SOME PECULIARITIES OF HEBREW LETTERS

For the European ear the letter א , called Aleph, represents just any vowel, a, e, i, o or u . In a more classic pronuncation of the Aleph , one hears just before that vowel a brief interruption of the flow of sound.

For the European ear the letter ע , called Ayin, represents just any vowel a, e, i, o or u . In a more classic pronunciation of the Ayin, one hears just before that vowel a distinct guttural interruption of the flow of sound.

The letter ו , called Waw, can be either  consonant or vowel. As a consonant it is pronounced "W", or at the end of a word "F". But sometimes it stands for a vowel "O" or "U".

The letter י , called Yod, can be either consonant or vowel. As a consonant it is pronounced "Y". But sometimes it stands for a vowel "E" or "I".

The letter ח , called Ghet, is a consonant that sounds like "CH" in German "ach". In Modern Hebrew a bit heavier than this, but in Classic Hebrew lighter. Today it is often indistinguishable from the aspired כ , and ך , called Khaf. We prefer to indicate its sound as "GH".

The letter כ , looks like the European "C" and also has two sounds. In three cases it is called Kaf and sounds "K": at the beginning of a word, directly after a real consonant and when doubled. But this doubling is not shown in writing.

In other three cases it is called Khaf and sounds like "CH" in German "ach": at the end of a word ( here spelled ך ,) and after a vowel, but also if it follows a non-written and no more pronounced vowel that once sounded like an unstressed "e" (as in "water"). A complicated set of rules, to learn only by practice. We prefer to indicate its sound as "KH".

The letter ב , predecessor of the European B, has two sounds, "b" and "w". It is called Bet and sounds like "B" in three cases : at the beginning of a word, directly after a real consonant and when doubled. But this doubling is not shown in writing.

It is called Wet and sounds like "V" or "W" at the end of a word and after a vowel, but also if it follows the non-written and unpronounced vowel that once sounded like an unstressed "e" ( as in "water").

A complicated set of rules that can only be learned by practice. We will often specify its sound according to practical aspects of comparison between the-European and Hebrew languages.

The letter פ , predecessor of the European P, has two sounds, "P" and "PH". It is called Pé and sounds like "P" in three cases : at the beginning of a word (except some foreign words), directly after a real consonant and when doubled. But this doubling is not shown in writing.

It is called Phé and sounds like "PH"  at the end of a word ( here spelled ף ,) and after a vowel, but also if it follows the non-written and unpronounced vowel that once sounded like an unstressed "e" ( as in "water"). A complicated set of rules that can only be learned by practice. We will often specify its sound according to practical aspects of comparison between Hebrew and European languages.

The letter ה , called Hé, sounds like "h". But it is also frequently used at the end of a word to express a vowel, usually "A" or " E ".

The letter ש has two sounds. Mostly it is called Shin and sounds like "SH". But in a number of cases it is called Sin and sounds like "S".

Hebrew has another letter that sounds "S".  It is the ס , called Samekh.