غ‎‎‎). (Resh with geresh) \| gh \| No English equivalent; Arabic Ghayn (غ‎‎‎)
{{IPAlink\|ŋ}} \| {{IPA\|ŋɡ}} \| {{Script/Hebrew\|1=נג}} (Nun-Gimel) \| ng \| ring
{{IPAlink\|θ}} \| {{IPAlink\|t}} / {{IPAlink\|s}} \| {{Script/Hebrew\|1=ת׳}}ת׳ is sometimes used for both /ð/ and /θ/ (in words from English) either by speakers who don't hear a distinction between them or as an equivalent to the Th digraph of English which is also used for both sounds. (Tav with geresh) \| th \| thing

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|+Vowels

! colspan="1"| {{abbr|TH|Tiberian Hebrew}}

! colspan="1"| {{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}

! colspan="1"| Letter(s)

! rowspan="1"| Romanization

! rowspan="1"| English approximation

colspan="2" | {{IPAlink|ä|a}}

| 35px (Patach), 35px (Hataf Patach)

| {{abbr|TH|Tiberian Hebrew}}: a, ă
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: a

| father

Rowspan=2| {{IPAlink|eː}}

| {{IPA|ej}} ({{IPA|e}})Some conservative speakers pronounce it /e/ like in Sephardi Hebrew

| Rowspan=2| {{Script/Hebrew|1=י}}35px(Tzere-Yodh), 35px (Zeire)

| Rowspan=2| {{abbr|TH|Tiberian Hebrew}}: ē
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: e or ei/ey

| | {{abbr|TH|Tiberian Hebrew}}: Scottish bay
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: bay

Rowspan=3| {{IPAlink|e̞|e}}

| Scottish bay

| 35px (Segol), 35px (Hataf Segol)

| {{abbr|TH|Tiberian Hebrew}}: e, ĕ
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: e

| {{abbr|TH|Tiberian Hebrew}}: bed
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: Scottish bay

Rowspan=2| {{IPAlink|ə}}

| Rowspan=2| 35px (Shva)

| Rowspan=2| {{abbr|TH|Tiberian Hebrew}}: ǝ/ĕ
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: e or unwritten

| {{abbr|TH|Tiberian Hebrew}}: comma
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: Scottish bay

∅Modern Hebrew typically elides shva in situations where it can be comfortably omitted in common speech, creating consonant clusters that would otherwise not be permitted in older varieties of Hebrew.

| {{abbr|TH|Tiberian Hebrew}}: comma
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: silent

colspan="2" | {{IPAlink|i}}

| 35px(Hiriq)

| i

| rowspan="2" | see

| {{IPA|i}}

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=י}}35px(Hiriq-Yud)

| {{abbr|TH|Tiberian Hebrew}}: ī
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: i

| rowspan="2" | {{IPAlink|o̞|o}}

| 23px (Holam alone), {{Script/Hebrew|1=וֹ}} (with any mater lectionis)

| {{abbr|TH|Tiberian Hebrew}}: ō
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: o

| story

| 35px (Kamatz katan), 35px (Hataf Kamatz)

| {{abbr|TH|Tiberian Hebrew}}: o, ŏ
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: o

| {{abbr|TH|Tiberian Hebrew}}: off
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: story

| {{IPA|a}}

| 35px (Kamatz)

| {{abbr|TH|Tiberian Hebrew}}: ā
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: a

| {{abbr|TH|Tiberian Hebrew}}: off
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: father

colspan="2" | {{IPAlink|u}}

| 35px (Kubutz)

| u

| rowspan="2" | cool

| {{IPA|u}}

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=וּ}} (Vav with shuruk)

| {{abbr|TH|Tiberian Hebrew}}: ū
{{abbr|MH|Modern Hebrew}}: u

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|+Diphthongs in Modern Hebrew (used in transliteration and loanwords)

! colspan="1"| IPA

! colspan="1"| Letter(s)

! rowspan="1"| Romanization

! rowspan="1"| English approximation

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=אוֹ}}35px (Patach-Holam), {{Script/Hebrew|1=אוֹ}}35px (Kamatz-Holam)

| ao

| Rowspan=2| cow

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=אוּ}}35px (Patach-Shuruk), {{Script/Hebrew|1=אוּ}}35px (Kamatz-Shuruk)

| au

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=אוּ}}35px (Segol-Shuruk), {{Script/Hebrew|1=אוּ}}35px (Tzere-Shuruk)

| eu

|no (some dialectsThese dialects include Southern England (including Received Pronunciation), English Midlands, Australian, New Zealand, the Southern American, Midland American, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Western Pennsylvania and younger Californian English. Other dialects of English, such as most other forms of American, Northern England, Welsh, Scottish and Irish English, have no close equivalent vowel.)

| {{Script/Hebrew|1=וֹאוּ}} (Holam-Shuruk)

| ou

|goal

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|+Other symbols

! IPA!! Explanation

| Primary stress (placed before the stressed syllable): {{Script/Hebrew|אֹכֶל}} ('food') {{IPA|/ˈʔoχel/}}, {{Script/Hebrew|אוֹכֵל‏}} ('eating' [participle]) {{IPA|/ʔoˈχel/}}

| Secondary stress, e.g. {{Script/Hebrew|הַאֻמְנָם?}} ('oh, really?') {{IPA|/ˌhaʔumˈnam/}}

| Long vowels (in Tiberian Hebrew) can be transcribed using the IPA gemination sign {{IPA|ː}}: the word for "hand" would be {{Script/Hebrew|יָד}} {{IPA|/jɔːð/}} in absolute state and {{Script/Hebrew|יַד־}} {{IPA|/jað/}} in construct state.Vowel length and quality in Tiberian Hebrew is a matter of debate, and that is just one possible example. Indicating normative consonant gemination uses a double consonant: {{Script/Hebrew|גַּנָּב}} ('a thief') {{IPA|/ɡanˈnav/}} not {{IPA|/ɡaˈnːav/}}

Help:IPA/Hebrew

Notes

See also