The Hebrew calendar is central to Jewish life – from holidays and festivals to birthdays and anniversaries. Unlike the Gregorian calendar, it’s based on lunar months and includes leap years with an extra month. This guide introduces the Hebrew months and essential calendar terms to help learners speak confidently about time and tradition in Hebrew.
Months of the Hebrew Calendar
| English Month | Hebrew (with niqqud) | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| Nisan | נִיסָן | Nisan |
| Iyar | אִיָּר | Iyar |
| Sivan | סִיוָן | Sivan |
| Tammuz | תַּמּוּז | Tammuz |
| Av | אָב | Av |
| Elul | אֱלוּל | Elul |
| Tishrei | תִּשְׁרֵי | Tishrei |
| Cheshvan | חֶשְׁוָן | Cheshvan |
| Kislev | כִּסְלֵו | Kislev |
| Tevet | טֵבֵת | Tevet |
| Shevat | שְׁבָט | Shevat |
| Adar | אֲדָר | Adar |
| Adar I (leap year) | אֲדָר א׳ | Adar Alef |
| Adar II (leap year) | אֲדָר ב׳ | Adar Bet |
In leap years, the month of Adar is split into Adar I and Adar II. Most holidays, like Purim, are celebrated in Adar II.
Calendar Terms
| English | Hebrew (with niqqud) | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| Day | יוֹם | yom |
| Week | שָׁבוּעַ | shavua |
| Month | חֹדֶשׁ | chodesh |
| Year | שָׁנָה | shanah |
| Date | תַּאֲרִיךְ | ta’arich |
| Calendar | לוּחַ שָׁנָה | luach shanah |
| Holiday | חַג | chag |
| Festival | מוֹעֵד | mo’ed |
| New Moon | רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ | rosh chodesh |
| Leap Year | שָׁנָה מְעוּבֶּרֶת | shanah me’uberet |
Useful Phrases
- החודש הוא תשרי – Ha-chodesh hu Tishrei – The month is Tishrei
- ראש חודש חל ביום שני – Rosh Chodesh chal be-yom sheni – Rosh Chodesh falls on Monday
- אנחנו חוגגים את פורים באדר – Anachnu chogegim et Purim be-Adar – We celebrate Purim in Adar
- השנה היא שנה מעוברת – Ha-shanah hi shanah me’uberet – This year is a leap year
- תאריך יום ההולדת שלי הוא כ״ה באלול – Ta’arich yom ha-huledet sheli hu kaf-hei be-Elul – My birthday is on the 25th of Elul
Practice Tips
- Use a Hebrew calendar and say the current month aloud each day.
- Match Jewish holidays to their Hebrew months (e.g., Passover in Nisan, Hanukkah in Kislev).
- Create flashcards with month names and their seasonal associations.
- Practice writing today’s Hebrew date using both numbers and words.
- Listen to Hebrew podcasts or holiday songs and try to identify the month mentioned.