Ch3 Syllable Division Exercise — Syllabification and Pronunciation

BBH Chapter 3 · 20 words

Instructions: For each Hebrew word:
  1. Write the syllable division using hyphens (e.g., דָּ-בָר)
  2. Label each syllable O (open) or C (closed) — e.g., O-C
  3. Mark the stressed syllable with an asterisk (*) in the Stress column — write the stressed syllable
# Word Syllable Division Types (O/C) Stress
1 אֱלֹהִים
✓ אֱלֹהִים אֱ-לֹ-הִים O-O-C הִים* Hateph Seghol (guttural); final mem closes syl. 3
2 בְּרֵאשִׁית
✓ בְּרֵאשִׁית בְּ-רֵא-שִׁית O-O-C שִׁית* Vocal Shewa (word-initial); aleph mater in syl. 2; yod mater in syl. 3; taw closes
3 הָאָרֶץ
✓ הָאָרֶץ הָ-אָ-רֶץ O-O-C אָ* Segholate base אֶרֶץ retains penultimate stress after article: הָ-אָ-רֶץ; Alef (guttural) opens syl. 2; both Qamets = long ā
4 שָׁמַיִם
✓ שָׁמַיִם שָׁ-מַ-יִם O-O-C יִם* שָׁ open (long ā); מַ open (Pathach); yod opens syl. 3; final mem closes
5 יְרוּשָׁלַיִם
✓ יְרוּשָׁלַיִם יְ-רוּ-שָׁ-לַ-יִם O-O-O-O-C לַ* Vocal Shewa (word-initial); five syllables; waw mater (long û); penultimate stress (milʿel) — unlike שָׁמַיִם, Jerusalem retains stress on the base-form syllable לַ
6 דָּבָר
✓ דָּבָר דָּ-בָר O-O בָר* Both syllables open; both Qamets = long ā; milra (stress on ultima)
7 מֶלֶךְ
✓ מֶלֶךְ מֶ-לֶךְ O-C מֶ* Segholate noun — penultimate stress (milʿel) on syl. 1; syl. 2 closed by final Kaf (silent Shewa)
8 בְּרִית
✓ בְּרִית בְּ-רִית O-C רִית* Vocal Shewa (word-initial bet); yod mater (long Hireq); final taw closes
9 שָׁבַת
✓ שָׁבַת שָׁ-בַת O-C בַת* שָׁ open (long ā); בַת closed by final taw; note: Dagesh Lene in bet (not Forte)
10 נָבִיא
✓ נָבִיא נָ-בִיא O-O בִיא* נָ open; yod mater (long Hireq); aleph quiesces word-finally; ultima is open
11 אֲדֹנָי
✓ אֲדֹנָי אֲ-דֹ-נָי O-O-O נָי* Hateph Pathach under aleph (guttural, not simple vocal Shewa); all three syllables open
12 יִשְׂרָאֵל
✓ יִשְׂרָאֵל יִשׂ-רָ-אֵל C-O-C אֵל* Silent Shewa under sin (closes syl. 1); רָ open; aleph quiescent in syl. 3; Tsere-aleph mater; lamed closes
13 כֹּהֵן
✓ כֹּהֵן כֹּ-הֵן O-C הֵן* Holem on kaph (open); he opens syl. 2 with Tsere; nun closes
14 מִשְׁפָּט
✓ מִשְׁפָּט מִשׁ-פָּט C-C פָּט* Silent Shewa under shin (closes syl. 1); Dagesh Forte in pe; Qamets long ā (accented); tet closes syl. 2
15 תּוֹרָה
✓ תּוֹרָה תּוֹ-רָה O-O רָה* Waw mater (long Holem); he at word-end = vowel letter (no mappiq); both syllables open
16 שָׁלוֹם
✓ שָׁלוֹם שָׁ-לוֹם O-C לוֹם* שָׁ open (long ā); waw mater (long Holem); final mem closes syl. 2
17 חֶסֶד
✓ חֶסֶד חֶ-סֶד O-C חֶ* Segholate noun — penultimate stress (milʿel) on syl. 1; חֶ open (Seghol); סֶד closed by Dalet
18 קֹדֶשׁ
✓ קֹדֶשׁ קֹ-דֶשׁ O-C קֹ* Segholate noun — penultimate stress (milʿel) on syl. 1; קֹ open (Holem); דֶשׁ closed by final Shin
19 אֶרֶץ
✓ אֶרֶץ אֶ-רֶץ O-C אֶ* Segholate noun — penultimate stress (milʿel) on syl. 1; Alef (guttural) opens אֶ; רֶץ closed by final Tsade
20 עַם
✓ עַם עַם C עַם* Single closed syllable; ayin (guttural) opens; Pathach; final mem closes

Reflection Questions

  1. Look at words 6 (דָּבָר) and 7 (מֶלֶךְ). Both are common two-syllable nouns. What is the structural difference between them, and how does that difference affect the vowels you would expect in each syllable?
  2. Word 14 is מִשְׁפָּט. The dagesh in the פ is a Dagesh Forte, not a Dagesh Lene. How do you know? What does it tell you about the syllable boundary?
  3. Words 11 (אֲדֹנָי) and 19 (אֶרֶץ) both begin with aleph. Why does אֲדֹנָי have a hateph Pathach while אֶרֶץ has a plain Seghol? What does this tell you about the relationship between guttural behavior and syllable rules?