First, a correction: The letter "ו" can be
(1) the vowel ("oo" as you write it)
(2) the vowel [o]
or (3) the consonant [v]
As you learn the language more, you'll start to get a feel for when ו is a consonant and when it's a vowel.
In unvoweled texts, consonantal ו will usually be written as two ו's. (for example: תקווה = tikva.) However, unvoweled texts won't indicate whether ו is or [o].
In voweled texts, there is no ambiguity. [o] is written as וֹ; is written as וּ; and [v] is written as a ו with any other vowel marker.
Examples:
חָלוֹם (KHalom - dream)
סָגוּר (sagur - closed)
תִּקְוָה (tikva - hope)
The letters in the vicinity don't really matter:
For example,
דור (dor - generation)
דוור (davar - postman)
דורה (dura - sorghum grain...sorry for the obscurity)
Thanks. Is there a hebrew or english text that would explain this on the internet? I do not even know what search terms to look for."Oo" when it comes before פ מ ב . Before all other letters, "v." (Not always "vi;" the vowel varies, but if you say it quickly you can get away with "vi" pretty much all the time.)
Mostly right...But..."Oo" when it comes before פ מ ב . Before all other letters, "v." (Not always "vi;" the vowel varies, but if you say it quickly you can get away with "vi" pretty much all the time.)
I'm not sure if there is an English text online that explains it. (I'm sure there is in print though.)Thanks. Is there a hebrew or english text that would explain this on the internet? I do not even know what search terms to look for.
Similarly, when is an initial ב pronounced a "v"? For example when does בית become vayit?
Important addition, thanks.4)When you have ֲ in the beginning of the word. The Vav is pronounced as "Va"
(4) applies not only to ֲ, but to the other hatafs as well:when you have Vav used as "And":
1) The Vav is usually "ve"
2)When the word begins with שווא or ב ו מ פ ("Bumaf" letters = letters of the lips) - The Vav is pronounced as "OO"
דשא ובתים
חתולים וכלבים
3)When the word starts with יְ (Yud with שווא). the Vav is pronounced as "Vi"
חיפה וירושלים
אישה וילדים
4)When you have ֲ in the beginning of the word. The Vav is pronounced as "Va"
עשרים וחמישה
כלבים וחתולים
This is not generally true. וָ is used only in specific combinations, such as numbers (עשרים וָשבע) and idioms (בית וָגן).Also, if we want to be totally exhaustive with the rules...
Before a stressed syllable, it is written as וָ:
וָכֶלֶב
וָעִיר
This is not a mistake, see Exodus 25:33 for example: va-pherakh. In the biblical language there are cases of adding stress by lengthening a vowel. One of this cases is for וו החיבור between a word-pair at the end of a sentence. The "u" is lengthened to long "a".Was that just sloppy diction?
Actually, in the expression קַל וָחֹמֶר you always pronounce the ו as va. I have never heard it pronounced vi.Thanks for that, but I suppose I should have been more precise with my question. I was referring specifically to use of the ו as in "and".
I know in colloquial one doesn't distinguish and one would always pronounce the ו like in the expression קל וחומר. (kal vi homer) But there are times when one pronounces the ו as an "ooo". From ear I would guess that before a ב one would say "ooo" (ובדבריו ) would be pronounced "oo-vi-divarav". I was looking for the specific rule.