Week 2 · Lesson 2.4

Foundation · Modern (Israeli)

Modern · Israeli Hebrew

Read any pointed (niqud) text aloud, and command the full set of modern personal, demonstrative, interrogative and relative pronouns.

Lesson 2VocalisationLesson 8Pronouns
Core concepts · 6
  • The niqudot were devised by the Massoretes (~8th c. CE); modern papers drop them and you supply them from context.
  • Vav, Yod and He double as vowel-letters; a word like יְהוּדִי uses י first as a consonant, then as a vowel.
  • The sheva is a very short / silent vowel; two vocal shevas can't open a word (the first becomes hireq); gutturals take an augmented sheva.
  • Daghesh lene hardens בגדכפת; daghesh forte doubles and always follows a full vowel; makaf (־) joins words for accent.
  • Personal pronouns אֲנִי, אַתָּה, אַתְּ, הוּא, הִיא; pl. אֲנַחְנוּ, אַתֶּם, אַתֶּן, הֵם, הֵן (a mixed group defaults to masculine).
  • Demonstratives זֶה/זֹאת/אֵלֶּה; definite-accusative pronouns (אוֹתִי, אוֹתְךָ…) come at a clause's end; relative אֲשֶׁר / prefixed שֶׁ.

Vocabulary & signs · tap a word to hear, expand for how to say it

I
say: ʾani
you (m. / f. sing.)
say: ata / at
me (definite accusative)
say: ʾoti
this (m. / f.)
say: ze / zot
which / that (relative)
say: ʾasher / she-
who? / what?
say: mi / ma

Exercises · answer in the app

Exercise 1 / 3

Choose 'you' (feminine singular):

Bridge to this week

Week 2's subject pronouns are OHT Lesson 8; the vocalisation lesson is the modern counterpart to your nikud foundation — the same Massoretic points, now aimed at reading an Israeli siddur or newspaper aloud.

The Online Hebrew Tutorial v2.0 — Ben Stitz


Pass this quick check to complete the lesson.

Quick check · 1 / 4