Hebrew originally had no vowels. The vowel pointing was
added by the Masoretes.
There are eight vowel points and four matres lectionis (mothers of reading).
They will be combined below. The matres lectionis are distinguishable by two
consonant indicators:
y and w. The y and w in the
matres lectionis are not pronounced, therefore are
silent.
NAME
FORM
POSITION
PRONUNCIATION
patah
a
aB
a as in car
qames
f
fB
a as in car
sere
"
"B
e as in they
segol
e
eB
e as in met
sere-yod
y"
y"B
e as in they
hireq
i
iB
i as in sit
hireq-yod
yi
yiB
i as in marine
holem
o
oB
o as in row
qames-hatuph
f
fB
o as in cost
holem-vav
O
OB
o as in row
qibbus
u
uB
u as in pull
sureq
U
aB
u as in rule
There are half-vowels that are indicated by a sheva (:).
There are two classes of shevas. There is the vocal sheva and the silent
sheva. Simply put the vocal sheva is pronounced and the silent sheva
is not. The transliteration of a sheva is a superscript e.
A simple vocal sheva will not appear beneath a guttural.
The simple vocal sheva may also be combined with three of
the short vowels to form compound shevas.
