500 Basic Hebrew Words  ’ayin / ’n is not, non existence, nothing

 ’îs man

(See also German version: „Hebræisch – Grundwortschatz“)  ’ak only
© Siegfried Kreuzer www.kreuzer-siegfried.de  ’kl eat
 ’æl towards
(This list contains the 500 most frequent and most important words of the Old
Testament / Hebrew Bible and is intended to help you keeping up your Hebrew.  ’al not
The transcription follows the rules of ZAW).  ’l god
 ’ellæ these
 ’b father  ’ælah god
 ’bd Q. perish; Pi., Hi. ruin    ’ælhîm god, gods
 ’bh be willing    ’alæf thousand
 ’æbæn stone  ’im if
 ’dn master, lord  ’m mother
 ’adny lord  ’m (maid), servant
   ’dm man, mankind, people  ’amm forearm, cubit
 ’adm (arable) soil  ’æmûn faithfulness, trustworthiness
 ’hb like, love  ’mr say
 ’ohæl tent  ’æmæt faithfulness
 ’r shine, light up  ’anî I
 ’r light  ’anokî I
 ’t sign  ’sf gather (food), collect
 ’z then  ’af also, even
 ’ozæn ear  ’af nose, anger
 ’ brother  ’arba / ’arb four
  one    
  ’arbîm forty
 ’aôt sister  ’arôn chest, ark of the covenant
   ’aar later on, afterwards    ’æræ ground, country, territory, the
   ’ar another, different earth
    ’aarê after  ’rr curse
 ’aarît end, behind, issue, the future  ’š fire
 ’oyb enemy  ’išš woman
   ’ayil ram   ’ašær relative clause

Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 © Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004 Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 © Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004 1
  ’et together with, along with    br flesh
 ’et accusative particle  bat daughter
 ’att you (sg.) 
  ’attæm you (pl.)  g’l redeem
  gbh be high/tall, be exalted
 be in, at, because of, by way of  gebûl boundary, territory
 bægæd garment, covering  gibbôr hero, fighter
() (le)bad to be alone, only  gdôl great
 behm cattle, animals  gdl be, become great/strong
 bô’ Q. enter, come to  gôy people, nation
Hi bring (conduct, lead) in  gay’ valley
 bôr cistern, water pit  gam also
  choose, elect  gr sojourner
 b be reliant, trust  grš drive out
 byn Q., Hi. to understand 
 ben between  dbq cling, cleave to
 bayit house  dbr speak
 bkh weep    dbr word, matter, affair
 bekor first-born  debaš honey
 belî/biltî without  dôr generation
 bama hill, high-place, place of  dm blood
worship  dæræk way, road
 ben son  drš seek, inquire of
 bnh build 
 ba‘ad for, for the benefit of  h- the (definite article)
   bqr cattle  ha- interrogative particle
 boqær morning  hû’ he
 bqš seek  hî’ she
 br’ create (god exclusively)  hyh occur, happen
 berît covenant, arrangement  hêkl palace, temple
 brk Pi. bless  hlk go
 berk blessing  hll Pi. praise

Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 © Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004 Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 © Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004 2
   hem(m) they  yh be alive
 hen/hinne behold!   ayyim
 life
 har mountain(s)   ayil faculty, power
 hrg kill  km be wise
 hrh be, become pregnant    km wise
  km wisdom
 we and  alôm dream
  lm to dream
 zt this (sg. f.)  m rage, wrath
 zb to sacrifice, slaughter  mš/ amišša five
 zæba (communion) sacrifice    amiššim
  fifty
 zæ this (sg. m.)  n favour, grace
 zhb gold  nh encamp
 zkr remember, call to mind  nn to favour
 znh be unfaithful, commit  æsæd prove loyal, solidarity
fornication    ff take pleasure in, take care off
 zq/q cry out, call for help  aî half
 zqn/zqn be old, grow old    r court
 zæra seed, descendant(s)  q/uqq regulation, prescription
  æræb (short) sword
 g/ag feast   to plough
   dš new   Q. be deaf
 odæš (new) moon, month Hi. be silent
 wh Hišt. honor, adore 
 ôm wall  ôb/yb be good, be pleasant
û
 outside, street  ôb good
 zh see, behold 
 zq Q. grow strong, firm  ye’or river (mostly: Nile)
Hi. seize, take hold of  ybš dry up, wither
 zq firm, strong  yd hand, power
 ’ miss, offend, commit a sin  ydh Hi. praise
 e/at offence, sin  yd (get to) know
 ay alive, living
Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 © Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004 Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 © Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004 3
  yôm day  kûn Ni. be firm, be established
 yayin wine Hi. make ready, prepare
 ykl be able, have it in one’s power  koa strength, power
 yld Q. bear, Hi. procreate  kî therefore, because
 yælæd child  kol/kl the whole, all
 ym sea  klh Q. be completed, cease
 ymîn right hand, the right side Pi. bring to an end, finish
 ysf Q., Hi. add, continue  kelî vessel
 y advise, give an advise  ken thus
 y’ Q. go out, come forth   knf wing
Hi. cause to go forth, bring   kiss’ throne
forth  ksh Pi. cover
 q pour out   kæsæf silver (the metal)
 r form, shape  kaf palm, flat of the hand
  yr’ to fear  kpr Pi. make expiation
 yir’ fear, reverence  krt Q. cut off, make a covenant
 yrd descend, go down Hi. cut off, destroy
 yrš Q. take possession of, inherit  ktb write
Hi. drive away 
 yš existence, there is, it exists  le for, concerning
 yšb sit, dwell  l’ not
 yesûa (acts of) help  lb/lbb heart
 yš help, save  lm Ni. fight
  yšr straight, right, upright   lææm bread
 ytr Ni. remain, Hi. leave over  layl night
  lkd catch, seize
 ke as  lmd learn
 kbd Q. be heavy, weighty  lq take
Pi. honour  lšôn tongue, language
 kbôd splendour 
 kæbæ lamb, young ram  me’od very
 ko thus  me’ hundred
 kohn priest  m’s reject, despise
Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 © Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004 Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 © Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004 4
  mgn shield  ma unleavened bread
 migrš pasture-ground  miw commandment(s)
    midbr wilderness  mqôm place
 m what?  mar’æ appearance
 mo‘d appointed time    ma’ burden, utterance
 mût Q. die, Hi. kill  mš anoint
 mawæt death  mšîa anointed
 mizbea altar  miškn dwelling-place
 mizmôr song, psalm  mšl rule
 maanæ encampment    mšl proverbial saying
 maæ staff, rod, tribe  mišp (larger) family, clan
 mî who?     mišpa (legal) decision, justice
   mayim water, waters 
 mkr sell  na’ now! come!
   ml’ be full, be accomplished   ne’um utterance (of god)
 mal’k messenger, angel  n’f commit adultery
 mel’k sending, labour, work   nbî’ prophet
 milm fight, battle  nægæb south, the south-country
 ml/pl Ni. save oneself, escape  ngd Hi. make known, report, tell
 Pi. save  nægæd in front of
 mlk be king, to reign  ng touch, hurt a person
 mælæk king  ngš Q., Ni. draw near, approach
 malkût royal power, reign Hi. bring, bring near
 mamlk kingdom, dominion  ndr vow
 min from, off   nhr river
 min gift, present  nûa rest
  
  mispr number  nûs flee
   mea few, a little   nl wadi, torrent
   ma’al on the top of, above  naal hereditary property
 maan for the sake of, in order that  nanû we
 maaæ deed  neošæt copper, bronze
 m’ find  h Q. extend, incline

Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 © Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004 Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 © Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004 5
 Hi. recline, bend  ôd still, once more, again
 nkh strike, smite  ôlm eternity
 nsh Pi. test, try   wôn sin, guilt
 ns set out, journey  of fly
  naar lad, young boy, servant  of flying creatures, bird
 naar young girl, maid  oz power, strength
 nfl fall  zb leave, abandon
 næfæš soul, living being, person  ayin eye, spring
 nl Hi. tear away, deliver  îr town, city
 n’ bear, carry  al upon, above, against
  nî’ deputy, chief  lh Q. go up, ascend, Hi. bring,
 nšq kiss lead up, offer sacrifices
 ntn give  ôl (whole burnt-) offering
 nt tear down, destroy   ælyôn the upper, the highest
  am people
 sbb turn, be round about, march  im (together) with
around  md stand
 sbîb all around  ammûd pillar, column
 sûs horse I nh answer, hear, grant
 sûr Q. turn side, Hi. remove II nh Q. be downcast, afflicted
 sfr Q. count, Ni. be counted Pi. humiliate, do violence
Pi. tell  ni poor, humble

  sefær book  onî poverty, affliction
  nn cloud
 bd serve, work   fr dust
 æbæd servant, slave   tree(s)
 abd work, labour, service   ææm bone, being
 br pass by, go over  æræb evening
  ebær the region beyond/opposite  h make, manufacture
 ibrî Hebrew  æær/‘aara ten
 d witness    ærîm
 twenty
 d gathering, congregation  t time

Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 © Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004 Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 © Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004 6
  att now  qdôš holy
   qædæm in front, bygone days, east
 pdh buy (off), ransom, redeem  qdš Q. be holy, Pi., Hi. consecrate
 pæ mouth  qodæš holiness, holy place
 plt/mlt Q. escape, Pi. save  qhl Ni. assemble, Hi. call together
 pll Hitp. pray   qhl assembly, convocation of the
 pæn lest people
 Pnh turn toward a direction  qwh Pi. hope, wait for
  pnîm face, surface  qôl sound, voice
 pl make, do  qûm arise, last
  paam step, occurrence, time  qn/qaon be insignificant, small
 pqd go to see, take care of  qr Pi. send sacrifices up in smoke
 par young bull  qll Q. be slight, Pi. curse
  perî fruit  qnh acquire, buy, create
 pš rebel, revolt against   qîr harvest of grains
 pæša rebellion, revolt,  qr’ call
 pt open  qrb Q. approach, Hi. offer
 pæta opening, entrance  qæræb the inward part (of body), in
 the midst
 ôn small cattle  qrbn offering, gift
   b host  qrh meet, occur
 addîq righteous  qrôb near
 dq be in the right, be just  qæšæt bow
 ædæq/edq righteousness 
 wh Pi. to command  r’h Q. see, Ni. be seen, show
 ûr rock oneself, appear, Hi. show
 q cry, call (to aid)  rš head, summit, upper end
 fôn north  r’šn the first (position)
 fn hide  r’šît beginning, the first, choicest
  rab much, many
 qb Q., Pi. collect, assemble  rob multitude
 qbr bury  rbb be, become many, much
 rbh Q. become many
Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 © Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004 Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 © Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004 7
 Hi. make many  rf burn
   rægæl foot 
 rdf pursue, persecute  šæ relative particle
 rûa wind, breath, spirit  š’l ask, inquire
 rûm be high above, be exalted  še’ôl underworld, realm of dead
 roab breadth  šæba/šib seven
 rm Pi. have compassion 
   šibîm seventy
 rq be far, become far    šebæ rod, staff
 rîb dispute, conduct a (legal) case  šb Ni. swear
 rib dispute, case of law, lawsuit  šbr break (in pieces)
 rækæb vehicle, chariot  šabbat Sabbath
 ra bad, evil  šûb Q. turn back, turn around
 rea fellow, companion, friend Hi. bring back
 raab hunger, famine  šôr bull, ox, steer
 rh pasture, tend  š slaughter
 ra evil, misery, trouble  št Hi. spoil, ruin
 r be bad, do evil  šîr sing
 raq only  šîr song
 rš be, become guilty, act  škb lie down
wickedly  šk forget
 rš being wrong, guilty, impious  škn settle down to abide, live in
  šlôm peace
 dæ open field  šl send
 îm set, put, put down  šuln table
 kl Hi. understand, have success,  šlk Hi. throw
prosper  šlm intact, complete
  em’l the left side, left  šlš/šelš three
 m rejoice  šelišî the third
 ima joy, gladness  šelišîm thirty
  n’/n’ hate  šm name
 f lip, shore, bank  šm there
 ar official, chief, leader  šmd Hi. exterminate, Ni. be

Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 © Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004 Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 © Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004 8
 destroyed, exterminated  tf capture
 šamm thither, (as far as) there  terûm tribute, contribution

    šmayim heaven  tsa/tiša nine
 šæmæn oil (of olives)
 šemonæ/šemon eight
 šm hear
 šmr keep, watch over, retain This list of basic Hebrew words is intended to help you keeping up or
 šæmæš sun to brush up your Hebrew.
 šen tooth
 šn year The list is arranged alphabethically, still you may figure out word-
 šnî the second families ( etc.) or groups like the numbers or
 
    šetayim/šenayim
  two pronouns.
   šaar gate
 šif If you find errors or have suggestions, please send me an email.
maid-servant
 šf judge ------------------
 šfk pour out
   šæqæl shekel
   šæqær lie, deception
 šeš/šišša six
 šth Q. drink, Hi. to water

 tehôm the primaeval ocean
 tehill glory, praise
 tawæk the midst
 tôb abomination
 tôr instruction
 taat under, instead of
 tamîd continually, regular
   tamîm complete, blameless
 tmm be complete
 tb Pi. be abhorred
 tefill prayer

Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 © Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004 Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 © Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004 9