Hebrew letter alef (א)
א is the letter alef, pronounced a silent letter that carries a vowel, like the start of "apple" without the consonant. It takes 3 strokes. Hebrew is written from right to left, so strokes usually begin at the top right, and horizontal bars are drawn from right to left. The forms on this page are simplified block letters with a common stroke order; handwriting teachers vary, so follow your own teacher where they differ.
The Hebrew alphabet, the aleph-bet, has 22 letters and no capitals. Alef is letter 1 of 22. Most letters stand for consonants; vowels are shown by small marks (niqqud) or by letters such as ו and י.
Stroke by stroke
- Start near the top at the right side. Draw a straight line down and to the left, ending near the bottom at the left side.
- Lift your pen and start again near the top at the left side. Curve down and to the right, ending around the middle at the middle.
- Lift your pen and start again near the bottom at the right side. Curve up and to the left, ending around the middle at the middle.
Look-alikes and pitfalls
Hebrew block letters look alike at a glance, and a small corner or foot is often the only difference. Look at the top-right corner and the feet before you decide which letter you are writing.
In a word
אבא (aba), dad. Hebrew reads right to left.
Practice
Trace on screen first: press Trace it above and follow the grey letter. Then print the sheet and write the same letter on paper. Writing on paper is what builds the habit.
More about א
In the traditional number system, א stands for 1. The first nine letters are 1 to 9, the next nine are 10 to 90 and the rest are 100 to 400, which is why Hebrew letters are still used for dates and numbered lists.
Hebrew is read right to left, but numbers and any Latin letters inside Hebrew text still run left to right.
Questions about hebrew letter alef
How many strokes is א?
3 strokes.
How do you say א?
Alef is a silent letter that carries a vowel, like the start of "apple" without the consonant.
Which direction do I write א?
Start near the top at the right side. Draw a straight line down and to the left, ending near the bottom at the left side. Hebrew is written from right to left.
What is a word that uses א?
אבא (aba) means dad.
Is א the same in handwriting and print?
No. Hebrew has a printed block form and a flowing cursive form, and the cursive shapes are quite different. These pages teach the block letters first.