The Hebrew alphabet consists of 22 letters, all of which are consonants. Hebrew is written from right to left, and unlike English, it has no uppercase or lowercase letters. Each letter has its own name, sound, and numerical value in gematria.
Some letters also have final forms used only at the end of words. Let’s explore them all:
The 22 Hebrew Letters
| Letter | Name | Sound | Final Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| א | Alef | A, E, I. O, U | – | Often carries a vowel sound |
| בּ / ב | Bet / Vet | B (with dagesh) / V | – | Dagesh changes sound |
| ג | Gimmel | G | – | – |
| ד | Dalet | D | – | – |
| ה | Heh | H | – | Silent at end of word |
| ו | Vav | V / “O” / “U” | – | Can act as vowel |
| ז | Zayin | Z | – | – |
| ח | Chet | Ch (guttural) | – | Strong throat sound |
| ט | Tet | T | – | Emphatic T |
| י | Yud | Y/I / vowel marker | – | Can be silent or vowel |
| כּ / כ | Kaf / Khaf | K (with dagesh) / Ch | ך | Final form: ך |
| ל | Lamed | L | – | – |
| מ | Mem | M | ם | Final form: ם |
| נ | Nun | N | ן | Final form: ן |
| ס | Samech | S | – | – |
| ע | Ayin | A, E, I. O, U/ guttural | – | Often carries vowel |
| פּ / פ | Peh / Feh | P (with dagesh) / F | ף | Final form: ף |
| צ | Tsadi | Ts/Tz/Zz | ץ | Final form: ץ |
| ק | Kuf | K (deep) | – | – |
| ר | Reish | R | – | Soft R |
| שׁ / שׂ | Shin / Sin | Sh / S | – | Dot on right = Sh, left = S |
| תּ / ת | Tav | T | – | Modern Hebrew = always T |
Tips for Learners
- Final forms appear only at the end of words
- Some letters change sound with a dagesh (dot inside the letter)
- Shin/Sin and Bet/Vet are great examples of how dots affect pronunciation
- Alef and Ayin are often silent, but they carry vowel sounds
Learning the Hebrew alphabet is the first step toward reading, writing, and understanding Hebrew. Once you master the letters, you’ll be ready to explore niqqud (vowel signs), roots, and grammar patterns.
