2 syllables: He, brew. Stress on He.
HEE-broo
/ˈhibɹu/
Hebrew is pronounced HEE-broo (/ˈhibɹu/). It has two syllables (He-brew), with the stress on "He". Hebrew is a noun referring to the Semitic language traditionally spoken by the Jewish people and, more broadly, the language of the Hebrew Bible. It also denotes anything relating to Israel, including its people or culture. The term can describe the language family, its modern revival, and associated linguistic or cultural contexts. The word contrasts with general terms for languages like English or Arabic, highlighting a distinct linguistic identity.
nounHebrew is a noun referring to the Semitic language traditionally spoken by the Jewish people and, more broadly, the language of the Hebrew Bible. It also denotes anything relating to Israel, including its people or culture. The term can describe the language family, its modern revival, and associated linguistic or cultural contexts. The word contrasts with general terms for languages like English or Arabic, highlighting a distinct linguistic identity.
How to Pronounce Hebrew
"I’m studying Hebrew to read ancient texts in their original form."
"She enrolled in a course to learn modern Hebrew for travel and work in Tel Aviv."
"The Bible was originally written in Hebrew, with portions in Aramaic."
Pronounce as HEE-broo in US/UK/AU accents, with the stress on the first syllable. IPA: US/UK/AU: /ˈhiːbruː/. Start with an 'h' breath, then a long 'ee' as in ‘see,’ followed by a light 'b' and a long 'oo' sound. End with a weak, unstressed 'r' depending on the accent; many speakers in non-rhotic varieties may feature a terminal vowel-like quality. Use a short pause after the initial syllable in careful speech to avoid conflating with 'He' + 'brew.' Audio references: you can listen to native speakers on Pronounce, YouGlish, and Forvo to hear regional nuances.
Common errors include misplacing the stress (trying to stress the second syllable) and mispronouncing the long 'ee' as a short 'i' sound. Some learners also produce a pronounced final ‘r’ in non-rhotic accents, which can sound off when compared to native Modern Hebrew speech. To correct: keep the first syllable stressed with a clear /ˈhiː/ and ensure the second syllable has a lighter /bruː/ with the final 'oo' lengthened. Practice by alternating between ‘HEE’ and ‘broo’ while maintaining the smooth transition between syllables.
In US/UK/AU, the initial /h/ and long /iː/ are consistent, but rhoticity affects the final vowel: US speakers maintain a more pronounced /ɹ/ in careful speech, whereas UK and AU speakers may have a weaker 'r' or non-rhotic tendencies with a vowel-like ending. Additionally, Modern Hebrew vowels may be perceived slightly differently due to accent; UK accents may show more vowel clipping, while Australian speech often features a more open mid vowel in /bruː/. Always listen to native readings for accuracy.
The difficulty lies in producing the long /iː/ vowel and the final /bruː/ sequence with correct timing and stress. Learners often misplace the primary stress, say a short /i/ instead of /iː/, or fail to glide smoothly from /iː/ to /bruː/. Also, the /h/ onset should be breathy, not aspirated or too strong. Focus on sustaining the /iː/ and then a clean, light /bruː/ transition.
A distinctive feature is the two-syllable structure with a liquid consonant cluster in the second syllable, where the /bruː/ sequence follows /ˈhiː/. The balance of vowels and consonants, with a breathy initial /h/ and a long final vowel, sets Hebrew apart from many languages. The line between the first syllable and second is critical; don’t collapse them into a single beat. Listen to native readers for subtleties in vowel length and syllable break.
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Hebrew derives from the Bible’s term Ivrit (עברית) and the name of the ancient Semitic people, the Hebrews. The English term Hebrew comes from Old English He'rwe, influenced by Latin Hebraeus and Greek Ebraios, reflecting early Christian and classical channels of knowledge about the language. The religious, biblical usage solidified the word in medieval Europe, where scholars distinguished between ‘Hebrew’ and vernacular languages. In biblical contexts, Hebrew denoted the people and their language, shifting in modern scholarship to include two major phases: Biblical/Hebraic Hebrew (roughly 11th–2nd centuries BCE) and Modern Hebrew (revived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries). The modern form, Ivrit, underwent standardization through language planning in Israel, embracing loanwords, neologisms, and revival efforts that aligned it with contemporary Jewish identity. The word’s first known uses in English date from antiquity through Latin and Greek translations, reflecting longstanding European interest in the language of the Hebrew Bible and the Jewish people. Modern scholarly discourse now distinguishes between Biblical Hebrew (older syntax and morphology) and Modern Hebrew (updated phonology, vocabulary, and grammar to suit contemporary discourse).
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Hebrew" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Hebrew" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Hebrew"
-ver sounds
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