What Are Those Dots? Hebrew Vowels Made Easy for Kids
Unlike English, Hebrew doesn’t use separate letters for vowels. Instead, it uses a system called Nikud a set of small dots and dashes placed under, above, or inside letters. These marks help children know how to pronounce each word, especially when they’re just starting to read.
Meet the Most Common Hebrew Vowel Symbols
- קָמַץ (Kamatz – ׳ָ׳) → sounds like “ah” (as in “father”)
- Example: אָב (Av – father)פַּתַח (Patach – ׳ַ׳) → also “ah” (slightly shorter)
- Example: בַּיִת (Bayit – house)צֵירֵי (Tzere – ׳ֵ׳) → “ey” (as in “they”)
- Example: בֵּן (Ben – son)סֶגוֹל (Segol – ׳ֶ׳) → “eh” (as in “bed”)
- Example: מֶלֶךְ (Melech – king)חִירִיק (Chirik – ׳ִ׳) → “ee” (as in “see”)
- Example: שִׁיר (Shir – song)חוֹלָם (Cholam – ׳ֹ׳) → “oh” (as in “go”)
- Example: קוֹל (Kol – voice)שׁוּרוּק / קִבּוּץ (Shuruk / Kubutz – ׳וּ׳ / ׳ֻ׳) → “oo” (as in “boot”)
- Example: סוּס (Sus – horse)
Fun Activities to Learn Hebrew Vowels
Vowel Bingo
Create bingo boards with vowel symbols and call out sounds. Kids place a token on the matching symbol.
Nikud Drawing Time
Let kids draw giant Hebrew letters and add vowel dots with markers to match different words.
Match & Sound
Give kids words and vowel symbols. Match them and pronounce each one aloud together.
Song the Sounds
Make up silly songs using one vowel sound over and over: “Ah ah ah, like Abba and Bayit!”
How Dinolingo Helps with Hebrew Reading
Dinolingo introduces vowels (Nikud) visually and through voiceover repetition. Kids see how the dots shape the sound of each word while following along with stories and games.
Printable vowel charts and read-aloud exercises help children review Nikud symbols at their own pace.
Final Thoughts
Those tiny dots do a lot! With just a little practice and support from tools like Dinolingo kids can unlock the sounds behind Hebrew words and read with clarity and joy.
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