Navigating Hebrew Vowels – The Shewa
Learn Hebrew for Christians
Hi friend, welcome to Wednesday's vowel adventure!
Today we're meeting a special Hebrew vowel that's a bit like a ninja - sometimes you hear it, sometimes you don't! The Shewa ( ְ ) is two tiny dots that can make reading Hebrew tricky, but I'll show you simple rules to master it. By the end of today, you'll know exactly when this sneaky vowel speaks and when it stays silent!
Your Shewa Goals Today
What You'll Learn:
Spot: The Shewa's two dots
Know: When it makes sound
Understand: When it's silent
Practice: Reading with Shewa
Master: Smooth Hebrew flow
Meet the Shewa ְ
What's a Shewa?
Name: Shewa (sh'VAH)
Look: Two dots vertically ְ
Position: Under letters (like other vowels)
Personality: Sometimes vocal, sometimes silent!
The Two Types of Shewa:
1. Vocal Shewa = Makes a quick "eh" sound
2. Silent Shewa = Makes no sound at all
Don't worry - I'll show you how to tell them apart!
When Shewa Speaks (Vocal)
Rule #1: Beginning of Words
If Shewa is under the FIRST letter, it speaks!
Examples:
שְׁלוֹם (shalom) - the שְׁ says "sh'"
בְּרֵאשִׁית (b'reshit) - the בְּ says "b'"
דְּבָרִים (d'varim) - the דְּ says "d'"
Think: Quick "eh" sound, like "sheh-lom"
Rule #2: After Another Shewa
Two Shewas in a row? The second one speaks!
Example:
יִשְׁמְעוּ (yish-m'u)
First ְ under ש is silent
Second ְ under מ says "meh"
Remember: Two Shewas can't both be silent at the start!
Rule #3: Under Doubled Letters
See a dot inside a letter (dagesh)? Shewa after it speaks!
Example:
הַלְּלוּיָה (hal-l'lu-yah)
The לְּ has dagesh + shewa = "leh"
When Shewa Is Silent
Rule #1: End of Syllables
Shewa at the end of a syllable? Silent!
Examples:
מֶלֶךְ (melekh) = king
The ךְ is just "kh" (no "eh" sound)
אֶרֶץ (eretz) = land
Silent shewa just closes syllable
Rule #2: Middle of Words
Often silent in the middle to separate syllables:
יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yis-ra-el)
The שְׂ just separates "Yis" from "ra"
Practice Reading!
Words with Vocal Shewa:
לְבָנוֹן (L'vanon)
לְ = "leh" (vocal - starts word)
בָ = "vah"
נוֹן = "non"
Say: "leh-vah-NON" (Lebanon)
שְׁמוֹ (Sh'mo)
שְׁ = "sheh" (vocal - starts word)
מוֹ = "mo"
Say: "sheh-MO" (his name)
Words with Silent Shewa:
מַלְכָּה (Malkah)
מַ = "mal"
לְ = "l" (silent - ends syllable)
כָּה = "kah"
Say: "mal-KAH" (queen)
Quick Shewa Test
Which Shewa Speaks?
בְּרָכָה (blessing)
Answer: Vocal! (starts word) = "beh-rah-KHAH"
תִּכְתֹּב (you will write)
Answer: Silent! (ends syllable) = "tikh-TOV"
דְּמוּת (image)
Answer: Vocal! (starts word) = "deh-MOOT"
Memory Tricks
Vocal Shewa:
Beginning of words
After another shewa
Dagesh before it
Remember: "BAD" = speaks!
Silent Shewa:
End of syllables
Middle separators
Closes things off
Your Shewa Challenge
Find These Patterns:
Look at your Hebrew alphabet chart. Can you spot:
Words starting with consonant + shewa?
Double shewas in a row?
Shewas at word endings?
Share what you find!
Common Shewa Words
Biblical Words You'll See:
בְּרֵאשִׁית (b'reshit) = in beginning
שְׁמַע (sh'ma) = hear!
יְהוָה (YHVH) = the LORD
לְעוֹלָם (l'olam) = forever
All start with vocal shewa!
Your Shewa Success
Today you learned the trickiest vowel in Hebrew! The Shewa might seem complicated, but with these simple rules, you can master it. Remember: beginning = vocal, ending = silent. That covers 90% of cases!
Master These Rules:
First letter shewa = speaks "eh"
End syllable shewa = silent
Two shewas = second speaks
Practice makes perfect!
Tonight: Learn the most important Hebrew word - Shalom!
שָׁלוֹם until this evening!