Hebrew Seow Lesson 2 Rules

Front 1

Syllables

Back 1

1. Every syllable begins with one consonant (C)
2. Every syllable has only one vowel (v)
3. May end in vowel or consonant
4. May be stressed or unstressed

Front 2

Vowel Classes

Back 2

1. a, i, u
2. each class has short and long vowels

Front 3

Matres Lectionis

Back 3

1. "mothers of reading"
2. markers of long vowels
3. do not act as consonants
4. י ה ו

Front 4

בּׅי

Back 4

hireq - yod
î

Front 5

בֶּי

Back 5

segol-yod
ê

Front 6

בֵּי

Back 6

sere-yod
ê

Front 7

בּוֹ

Back 7

holem-waw
ô

Front 8

בּוּ

Back 8

sureq
û

Front 9

בָּה

Back 9

qames-he'
ā(h)

Front 10

בֶּה

Back 10

segol-he'
e(h)

Front 11

בֵּה

Back 11

sere-he'
ē(h)

Front 12

בֹּה

Back 12

holem-he'
ō(h)

Front 13

Matres placement

Back 13

1. middle or end of word - י ו
2. end only - ה, mappiq used when it is a consonant at the end הּ

Front 14

Full and defective spellings

Back 14

1. full - word written with a mater
2. defective - without a mater when one is expected
3. there is no distinction in meaning between the two spellings

Front 15

silent בְּ

Back 15

1. not a vowel
2. under every consonant that closes a syllable
3. not represented in transliteration
4. present with final form kaph ךְ

Front 16

Rules for vocal sewa

Back 16

1. beginning of word
2. second of two sewa in immediate succession
3. immediately after a consonant with strong dages
4. immediately after Cv̄

Front 17

Rules for silent sewa

Back 17

1. comes at the end of a word, even if second of two sewa in immediate succession
2. first of two in immediate succession
3. immediately after unstressed Cv
4. immediately after stressed vowel

Front 18

Rules for gutterals

Back 18

1. ע ח ה א
2. do not take simple vocal sewa
3. instead they prefer composite sewa
4. make take silent sewas
5. prefer "a" sounds

Front 19

חֳ

Back 19

hatep-qames
ŏ
pronounced same as qames-hatup

Front 20

חֱ

Back 20

hatep-segol
ĕ
pronounced same as segol

Front 21

חֲ

Back 21

hatep-patah
ă
pronounced same as patah

Front 22

S.O.U.S.

Back 22

short open unstressed syllables generally not found

Front 23

L.C.U.S.

Back 23

long closed unstressed syllables generally not found

Front 24

חָֽ

Back 24

1. furtive patah
2. at end of words ending in ע ח הּ
3. written after the gutteral, but pronounced before it
4. always ā
5. not considered a genuine vowel, not counted as a syllable, and not stressed (stress is on vowel before)
6. transliterated within parentheses

Front 25

Quiescent aleph

Back 25

when aleph closes a syllable it is silent
(˒)

Front 26

Stress/accent

Back 26

1. Usually indicated
2. Otherwise, assume it is on the last syllable

Front 27

Open vs. closed syllables

Back 27

1. open ends in v
2. closed ends in C

Front 28

Three types of sewas

Back 28

1. silent
2. simple vocal
3. composite

Front 29

simple vocal בְ

Back 29

1. transliterated as ĕ
2. considered a half or reduced vowel
3. never closes a syllable

Front 30

Ultima

Back 30

last syllable

Front 31

Penultima

Back 31

next-to-last syllable

Front 32

Tonic

Back 32

stressed syllable

Front 33

Pretonic

Back 33

syllable before the stressed syllable

Front 34

Propretonic

Back 34

syllable before the pretonic syllable

Front 35

בָֽ

Back 35

when meteg appears with patah the vowel is always ā

Front 36

Stops vs. Spirants

Back 36

1. if begadkepat is in beginning it will be a stop
2. if begadkepat is in the end it will usually be a spirant
3. if begadkepat is in the middle of the word:
a. stop if immediately proceeded by a consonant
b. doubles if it is proceeded by a short unaccented vowel

Front 37

Short vs. Long Vowel in hireq and qibbus

Back 37

assume short unless
1. accented syllable
2. meteg present
3. open syllable