The Hebrew Language: From Ancient Roots to Modern Revival

Hebrew is one of the oldest known languages in the world. It belongs to the Canaanite branch of the Semitic language family—the same family that includes Arabic and Aramaic. Hebrew was once the main language spoken by the early Jewish people, but its everyday use slowly declined after 586 B.C. when Aramaic became more common.

By the time of the Roman Empire (around 70 A.D.), Hebrew was no longer spoken in daily life. However, it never disappeared completely. Jewish communities continued to use it for religious prayers, literature, and as a shared written language between Jews living in different countries.

A Language Reborn

In the late 1800s, a remarkable effort began to bring Hebrew back into everyday life. A man named Eliezer Ben Yehuda believed that Hebrew should not only be a language for religious texts, but also one for daily conversation, schools, and family life.

Thanks to his passion and the support of others, Hebrew slowly returned as a spoken language—especially in schools and newspapers in what is now modern-day Israel. Today, Hebrew is a thriving language spoken by around 5 million people in Israel, where it is an official language along with Arabic.

Hebrew is also spoken by millions more around the world, in countries such as the United States, Canada, France, Brazil, Australia, and the United Kingdom, making it a global language with deep cultural roots.

The Hebrew Alphabet: Ancient and Unique

The Hebrew writing system has a long history that goes back to ancient times. It developed from early Phoenician scripts and evolved into the modern form we know today. The Hebrew alphabet is known as an abjad—a writing system that uses mostly consonants.

Here are a few special features of the Hebrew alphabet:

• It is written from right to left.
• There are 22 consonant letters.
• Some letters have a special final form when they appear at the end of a word.
• Hebrew doesn’t usually write out short vowels. Instead, small marks (called niqqud) are sometimes added in children’s books, language learning materials, or religious texts to help with pronunciation.
• Numerals in modern Hebrew use Western (Arabic) numbers, such as 1, 2, 3.

Learning to read and write Hebrew may look challenging at first, especially because of its direction and unique letters. But with consistent exposure, even young children can begin to recognize words and sounds in Hebrew.

For kids learning Hebrew at home or in school, Dinolingo offers a fun and engaging way to get started. Through videos, games, songs, and printable worksheets, children can explore the Hebrew alphabet while building listening and speaking skills in a natural and joyful way.