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Hebrew Helps: 4-5
 
Help 4
: In general, the Hebrew vowel system is quite different than the English one.One significant thing to take note of when “reading” Hebrew is the difference betweenshort and long vowels (more on that important difference in the future). Here, I will referto the writing of vowels as “vowel points”. In Hebrew, I use a sort of “Inverted L Shape”to remember my 13 “vowel points”. I use an “Inverted L Shape” because it has 3 pointsto it and in Hebrew, vowels are typically written in 3 different ways: 1) Under theconsonant, 2) To the Left of the consonant [or, under and to the left], and 3) Above theconsonant. Below is an image that I developed which aids me in memorizing my Hebrew“vowel points”.Some things to note about the “vowel points” are: A) All of the “vowel points” that siteatop a letter are “long vowels”. B) All of the “vowel points” that sit to “under and to theleft” of the letter are “long vowels”. C) With the exception of “Qames” and “Sere”,which are “long”, everything that sits “under” the consonant is a “short” vowel. D) Withthe “long vowels” where the “vowel point” is under/left, there is always a 2
nd
letter that iseither a “yod” or a “waw” (vav). E) Note that when both the “segol” and “hireq”, whichare short, adopt a “yod”, they become “long”. F) Remember that there are 13 “vowelpoints”. I remember these as 4-5-4 (4 “long at top”, 5 “short at bottom” and 4 “long atbottom/left”). Here’s the image that I use (the samekh is simply used as a placeholder sothat we have an example consonant to work with):
 
=
ō
 
(holem)

= o
 
(holem-vav)
=
ā
 
(qames)
=
ē
(sere)
= a (patah)
= e (segol)
= I (hireq)
= o (
qames-hatuf 
)
= u (
qibbus
)
= ê
(sere-yod)
= ey
(segol-yod)
= i
(hireq-yod)

= u
(shureq)LongShortLong
Note that in Hebrew,there is also a “Shewa”which is two verticaldots placed under theconsonant. I do notinclude this in the“vowel” list but as it iscommon, it must belearned. You mayinclude or remember itwith the “Inverted L”to the left. It lookslike this
:
 
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