Once the English names for each letter is memorized using familiar English words and sounds, we can easily learn the original Hebrew names and sounds.

A couple of notes about the original Hebrew alephbet. The name of each letter is also the Hebrew word for what the picture is. For example, the name of the letter "d", a picture of a door, is "dal", which in Hebrew means "door".

The vowels in the names will be pronounced as follows; a - father; e - grey; i - team; o - mote and u - moon.

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a

The original name and sound are the same as previously learned with the English equivalents. The Hebrew word "al" means "ox" and is the original name of this letter.

Name: al
Sound: a

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b

The original name for this letter is bet. A common sound shift over time is a "t" sound to a "d" as they are both similar in sound and are formed by the tongue and teeth. The word "bet" literally means the tent or house of the family.

Name: Bet
Sound: b (When this letter is at the beginning of a syllable it is pronounced "b", When at the end of a syllable it is a "bh/v")

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c

Our word "Game" comes from the Latin word "gam" meaning "leg" coming from the Hebrew word "gam" meaning "foot".

Name: Gam
Sound: g

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d

Another common shift in sounds is the "l" to an "r". The Hebrew word "dal" meaning "door" became our word "door".

Name: Dal
Sound: d

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e

There is no change from the English equivalent to the original Hebrew. The picture of a man pointing at a wonderful sight and saying "look". The Hebrew word "hey" means "behold", or "look".

Name: Hey
Sound: h, eh (This letter is both a consonant and a vowel)

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f

The Hebrew word for a peg is "waw".

Name: Waw
Sound: w, ow, uw (This letter is both a consonant and a vowel)

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z

The Hebrew word for Mattock is "zan".

Name: Zan
Sound: z

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h

The Hebrew word "Hhets" means a "wall" as well as "half" as the wall divides the tent in half. The Hebrew sound written as "Hh", is not used in English. It is a hard guttural sound made in the back of the throat as in the German name "Bach".

Name: Hhets
Sound: Hh

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u

The Hebrew word "thet" means "basket" and is the original name for this letter. Our word "tote" probably comes from this Hebrew word.

Name: Thet
Sound: th

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i

The Hebrew word "yad" means "hand".

Name: Yad
Sound: y, ee (This letter is both a consonant and a vowel)

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k

The Hebrew word for the palm of the hand is "Kaph".

Name: Kaph
Sound: k (when this letter is at the beginnng of a syllable it is pronounced "k", when at the end of a syllable it is "kh" as in the name "Bach")

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l

The Hebrew word for the shepherd staff is "lam".

Name: Lam
Sound: l

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m

The Hebrew word for water is "mem".

Name: Mem
Sound: m

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n

The Hebrew word for a continuation of new life is "nun".

Name: Nun
Sound: n

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x

The Hebrew word for a thorn is "sin".

Name: Sin
Sound: s

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o

The Hebrew word for "eye" is "ghayin" often pronounced as ayin, the origin of our word "eye". The "gh" sound is like the "ng" in "jungle". The sound is soft and often silent.

Name: ghayin
Sound: gh

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p

The Hebrew word for "mouth" is "pey".

Name: pey
Sound: p, ph (When this letter is used at the beginning of a syllable it is pronounced as a "P", when at the end of a syllable it is a "ph")

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y

The Hebrew word "tsad" is the origin of our word "side". The original sound for this letter is a "ts" as in our word "pots".

Name: Tsad
Sound: ts

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q

The Hebrew name for this letter is "quph" meaning the circling of the sun around the earth.

Name: Quph
Sound: q

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r

The Hebrew word for the head is "resh", the origin of our word "raise".

Name: Resh
Sound: r

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s

The Hebrew word for "tooth" is "shin".

Name: Shin
Sound: sh

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t

The Hebrew word for a mark is "taw".

Name: Taw
Sound: t