Planning to brush up on your rusty Hebrew skills or want to learn the biblical language from scratch? Learning a new language may somewhat seem complicated as it requires a ton of concentration and hard work.

There are four fundamental aspects of learning to get fluent in any new language: Speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

Immersing yourself in such a historically rich language has countless benefits. It improves your command of your first language, boosts memory and cognition, enhances multitasking ability, sharpens your focus, and most of all, it enables you to understand different cultural traditions and of the community aspects.

Why Hebrew?

Being one of the world’s oldest languages known today, Hebrew enjoys the reputation of being amongst the few languages that connect us to people who existed over 2000 years ago. Additionally, This Semitic language is spoken by millions of people worldwide and has had a significant impact on shaping the world as we know it today.

 Is the Hebrew Language A Tough Nut To Crack?

Let’s get some facts straight first before trying to understand the level of difficulty of learning Hebrew.

• Hebrew is a phonetic language with a relatively concise vocabulary and letters that have very similar sounds.   
• It’s based on a comparatively simple 3-letter root system that acts as an aid for formulating nouns and verbs in sentences.
• Hebrew was resurrected from being a merely written language in the 20^th century to become a popular spoken language today, understood and used by millions of people globally.
• All twenty-two letters in the Hebrew Aleph-Bets are symbols or glyphs which stand for consonants.

Learning Hebrew is easier than you think, but some people find it difficult merely because they don’t know the efficient, quick, and easy ways listed below to make learning fun!

“Rah-Dee-Oh” = “Radio”

Although you’ll probably not understand a word of what is being said on-air, try catching a few phrases here and there.

You’ll also learn how to pronounce words correctly, and gradually, you’ll start enjoying the radio when you begin understanding what the jockey is saying.

Movies

Time to grab your favorite snacks, sit back, and relax. Or should we say Netflix and chill? Start immersing yourself in the world of Hebrew movies by turning on the English subtitles while enjoying the ultimate Israeli cinematic experience.

Popular online streaming services have started adding Israeli movies and TV shows, and we think picking phrases and words while relaxing on your couch is a great way to start learning Hebrew.

Recommend reading: 3 Israeli Movies That Send A Strong Message

Music

The Israeli music scene is rich; they have a distinctive musical culture with compositions put together with various original stylistic elements.

Whether you’re into cheesy music or love humming catchy tunes, chances are you will find some incredibly talented musicians and bands.

Try to understand the lyrics. We promise you’ll start singing along in no time!

Recommend reading: 7 Hebrew Songs That Are Played in Every Israeli Household

Observe

If you wish to learn Hebrew in Israel, begin by finding yourself a comfortable seat in a bus or a bench in the nearby popular park or street and listen.

While this may feel like we’re telling you to eavesdrop, we simply want you to pick up on snippets from conversations of people who are strolling by. It will give you a fair amount of idea as to how Hebrew is spoken in the real world by Israelis.

Another scrumptious way of motivating yourself to polish your Hebrew skills is to treat yourself to a nice and cozy meal in an Israeli restaurant. But, there’s a catch! You can’t order from an English menu. Try your luck by ordering and speaking in Hebrew.

Label Everyday Items

Expand your vocabulary by making flashcards or post-it notes for literally everything in your home! Every time you wake up to brush your teeth or brew a hot cuppa tea or coffee, you’ll be reminded what each thing is called in Hebrew.

You can also put famous phrases in front of you when doing household chores to make tedious cleaning and learning chores fun!

Games

Whether you want to play Hebrew learning games or video games, any type of game can help improve cognitive development, linguistic skills, comprehension abilities, and help you master and retain the Hebrew language in a fun and exciting way.

Podcasts

Listening to a foreign language is often a challenge for language learners as they need to comprehend what is being said.

Try finding high-quality podcasts and take them wherever you go. Whether you’re waiting in a queue or stuck in traffic, fit in the spare moments with some handy Hebrew learning materials.

Ulpan

Experts recommend joining modern Hebrew learning courses, known as Ulpan, especially if you desire to learn Hebrew online with native teachers (at the speed of light” as someone might say). Various online Hebrew courses strive to balance your learning of the Hebrew language by introducing building blocks that strengthen the basic foundations of the language, and most importantly – and make learning fun.

Whether you opt to learn through beginner Hebrew courses offered at reputable Hebrew language instruction institutions or decide to follow through with your dream of Hebrew language learning from Israeli teachers online, Ulpan is a great way to instill passion and immerse the learner completely into the dynamic Israeli culture.

Now that you have our tips to make learning Hebrew easier, quicker, and more fun, you can become fluent in Hebrew without stepping inside a classroom!

About The Author 

Zoe is a full-time Hebrew language teaching assistant at the virtual Hebrew language instruction institution. She’s an Israeli American who loves to pursue freelance writing in her spare time. She has an insatiable passion for history, traveling, and music. Before completing her Hebrew learning courses from Ulpan Or, she performed as a professional musician who spent her time living a chaotic life in America. Apart from polishing her Hebrew skills, she spends her time reading, cooking, traveling, and pursuing other adventurous interests.