Is Hebrew Difficult to Learn for English Speakers?

Anytime Hebrew is mentioned, people are fascinated and intimidated by the ancient language. After all, it belongs to a completely different language group and also has a difficult-to-decipher script.

The fear of Hebrew being a difficult language stems from its categorization as a level 3 language, which means it supposedly takes significantly longer to learn. However, longer doesn’t mean more challenging, and we’re here to let you know all the reasons why Hebrew is a remarkably easy language to learn.

Hebrew Alphabets

Did you know that the Chinese language has over 50,000 characters? And that every letter in the Arabic language has multiple incarnations? In comparison, Hebrew and its 22 characters are a breeze!

Out of the 22 characters in the Hebrew language, only five change form when used at the beginning or end of a word. Otherwise, everything remains the same. That makes it significantly easier to memorize.

Hebrew Has One Article

As an English speaker, you often may take the hurdles you jumped to learn the language for granted. Grammar article rules such as indefinite and definite, singular and plural, or masculine and feminine were just some of the many rules you had to memorize as a child.

If the thought of revisiting these rules as an adult in a completely different language exhausts you, then you’re in luck! Hebrew only has one article, and it can be applied to places, objects, and people. With just one article marker, it cuts down on a significant amount of time that you would otherwise spend perfecting your grammar.

Accent Is Irrelevant

If you’re learning Hebrew for your next trip to Israel, then we have news for you; no one cares about your accent! Thanks to the cultural mix in Israel, the locals have already been exposed to a wide array of accents. This makes practicing your Hebrew all the easier.

While pronunciation is an added skill, it’s not a necessity. You could easily speak Hebrew in a non-conventional accent, and people would still believe you to be Israeli. It’s just one of the many perks of living in a multi-cultural environment!

If you would like to begin your journey of learning Hebrew, get in touch with us, at Ulpan Or. We provide the best teachers and study plans to help you learn Hebrew Online with native teachers. Contact us today to know more about our study plan and schedules!