HEBREW · STEP 2
Read ben and bat
Meet nun, add a new vowel, and read two family words.
Bring back what you know
Read from right to left. Give the consonant its sound, then read the vowel beneath it. We will keep using modern Israeli pronunciation.
Read מַ, תַ, and בַּ
ma, ta, ba. Mem gives m, tav gives t, and bet with its inside dot gives b. Each has patah, the line beneath the letter, for a as in father.
Nun has two forms
Nun sounds like n in name. Its shape changes at the end of a word; its sound stays the same.
- נNun
- At the beginning or middle of a word.
- ןFinal nun
- At the end of a word. Its long stroke reaches below the writing line.
Sofit means “final.” You may hear the second form called nun sofit. These are two forms of one letter.
Which form belongs at the end of a word?
ן, final nun. It still gives the sound n.
Two dots, an eh sound
Tsere is two dots side by side beneath a letter. Here it gives e, like the vowel in ten. Keep it one steady sound.
Compare it with the vowel you already know:
- בַּPatah
- ba · a as in father
- בֵּTsere
- be · e as in ten
The dot inside bet still gives b. The marks beneath it give the vowel.
What changes between these two syllables?
The vowel changes from a to e. Bet and its inside dot stay the same, so both begin with b.
Try nun with each vowel
These are practice syllables. Read each one before opening its answer.
Read נַ
na. Nun gives n; patah gives a as in father.
Read נֵ
ne. Nun gives n; tsere gives e as in ten.
Put the sounds together
Start on the right with bet and its vowel. Move left to final nun.
be + n = ben
One syllable, rhyming with ten.
בֵּן means son. Final nun has no vowel here. Finish with n; do not add another vowel.
Read, then check
Say each word and recall its meaning. Look at the vowel and the last letter each time.
Read בַּת
bat, daughter. Bet + patah + tav: b + a + t. Use a as in father and finish with t.
Read בֵּן
ben, son. Bet + tsere + final nun: b + e + n. Use e as in ten and finish with n.
Make it stick
Close the answers and read the two words again. Point to the vowel, then the last letter. Say what each contributes. Come back tomorrow and try before looking at the hints.
You can now recognize nun in both forms and use two vowels to read. These small steps prepare you to meet more words in our prayers and sources.
Explore the sources
Letter and vowel chart, Hebrew Public · Ben: son, Academy of the Hebrew Language · Bat: daughter, Academy of the Hebrew Language