One-letter words
"And", "the", "in", "to" and more, joined to the next word.
Seven common words are a single letter, written joined to the word that follows. Their vowel changes with the word they join.
| Letter | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ו | and | אַבָּא וְאִמָּא aba ve'ima dad and mom |
| ה | the | הַבַּיִת habayit the house |
| ב | in, at, by | בְּסֵפֶר besefer in a book |
| כ | like, as | כְּיֶלֶד keyeled as a child |
| ל | to, for | לְאִמָּא le'ima to mom |
| מ | from | מֵעִיר me'ir from a city |
| ש | that, which, who | שֶׁרָאִיתִי shera'iti that I saw |
The article ה has its own page: The definite article.
ו "and"
Usually וְ ve-. Before ב, ו, מ and פ, and before a letter with a shva, it becomes וּ u-. In casual speech many people say ve- everywhere.
- lekhem umayimbread and water
- esrim ushtayimtwenty-two
מ "from"
מ is short for מִן min. It is usually מִ mi- and doubles the next letter (a dagesh in pointed text); before א, ה, ח, ע and ר it is מֵ me-.
- mitel avivfrom Tel Aviv
- mehabayitfrom the house
ב, כ, ל and "the"
ב, כ and ל are normally בְּ be-, כְּ ke-, לְ le-. Before a letter with a shva they become בִּ, כִּ, לִ: בִּמְכוֹנִית bimkhonit "in a car". Before the article ה they swallow it and take its vowel:
- babayitin the house
- layamto the sea
The other prefixes keep the ה: מֵהַבַּיִת mehabayit, וְהַבַּיִת vehabayit.
Several at once
Several can stack on one word. ו always comes first, and the article ה, where it stays, comes last.
- uvabayitand in the house
- umehabayitand from the house
- ma shebaseferwhat's in the book
ש is the busiest of them; it has its own guide, That, which and who.
Cards from this guide
10 cardsEach card asks about one thing this guide teaches, and its back gives the answer with why and an example. They're reviewed with the rest of the Getting started cards.
What does the one-letter word ב (be-) mean?
In, at or by.
What does the one-letter word ל (le-) mean?
To or for.
What does the one-letter word מ (mi-, me-) mean?
From.
What does the one-letter word ש (she-) mean?
That, which or who.
What does the one-letter word כ (ke-) mean?
Like or as.
When does ו (and) become וּ (u-)?
Before ב, ו, מ, פ, and before a letter with a shva.
When is מ (from) said me- instead of mi-?
Before א, ה, ח, ע and ר.
How are ב, כ and ל said before a letter with a shva, as in מְכוֹנִית (mekhonit, car)?
bi-, ki-, li-, with a hirik: בִּמְכוֹנִית (bimkhonit), 'in a car'.
What happens when ב, כ or ל comes before the article ה (the)?
The ה drops and the prefix takes its vowel: בַּבַּיִת (babayit), 'in the house'.
When several one-letter words stack on one word, which one always comes first?
ו (and).