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Hebrew alphabet · Lesson 1 of 22

Aleph א

Step 1 of 4

Meet Aleph

The first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Start with the letter, then look at the marks around it.

Exploring Aleph (א) and Hebrew Diacritical Marks

What you’ll learn

  • Recognize Aleph: א.
  • Distinguish Patah, Kamatz Gadol and Hataf Patah by their shapes.
  • Identify these vowel marks in beginner practice questions.

How vowel marks work

Hebrew is usually written with consonant letters, and some letters can also help indicate vowels. When precise vowel pronunciation is needed, Hebrew uses marks called niqqud. These marks appear above, below, or inside letters. In this lesson, you will learn three marks that can represent an [a] vowel with the letter Aleph (א).

Where you’ll see Hataf Patah

In most cases, the Hataf Patah is used with the letters Aleph (אֲ), Chet (חֲ), Hey (הֲ), and Ayin (עֲ). On rare occasions, it may appear under other consonants as well.

Step 2 of 4

One letter, three vowel marks

Look beneath Aleph. Notice the line, the T-shaped mark, and the line with two dots.

Patah

A Patah is a small horizontal line placed beneath a consonant. Thanks to its clean, minimalist design, it is one of the easiest niqqud marks to recognize.

אַ · Aleph with a single horizontal vowel mark beneath it.

When Aleph is paired with a Patah, it takes on an [a] sound—just like the "a" in "father." As a reminder, this sign appears as a single horizontal line underneath the letter.

Kamatz Gadol

The Kamatz Gadol resembles a small T-shaped symbol: a horizontal line with a short vertical stroke extending downward. Like other niqqud marks, it is positioned directly beneath the consonant.

אָ · Aleph with a small T-shaped vowel mark beneath it.

When Aleph is paired with a Kamatz Gadol, it shares the exact same [a] sound—like the "a" in "father."

Hataf Patah

The Hataf Patah is a combination of the Patah and a Sheva (two vertical dots). Hataf Patah appears below the letter. Its shape combines a horizontal line with two vertically arranged dots beside it, as shown in אֲ. Like other niqqud marks, it sits directly beneath a consonant.

אֲ · Aleph with a horizontal vowel mark and two vertical dots beneath it.

With Hataf Patah (אֲ), Aleph is read with a reduced [a] vowel. The mark is traditionally described as a very brief vowel, but you do not need to distinguish vowel lengths to read beginner Modern Hebrew.

Conclusions

You have learned to recognize three niqqud marks used with Aleph (א): Patah (אַ), Kamatz Gadol (אָ), and Hataf Patah (אֲ). In beginner Modern Hebrew, all three can represent an [a] vowel; Hataf Patah is a reduced vowel sign. Practice recognizing their shapes and reading them in context.

Step 3 of 4

Put it into practice

Choose an answer, check it, then read the explanation.

Question 1 of 14 True or false

In Hebrew, vowel sounds are indicated by symbols that appear above, below, or inside the letters. These marks help determine how each letter is pronounced.

Source answer and explanation

Source answer: True

Niqqud marks indicate vowel pronunciation, but Hebrew can also use letters such as ו and י to help represent vowels. These marks may appear above, below, or inside letters.

Question 2 of 14 Choose one answer

Which Hebrew vowel sign looks like a small "T" and adds an [a] sound to a consonant?

Source answer and explanation

Source answer: Kamatz Gadol

That's the Kamatz Gadol! It features a horizontal line with a short vertical stroke extending downward. Like most niqqud marks, it sits directly beneath the consonant.

Question 3 of 14 Choose one answer

Which of the following Hebrew letters is marked with Kamatz Gadol?

Source answer and explanation

Source answer: אָ

Kamatz Gadol is shaped like a small T beneath a letter. Under Aleph, אָ is read with an [a] vowel, as in the vowel of “father.” Modern Hebrew does not require a long-versus-short [a] distinction here.

Question 4 of 14 True or false

In everyday Modern Hebrew, the letter Aleph (א) is usually silent, while niqqud marks can indicate its vowel sound.

Source answer and explanation

Source answer: True

That’s right! Aleph usually has no audible consonant sound in everyday speech. Niqqud marks can show which vowel to pronounce with it, as in אַ, אָ or אֲ.

Question 5 of 14 Choose one answer

What sound does the letter Alef (אָ) make when paired with a Kamatz Gadol?

Source answer and explanation

Source answer: [a]

It makes an [a] sound, just like the "a" in the English word "father."

Question 6 of 14 Choose one answer

Which Hebrew vowel sign looks like a small horizontal line and adds an [a] sound to a consonant?

Source answer and explanation

Source answer: Patah

That would be the Patah! This single horizontal line sits directly underneath the consonant to create the [a] sound.

Question 7 of 14 True or false

The Patah niqqud appears as a horizontal line beneath a letter and represents an [a] sound, similar to the "a" in "father."

Source answer and explanation

Source answer: True

That's true! The Patah is a simple horizontal line that creates a clean [a] sound, just like the "a" in "father" or "spa."

Question 8 of 14 Choose one answer

Which of the following Hebrew letters is paired with a Patah?

Source answer and explanation

Source answer: פַּ

Find the horizontal Patah mark beneath the letter. The correct choice shows פַּ (pa): the letter פּ with a dagesh and a Patah.

Question 9 of 14 True or false

When the letter Alef (אַ) is marked with a Patah, its sound is similar to the "a" in the English word "father."

Source answer and explanation

Source answer: True

That's true! The Patah niqqud represents a clean [a] sound, just like the "a" in "father" or "spa."

Question 10 of 14 Choose one answer

What sound does the letter Alef (אַ) make when paired with a Patah?

Source answer and explanation

Source answer: [a]

With Patah, אַ is read with an [a] vowel, like the vowel in “father” or “spa.” There is no required short-versus-long [a] contrast in Modern Hebrew.

Question 11 of 14 Choose one answer

What is the name of the niqqud mark that represents a reduced [a] vowel and looks like a horizontal line beside two vertical dots?

Source answer and explanation

Source answer: Hataf Patah

Hataf Patah combines a Patah-like line with the two dots of Sheva. It marks a reduced [a] vowel, especially under guttural letters.

Question 12 of 14 Choose one answer

Which of the following Hebrew letters is paired with a Hataf Patah?

Source answer and explanation

Source answer: עֲ

Look for the horizontal line combined with two vertical dots! This mark is almost exclusively used with guttural letters: Alef (אֲ), Chet (חֲ), Hey (הֲ), and Ayin (עֲ).

Question 13 of 14 True or false

The Hataf Patah niqqud is primarily used with the four guttural letters: Alef (אֲ), Chet (חֲ), Hey (הֲ), and Ayin (עֲ).

Source answer and explanation

Source answer: True

That's true! It almost always appears with these specific guttural letters, though in very rare cases, you might spot it under other consonants as well.

Question 14 of 14 Choose one answer

What sound does the letter Alef (אֲ) make when paired with a Hataf Patah?

Source answer and explanation

Source answer: [a]

Hataf Patah (אֲ) indicates a reduced [a] vowel. At this stage, recognize the sign and its [a] sound; Modern Hebrew does not require you to distinguish it by exact vowel length.

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