Twenty-two letters? No vowels? Everything goes right to left? But within a week of practice, the mystery of the Hebrew alphabet (also known as the Alef-Bet) began to unravel, and it quickly became one of my favorite parts of learning Hebrew.
If you're just starting your journey to learn Hebrew, this beginner’s guide to the Alef-Bet will help you understand the structure, logic, and beauty behind Hebrew letters — and get you reading faster than you think.
What Is the Alef-Bet?
The Hebrew alphabet is called the Alef-Bet, named after its first two letters: Alef (א) and Bet (ב). It consists of 22 consonants, and unlike English, there are no distinct vowel letters — instead, Hebrew uses vowel marks called nikud.
Here’s a quick breakdown:
22 letters (all consonants)
5 of them have final forms (sofit), used when the letter appears at the end of a word
Vowels are indicated by dots and dashes placed under or around the letters (used mostly in learning materials and sacred texts)
Hebrew Is Written Right to Left
One of the first things to get used to is that Hebrew is written right to left. It may feel strange at first, especially if you're used to Latin-based scripts, but your brain adapts surprisingly fast.
I found it helpful to physically trace the letters with my finger, starting from the right, to build muscle memory and orientation.
A Closer Look at the Letters
Here are a few examples to get you familiar:
א (Alef) – silent letter, but can take on any vowel sound
ב (Bet) – sounds like “b” as in “boy”
ג (Gimel) – “g” as in “go”
ד (Dalet) – “d” as in “dog”
And five letters have special final forms when they appear at the end of a word:
| Regular | Final Form |
|---|---|
| כ (Kaf) | ך |
| מ (Mem) | ם |
| נ (Nun) | ן |
| פ (Pe) | ף |
| צ (Tsadi) | ץ |
These sofit forms look different, but they’re still the same letters at their core.
What About Vowels?
Vowels in Hebrew are indicated by nikud — small dots and dashes placed around the letters. Here are a few common ones:
ַ (Patach) – makes an “a” sound like in “father”
ֶ (Segol) – short “e” sound
ִ (Chirik) – “ee” as in “see”
ֹ (Holam) – long “o” as in “go”
ֻ (Kubutz) – “oo” as in “boot”
In modern Hebrew, especially in newspapers, street signs, and adult books, nikud is usually omitted, and readers rely on context. But when you're learning Hebrew, it’s a huge help.
How to Start Learning the Alef-Bet
Here’s what helped me learn the Hebrew letters quickly:
Flashcards — Write the Hebrew letter on one side, and the pronunciation + example word on the other.
Apps — Try a Hebrew alphabet app (or use my app!) to practice letter recognition daily.
Writing Practice — Use grid paper to write each letter 5–10 times. Focus on stroke order and spacing.
Watch and Repeat — Find YouTube videos with native speakers pronouncing the letters and repeat after them.
Learning to read Hebrew begins with recognizing the letters. Don’t worry about grammar or sentences yet — this stage is all about building visual and auditory familiarity.
Common Beginner Mistakes
Here are some things I wish I had known earlier:
Don’t confuse similar-looking letters (like ד and ר, or ב and כ). They may look close but sound very different.
Learn the final forms early — they appear often and will trip you up if you skip them.
Practice slowly — don’t rush to read words until you’re comfortable recognizing individual letters.
Final Thoughts: You Can Master the Hebrew Alphabet
If you're still reading — you're already ahead of the game!
The Hebrew alphabet is not as intimidating as it first seems. Like any new script, it just takes practice, repetition, and a bit of curiosity. You don’t need to memorize everything at once — start with 5 letters a day, and within a week, you’ll know them all.
👉 My tip: Pick a few Hebrew letters today, draw them, pronounce them, and see if you can spot them in signs or websites.
Want more help? Our app includes interactive Hebrew alphabet lessons with pronunciation guides, quizzes, and writing practice. Give it a try — and soon you’ll be reading Hebrew with confidence.