Hebrew is one of the oldest languages to exist. If you wish to connect more deeply with Jewish Culture and History, learning Hebrew is a perfect place to start. Knowing how to speak Hebrew will also help if you plan to move or travel to Israel, as it is one of their nationally recognized languages spoken by more than 7 million Jewish and non-Jewish Israeli nationals. Moreover, learning Hebrew may also help to build a career in government offices in diplomacy or intelligence departments.
However, learning Hebrew by yourself would be extremely difficult. Hence, it is advised to look for a Hebrew language tutor or a Hebrew course online. So here are 5 helpful tips coupled with some resources to help you learn this beautiful foreign language.
1. Hebrew was initially written without vowels
For a native English speaker or any language speaker, for that matter, it is impossible even to imagine trying to comprehend a language without vowels. So this part of Hebrew becomes extremely tricky as many Hebrew texts are written without any vowels. Originally, Hebrew texts were written without vowels, and only later were the vowel sounds added without special signs and markers.
Online Hebrew lessons often teach both pointed (texts with vowels) and unpointed (without vowels) but considering the fact that many newspapers, books, and texts are still written without vowels, one would require guidance in fully understanding the text.
2. Hebrew does not contain numbers
Hebrew texts represent numbers through texts. They do not have a numerical text and signify numbers through letters in the alphabet.
Here is a great Online Hebrew starter course on understanding the Hebrew alphabet and numbers and other basics such as introduction, greetings, information exchanges, etc.
3. Cultural differences
Cultural differences play a huge part in how we communicate in different parts of the world. Phrases used in some languages may not be used in others.
Some Hebrew words don’t even have English substitutes. So if you’re going to a Hebrew-speaking nation for business purposes, you will need to have a grasp of the corporate language used over there.
Fortunately, there are many online Hebrew courses that teach business communication in Hebrew.
4. Reading Hebrew
Many people may want to learn Hebrew to read the Bible’s old testament, which was written in ancient Hebrew.
Did you know that Hebrew is one of the many languages that is read from right to left? Many beginners might find this disorienting at first. All you need to do is take help from an Online Hebrew Learning course and consistently practice every day.
5. Stay true to your cause
Learning Hebrew is a difficult task, especially for those who do not have experience with texts and pronunciations in Middle Eastern languages. It is only natural for you to feel that learning Hebrew is too difficult and want to give up.
If that happens, always remember why you wanted to learn Hebrew, whether it is because of your government job, your travel plans, your new business venture, or because you want to feel closer to the word of God.
Staying true to your own ambitions is a great way to motivate and remind yourself why you decided to take up learning Hebrew in the first place.
To Conclude
Thanks to the advancements made in connecting the world at a global level, there are many ways to learn Hebrew:
- Mobile Apps – Mondly or the Ling App for interactive lessons, Drops for vocabulary, Pimsleur to develop conversational skills
- Online Courses – Many online courses provide a step-by-step approach to Hebrew Learning, such as Cudoo.com.
Try these out today!
