The Hebrew alphabet consists of 22 letters, all of which are consonants. Originating around the 10th century BCE, it is one of the oldest and most influential writing systems in the world. Unlike many modern alphabets, the Hebrew script does not include separate symbols for vowels, which are typically indicated by diacritical marks known as nikud.

The alphabet includes letters like Aleph (א), Bet (ב), Gimel (ג), and Dalet (ד). The Hebrew alphabet has played a significant role in religious texts and is still used in modern Hebrew today.

Hebrew Vowel Letters

Hebrew does not have separate vowel letters like many other alphabets. Instead, vowels are represented by diacritical marks called niqqud (נִקּוּד), which are small dots and dashes placed above, below, or inside the consonant letters, as illustrated below.

These marks are primarily used in religious texts and language learning materials. In modern Hebrew, however, they are typically omitted, with readers relying on context to determine the correct pronunciation.

Vowels (Nikkud):

ַ
[Patach]
ָ
[Kamatz]
ֵ
[Tzeirei]
ֶ
[Segol]
ִ
[Chirik]
ֹ
[Cholam]
ֻ
[Kubutz]
ְ
[Shva]
ּ
[Dagesh]

Hebrew Consonant Letters

The Hebrew alphabet consists of 22 letters, all of which are consonants. In traditional Hebrew, vowel sounds are indicated by diacritical marks called niqqud, which are combined with the consonants to determine the correct pronunciation.

For example, the consonant ב (Bet) can be paired with different niqqud to represent vowel sounds

  • בַ = "ba" (with the patah vowel mark, a short "a" sound)
  • בִ = "bi" (with the hiriq vowel mark, a short "i" sound)
  • בָ = "ba" (with the kamatz vowel mark, a long "a" sound)
  • בֻ = "bu" (with the kubutz vowel mark, a short "u" sound)

Consonants:

א
[Aleph]
ב
[Bet]
ג
[Gimel]
ד
[Dalet]
ה
[Hey]
ו
[Vav]
ז
[Zayin]
ח
[Chet]
ט
[Tet]
י
[Yod]
כ
[Kaf]
ל
[Lamed]
מ
[Mem]
נ
[Nun]
ס
[Samekh]
ע
[Ayin]
פ
[Pe]
צ
[Tsade]
ק
[Qof]
ר
[Resh]
ש
[Shin]
ת
[Tav]

Numbers

א
[Aleph]
ב
[Bet]
ג
[Gimel]
ד
[Dalet]
ה
[Hey]
ו
[Vav]
ז
[Zayin]
ח
[Chet]
ט
[Tet]
י
[Yod]
כ
[Kaf]
ל
[Lamed]
מ
[Mem]
נ
[Nun]
ס
[Samekh]
ע
[Ayin]
פ
[Pe]
צ
[Tsade]
ק
[Qof]
ר
[Resh]
ש
[Shin]
ת
[Tav]

Special Letter Final Form

ך
[kh]
ם
[m]
ן
[n]
ף
[p]
ץ
[ts]

Special Characters

־
[Maqaf]
״
[Gershayim]
׳
[Geresh]
׃
[Sof Pasuq]
׀
[Sof Pasken]
ׇ
[Qamats Qatan]
װ
[Vav with Dagesh]
ױ
[Yod with Dagesh]
ֿ
[Rafe]
ּ
[Dagesh]
ׄ
[Mappiq]
׆
[Tsere Nach]
[Ellipsis]
[En Dash]
[Em Dash]
׳׳
[Double Geresh]

Frequently Asked Questions

How many letters are in Hebrew?

The Hebrew script consists of 22 letters, all of which are consonants.

Vowels are represented using diacritical marks called niqqud, which are placed above, below, or inside the consonant letters to indicate the correct pronunciation. However, these diacritical marks are primarily used in religious texts, poetry, and materials for learning the language, rather than in everyday modern Hebrew writing.


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