Hebrew Nikud (Vowels)
Hebrew vowel sounds are shown with marks placed above, below or inside letters, guiding exact pronunciation.
Basic Vowel Groups Overview
What Nikud Is & Why It Matters
Core idea
Unlike English, vowels are rarely written as full letters. Instead Hebrew uses nikud marks around consonants. Essential for learners, children, poetry and traditional texts.
Modern everyday writing (news, chat) almost never uses full nikud.
5 Core Vowel Groups
Key sounds
Start with E / I / A / O / U. Each sound has multiple signs. Some appear with mater letters (י, ו, ה) that extend the vowel.
E
'Eh' sound like bed
I
'Ee' sound like see
A
Open 'Ah' sound
O
'Oh' sound
U
'Oo' sound like blue
Word Breakdown Examples
Slow reading method
Look at each letter: consonant sound, vowel sign, helpers (mater, dagesh). Build the full pronunciation step by step.
אַבָּא (Aba – Dad)
א silent + Patach = אַ | בּ (dagesh 'b') + Patach = בָּ | Final א lengthens the 'a' → אַבָּא
Final Alef does not add a separate consonant.
גֶשֶם (Geshem – Rain)
ג + Segol = גֶ ('geh') | שׁ (right dot = 'sh') + Segol = שֶׁ | Final ם closes → גֶשֶם
Segol gives the short 'eh'.
סִירָה (Sira – Boat)
ס + Hiriq = סִ ('see') | י mater extends 'ee' | ר + Kamatz = רָ ('rah') | Final ה soft ending → סִירָה
Yod after hiriq lengthens the vowel.
אָבוּד (Avud – Lost)
א + Kamatz = אָ | בּ + Shuruk = בּוּ | ד closes → אָבוּד
Kamatz then Shuruk sequence.
שֻׁלְחָן (Shulchan – Table)
שׁ + Kubutz = שֻׁ ('shu') | ל + Shva Nach = לְ (quick) | ח + Kamatz = חָ | ן final closes → שֻׁלְחָן
Shva nach adds no vowel sound.
בּוֹקֶר טוֹב (Boker Tov – Good morning)
בּ + Holam Male = בּוֹ | ק + Segol = קֶ | ר closes → בּוֹקֶר | ט + Holam Male = טוֹ | ב (no dot) = 'v' → טוֹב
Holam Male = ו + dot above.
Silent Letters, Maters & Shva
Hidden sounds
Alef/Ayin often just carry vowels; mater letters (י ו ה) lengthen; Shva Nach closes a syllable, Shva Na may sound like a quick 'e'; dagesh changes sound (בּ/ב, פּ/פ).
Dagesh can also mark strengthening (כּ vs כ).
Alef
Usually silent, carries vowel (אַ, אָ).
Ayin
Modern Israeli Hebrew often pronounces Ayin like Alef (sound merged).
Mater letters
י/ו/ה that lengthen/support vowel (חִי, אוֹ, סִירָה).
Shva
Nach = silent; Na = quick 'e'; rules define which.
Dagesh
Dot inside letter alters sound (בּ/ב, כּ/כ).
Practice Nikud
Tips & Wrap‑up
Remember
Slow down: consonant + sign + mater. Drill frequent patterns. Spot Shva Nach. Notice dagesh. Read many fully vocalized texts early on.
Sample sentences
Nikud helps you pronounce new words precisely.
Reading vocalized text builds confidence.
Later you infer vowels even without full nikud.