To learn Hebrew....

[DownNative]

Anyone know of a good place in Scotland that is good for learning Hebrew?

I'm a complete beginner, obviously, and there's only so far you can get with Duolingo!

Cheers!

not Scotland specific as they’re online (but hello neighbour though as I’m also in Scotland!) but I’ve used italki (and preply but I prefer italki) before for learning languages, it’s 1to1 online lessons and they’re normally reasonably priced

I'll have a look at that one - not heard of it before. Cheers!

And hello! 👌

There are some good online ulpans. I'm juggling a toddler right now so can't research but I think the Jerusalem Post is running one.

If you like apps there is Hebrew on Duolingo.

Yes, I've been using that which I see as being a bit of fun which you can use to learn phrases to help you with common situations, e.g. ordering in restaurants, asking for directions, how much something costs and so on.

I'll look in the local book shops for something on Hebrew as I'd like to learn something deeper than asking for directions. 👌

I also find transliteration of languages very helpful too. Learn reasonably quickly that way - verbally anyway.

Lol yes, asking for directions only gets you so far 😂

Turns out my local bookshop has language learning books on Arabic, but not.....Hebrew. 🤦‍♂️

So, off I go to look online for one!

Taken the plunge and got myself this 3 in 1 book on Hebrew! Arrives this weekend. Hope to learn a few things before visiting Israel in a month, two or three. 👌

@DownNative where they all be desperate to practice their English with you!

Looks good !

Probably! 😂

I've been there before with Japanese and Filipino colleagues where I helped them with English in return for teaching me their respective languages.

Even if you don't speak it, it will be wonderful for you to recognise shop signs, read menus etc. Good luck!

That is definitely a very achievable goal at this stage in my learning!

I'm already starting to recognise some of the Aleph-Bet and can recognise one or two names. For example, I can now read the name "Mark". There's a well known Israeli with this as his first name in his X handle I follow - and his surname begins with the Hebrew letter corresponding to "Z" which is Zayin, I believe, in the Aleph-Bet.

I'm basically at a worse level than an Israeli 5 year old! 🤣

Given that I'm very, very visual, I fully expect to pick up the written form before I will be passable at the spoken form. Sure, I should be able to read short stories once I've learned enough of the Aleph-Bet and understood the grammatical rules of Hebrew!

That's really because I have a hearing loss in both ears, but I can learn fast if I also have a transliteration guide with me.

Will post the contents of the book I mentioned above later today so people can see the kind of learning inside it.

Already getting some of the workbook exercises correct whilst getting others very wrong.

But language acquisition is about consistent repetition, learning, practice and discovering where your limits are as well how to push beyond them!

Aside from the educational approach, I think you also have to take a philosophical approach too. For English native speakers, Hebrew is one of the hardest languages to learn.

You will make mistakes!

You will be frustrated at times!

But you WILL learn something too!

Let's see how far we can go....

@DownNative take a look at Hebrewpodcasts.com. They have sample lessons for all levels including beginners

Being visual will help, OP.
As there will be no vowels in Israel. And remember a good deal of adverts, shops signs etc will be in the cursive style of Hebrew so won't even look like what you've learnt! Lol!

Immersion is really the best thing for you. And just making the effort is so appreciated.

It's a big challenge for sure! 🤣

I knew about the cursive script which is curvier in contrast to the print script which is more like squared writing with straight lines. Of course, online is where I'll be exposed to a lot of print script!

But, yes, I agree there's no real substitution to immersion in Israel’s society to learn Hebrew. That bit will have to wait a good while! 🤣

Meanwhile, I'll make my first trip there....then another....and another....and another!🙈

I've always felt I should really make the effort to learn another language instead of assuming everyone outside the Anglo world can speak English or is willing to speak it when they might not want to.

Why not go for Hebrew?! 🙈

I've got to basic conversation level oral Japanese and Filipino without classes a long time ago now through just having colleagues from those places.

Thanks! I'll take a good look at that too!

@Bunnyasmyname & @gingergran - are both Hebrew native speakers?

@DownNative i speak Hebrew pretty well as i learnt at school but English is my mother tongue

Hebrewpodcasts are native Hebrew speakers. You could also look at ulpanoya on facebook

My modern Hebrew is terrible. Yours is probably better! Sounds like you are good at languages as well so I have no doubt you'll do fine.

My reading and biblical Hebrew, top notch! 😂 So pretty useless unless I'm in a shul somewhere!

@Bunnyasmyname your Modern Hebrew ability is well ahead of mine! I'm more like a wee foetus! 🤣

Here's an idea of the content inside the book!

Few more. 👇

That looks really good.
Take time to learn the letters, there are such subtle differences between some of them. Be aware of the roots - it makes words make more sense. Don't let just take over and speak English. Keep preservering.
Have fun!

Do let us know how you get on, and if course if you need any info on where to go in Israel, just ask us!

Aye, I'm looking at Aleph-Bet as we speak! Not only can I see how some Hebrew signs look very similar to another one, but five of them change shape when they appear at the end of a word!

Sin and Shin look very much the same until you note where the diacritical mark (dot to everyone else!) is placed!

My writing the Hebrew sign for each letter needs some work! 🙈🤣

Thanks for the encouragement! 👌 Much appreciated!

There are two completely different ways of writing in Hebrew in a similar way that there are capital and small letters used when in English. Although it is important to be able to read block letters such as those you have written above, most of the time if you ever need to write something you would use the script alphabet and not block letters.

It’s a very logical although fairly tricky language to master.

On the topic of learning Hebrew, this made me laugh this morning

www.instagram.com/reel/C9m9CSAvXOj/?igsh=MWJydGVqaDhsdGZpaA==