500 Basic Hebrew Words

(See also German version: Hebrisch Grundwortschatz)

Siegfried Kreuzer www.kreuzer-siegfried.de
(This list contains the 500 most frequent and most important words of the Old
Testament / Hebrew Bible and is intended to help you keeping up your Hebrew.
The transcription follows the rules of ZAW).

bf)
b father
db)
bd Q. perish; Pi., Hi. ruin
hb)
bh be willing
}ebe)
bn stone
}owdf)
dn master, lord
yfnodA)

a
dny lord
{fdf)
dm man, mankind, people
hfmfdA)

a
dm (arable) soil
b"hf)
hb like, love
leho)
ohl tent
row)
r shine, light up
row)
r light
tow)
t sign
zf)
z then
s ozn ear
xf )
brother
dfxe)
d one
towxf)
at sister
r"xa)
ar another, different
raxa)
aar later on, afterwards
y"rAxa)
a
a
r after
tyirAxa)
ah
a
rt end, behind, issue, the future
b"yo)
oyb enemy
liya)
ayil ram
}y")/}iya)
ayin / n is not, non existence, nothing
$yi)
s man
|a )
ak only
lk)
kl eat
le)
l towards
la)
al not
l")
l god
hL")
ell these
aHowlE)

l
a
h god
{yiholE)

lhm god, gods

vele)
alf thousand
{i )
im if
{" )
m mother
hfmf)
m (maid), servant
hf Ma )
amm forearm, cubit
hf nUmE )

mn faithfulness, trustworthiness
rm)
mr say
tmE )

mt faithfulness
yinA)

a
n I
yikonf)
anok I
Vs)
sf gather (food), collect
Va)
af also, even
Va)
af nose, anger
hf(fB:ra) / (a B:ra)
arba / arb four
{yi(fB:ra)
arbm forty
}owrA)

a
rn chest, ark of the covenant
jere)
r ground, country, territory, the
earth
rr)
rr curse
$" )
fire
hf <i )
i woman
re$A)

a
r relative clause
Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004/2011 Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004/2011 1
t" )
et together with, along with
t" )
et accusative particle
hfTa)
att you (sg.)
{e Ta )
attm you (pl.)

:B
b
e
in, at, because of, by way of
degeB
bgd garment, covering
daB/dab:l
bad/l
e
bad part/apart, alone, only
hfm"h:B
b
e
hm cattle, animals
)owb
b Q. enter, come to
Hi bring (conduct, lead) in
rowB
br cistern, water pit
rxb
br choose, elect
x+b
b be reliant, trust
}yb
byn Q., Hi. to understand
}y"B
ben between
tiyaB
bayit house
hkb
bkh weep
rok:B
b
e
kor first-born
yiT:liB/yil:B
b
e
l/bilt without
hfmfB
bama hill, high-place, place of
worship
}"B
ben son
hnb
bnh build
da(ab
baad for, for the benefit of
rfqfB
bqr cattle
re qoB
boqr morning
$qb
bq seek
)rb
br create (god exclusively)
tyir:B
b
e
rt covenant, arrangement
\rb
brk Pi. bless
hf kf r: B
b
e
rk blessing
rf&fB
br flesh
ta B
bat daughter

l)g
gl redeem
Hbg
gbh be high/tall, be exalted
lUb: G
g
e
bl boundary, territory
rowBiG
gibbr hero, fighter
lowdfG
gdl great
ldg
gdl be, become great/strong
yowg
gy people, nation
):yaG/)y"G
gaj/g valley
{a G
gam also
r"G
gr sojourner
$rg
gr drive out

qbd
dbq cling, cleave to
rbd
dbr speak
rfbfD
dbr word, matter, affair
$ab:D
d
e
ba honey
rowD
dr generation
{f D
dm blood
\ereD
drk way, road
$rd
dr seek, inquire of

ah
h- the (definite article)
Ah
h
a
- interrogative particle
)Uh
h he
)yih
h she
hyh
hyh occur, happen
lfky"h
hkl palace, temple
\lh
hlk go
llh
hll Pi. praise
Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004/2011 Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004/2011 2
{" h/hf M" h
hem(m) they
h"Nih/}"h
hen/hinne behold!
rah
har mountain(s)
grh
hrg kill
hrh
hrh be, become pregnant

:w
w
e
and

to)z
zt this (sg. f.)
xbz
zb to sacrifice, slaughter
: zba (communion) sacrifice
z this (sg. m.)
: zhb gold
rkz
zkr remember, call to mind
hnz
znh be unfaithful, commit
fornication
q(c/q(z
zq/q cry out, call for help
zqn/zqn be old, grow old
. zra seed, descendant(s)

gax/gfx
g/ag feast
^$fdfx
d new
$edox
od (new) moon, month
hwx
wh Hit. honor, adore
hfmowx
m wall
jUx
outside, street
hzx
zh see, behold
qzx
zq Q. grow strong, firm
Hi. seize, take hold of
zq firm, strong
)+x
miss, offend, commit a sin
t)f=ax/):+"x
e/at offence, sin
yax
ay alive, living
hyx
yh be alive
{yiYax
ayyim life
liyax
ayil faculty, power
{kx
km be wise
{fkfx
km wise
hfm:kfx
km wisdom
{owlAx

a
lm dream
{lx
lm to dream
hfm"x
m rage, wrath
hf<imfx/$"mfx
m/
a
mia five
{yi<imAx

a
miim fifty
}"x
n favour, grace
hnx
nh encamp
}nx
nn to favour
desex
sd prove loyal, solidarity
j"pfx
f/f take pleasure in, take care off
yicAx

a
half
r"cfx
r court
hfQux/qox
oq/uqq regulation, prescription
berex
rb (short) sword
$rx
r to plough
$rx
r Q. be deaf
Hi. be silent

b+y/bO+
b/yb be good, be pleasant
bO+
b good

ro):y
y
e
or river (mostly: Nile)
$by
yb dry up, wither
dfy
yd hand, power
hdy
ydh Hi. praise
Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004/2011 Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004/2011 3
(dy
yd (get to) know
{owy
ym day
}iyay
yayin wine
lky
ykl be able, have it in ones power
dly
yld Q. bear, Hi. procreate
deley
yld child
{f y
ym sea
}yimfy
ymn right hand, the right side
vsy
ysf Q., Hi. add, continue
j(y
y advise, give an advise
)cy
y Q. go out, come forth
Hi. cause to go forth, bring
forth
qcy
yq pour out
rcy
yr form, shape
)"rfy
yr to fear
hf):riy
yir fear, reverence
dry
yrd descend, go down
$ry
yr Q. take possession of, inherit
Hi. drive away
$"y
y existence, there is, it exists
b$y
yb sit, dwell
a(U&:y
y
e
s
a
(acts of) help
($y
y help, save
rf$fy
yr straight, right, upright
rty
ytr Ni. remain, Hi. leave over

:K
k
e
as
d"bfk
kbd Q. be heavy, weighty
Pi. honour
dowbfK
kbd splendour
&ebeK
kb lamb, young ram
hoK
ko thus
}"hoK
kohn priest
}UK
kn Ni. be firm, be established
Hi. make ready, prepare
a xoK
ko
a
strength, power
yiK
k therefore, because
-lfK/loK
kol/kl the whole, all
hlk
klh Q. be completed, cease
Pi. bring to an end, finish
yil:K
k
e
l vessel
}"K
ken thus
vf nf K
knf wing
)"SiK
kiss throne
hsk
ksh Pi. cover
veseK
ksf silver (the metal)
vak
kaf palm, flat of the hand
rpk
kpr Pi. make expiation
trk
krt Q. cut off, make a covenant
Hi. cut off, destroy
btk
ktb write

:l
l
e
for, concerning
)ol
l not
bfb"l/b"l
lb/lbb heart
{xl
lm Ni. fight
{e xe l
lm bread
hfl:yal
layl night
dkl
lkd catch, seize
dml
lmd learn
xql
lq take
}ow$fl
ln tongue, language

do):M
m
e
od very
hf )" m
me hundred
Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004/2011 Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004/2011 4
s)m
ms reject, despise
}"gfm
mgn shield
$fr:gim
migr pasture-ground
rfB:dim
midbr wilderness
hf m
m what?
d"(owm
mod appointed time
tUm
mt Q. die, Hi. kill
tewfm
mawt death
ax"b:zim
mizb
e
a altar
rowm:zim
mizmr song, psalm
henAxam
ma
a
n encampment
he =a m
ma staff, rod, tribe
yim
m who?
{iyam
mayim water, waters
rkm
mkr sell
)"lfM
ml be full, be accomplished
|f):lam
malk messenger, angel
hfk)fl:m
m
e
lk sending, labour, work
hfmfx:lim
milm fight, battle
+lp/+lm
ml/pl Ni. save oneself, escape
Pi. save
|lm
mlk be king, to reign
|elem
mlk king
tUk:lam
malkt royal power, reign
hfkfl:mam
mamlk kingdom, dominion
}im
min from, off
hfx:nim
min gift, present
rfp:sim
mispr number
+a (: m
m
e
a few, a little
la(am
maal on the top of, above
}a(am
maan for the sake of, in order that
he&A(am
ma
a
deed
)cm
m find
hfCam
ma unleavened bread
hf w: ci m
miw commandment(s)
{owqfm
mqm place
he):ram
mar appearance
)f>am
ma burden, utterance
x$m
m anoint
axyi$fm
m
a
anointed
}fk:$im
mikn dwelling-place
l$m
ml rule
lf$fm
ml proverbial saying
hfxfp:$im
mip (larger) family, clan
+fp:$im
mipa (legal) decision, justice

)fn
na now! come!
{u):n
n
e
um utterance (of god)
v)n
nf commit adultery
)yibfn
nb prophet
begen
ngb south, the south-country
dgn
ngd Hi. make known, report, tell
degen
ngd in front of
(gn
ng touch, hurt a person
$gn
ng Q., Ni. draw near, approach
Hi. bring, bring near
rdn
ndr vow
rfhfn
nhr river
a xUn
n
a
rest
sUn
ns flee
lfxfn
nl wadi, torrent
hflAxan
na
a
l hereditary property
Un:xan
nan we
te $ox: n
neot copper, bronze
Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004/2011 Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004/2011 5
h+n
nh Q. extend, incline
Hi. recline, bend
hkn
nkh strike, smite
hsn
nsh Pi. test, try
(sn
ns set out, journey
ra(an
naar lad, young boy, servant
hf rA (a n
na
a
r young girl, maid
^lpn
nfl fall
$epen
nf soul, living being, person
lcn
nl Hi. tear away, deliver
)&n
n bear, carry
)yi&fn
n deputy, chief
q#n
nq kiss
}tn
ntn give
jtn
nt tear down, destroy

bbs
sbb turn, be round about, march
around
byibfs
sbb all around
sUs
ss horse
rUs
sr Q. turn side, Hi. remove
rps
sfr Q. count, Ni. be counted
Pi. tell
rep"s
sefr book

db(
bd serve, work
debe(
bd servant, slave
hfdobA(

a
bd work, labour, service
rb(
br pass by, go over
reb"(
ebr the region beyond/opposite
yir:bi(
ibr Hebrew
d"(
d witness
hfd"(
d gathering, congregation
dow(
d still, once more, again
{flow(
lm eternity
}owf(
wn sin, guilt
Vow(
of fly
Vow(
of flying creatures, bird
zo(
oz power, strength
bz(
zb leave, abandon
}iya(
ayin eye, spring
ryi(
r town, city
-la(
al upon, above, against
hl(
lh Q. go up, ascend, Hi. bring,
lead up, offer sacrifices
hflo(
l (whole burnt-) offering
}owy:le(
lyn the upper, the highest
{a (
am people
{i (
im (together) with
dm(
md stand
dUMa (
ammd pillar, column
I hn( nh answer, hear, grant
II hn( nh Q. be downcast, afflicted
Pi. humiliate, do violence
yinf(
ni poor, humble
yinF(

o
n poverty, affliction
}fnf(
nn cloud
rfpf(
fr dust
j"(
tree(s)
{ece(
m bone, being
bere(
rb evening
h&(
h make, manufacture
hfrf&a(/ree&e(
r/
a
ara ten
{yir::&e(
rm twenty
t" (
t time
Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004/2011 Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004/2011 6
hfTa(
att now

hdp
pdh buy (off), ransom, redeem
he p
p mouth
+lm /+lp
plt/mlt Q. escape, Pi. save
llp
pll Hitp. pray
}eP
pn lest
hnp
Pnh turn toward a direction
{yinfP
pnm face, surface
l(p
pl make, do
{a(aP
paam step, occurrence, time
Dqp
pqd go to see, take care of
raP
par young bull
Yir:P
p
e
r fruit
($p
p rebel, revolt against
(a $e P
pa rebellion, revolt,
xtp
pt open
XateP
pta opening, entrance

})oc
n small cattle
)fbfc
b host
qyiDac
addq righteous
qdc
dq be in the right, be just
hfqfd:c /qedec
dq/edq righteousness
hwc
wh Pi. to command
rUc
r rock
q(c
q cry, call (to aid)
}owpfc
fn north
}pc
fn hide

jbq
qb Q., Pi. collect, assemble
rbq
qbr bury
$owdfq
qd holy
{edeq
qdm in front, bygone days, east
$dq
qd Q. be holy, Pi., Hi. consecrate
$edoq
qod holiness, holy place
lhq
qhl Ni. assemble, Hi. call together
lfhfq
qhl assembly, convocation of the
people
hwq
qwh Pi. hope, wait for
lowq
ql sound, voice
{Uq
qm arise, last
}O+fq/}+q
qn/qaon be insignificant, small
r+q
qr Pi. send sacrifices up in smoke
llq
qll Q. be slight, Pi. curse
hnq
qnh acquire, buy, create
ryicfq
qr harvest of grains
)rq
qr call
brq
qrb Q. approach, Hi. offer
bereq
qrb the inward part (of body), in
the midst
}fB:rfq
qrbn offering, gift
hrq
qrh meet, occur
bowrfq
qrb near
te$eq
qt bow

h)r
rh Q. see, Ni. be seen, show
oneself, appear, Hi. show
$)or
r head, summit, upper end
}ow$)ir
rn the first (position)
tyi$)"r
rt beginning, the first, choicest
bar
rab much, many
bor
rob multitude
bbr
rbb be, become many, much
hbr
rbh Q. become many
Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004/2011 Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004/2011 7
Hi. make many
leger
rgl foot
vdr
rdf pursue, persecute
a xUr
r
a
wind, breath, spirit
{Ur
rm be high above, be exalted
ba xor
roab breadth
{xr
rm Pi. have compassion
qxr
rq be far, become far
byr
rb dispute, conduct a (legal) case
byir
rib dispute, case of law, lawsuit
beker
rkb vehicle, chariot
(a r
ra bad, evil
a (" r
re
a
fellow, companion, friend
bf(fffr
rb hunger, famine
h(r
rh pasture, tend
hf (f r
r evil, misery, trouble
((r
r be bad, do evil
qar
raq only
($r
r be, become guilty, act
wickedly
(f $f r
r being wrong, guilty, impious

hedf&
d open field
{yi&
m set, put, put down
lk&
kl Hi. understand, have success,
prosper
l)om:>

e
ml the left side, left
xm&
m rejoice
hfx:Mi&
im joy, gladness
)"nf&
n/n hate
hfpf&
f lip, shore, bank
ra&
ar official, chief, leader
Vr&
rf burn

e$
relative particle
l)$
l ask, inquire
low):$

e
l underworld, realm of dead
hf(:bi$/(abe$
ba/ib seven
{yi(:bi$
ibm seventy
+eb"$
eb rod, staff
(b$
b Ni. swear
rb$
br break (in pieces)
tfBa$
abbt Sabbath
bU$
b Q. turn back, turn around
Hi. bring back
row$
r bull, ox, steer
+x$
slaughter
tx$
t Hi. spoil, ruin
ryi$
r sing
ryi$
r song
bk$
kb lie down
xk$
k forget
}k$
kn settle down to abide, live in
{owlf$
lm peace
xl$
l send
}fxlu$
uln table
|l$
lk Hi. throw
{l$
lm intact, complete
hf$l:$/$lf$
l/
e
l three
yi$l:$

e
li the third
{yi$l:$

e
lim thirty
{" $
m name
{f $
m there
dm$
md Hi. exterminate, Ni. be
Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004/2011 Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004/2011 8
Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004/2011 Basic Hebrew Vocabulary 500 Siegfried Kreuzer 1990/2004/2011 9
destroyed, exterminated
hf Ma $
amm thither, (as far as) there
{iyamf$
mayim heaven
}eme$
mn oil (of olives)
hfnom:$/henom:$

e
mon/
e
mon eight
(m$
m hear
rm$
mr keep, watch over, retain
$eme$
m sun
}"$
en tooth
hfnf$
n year
yin"$
n the second
{iyan:$/{iyaT:$

e
tayim/
e
nayim two
ra(a$
aar gate
hfx:pi$
if maid-servant
+p$
f judge
|p$
fk pour out
leqe$
ql shekel
reqe$
qr lie, deception
hf<i$/$"$
e/ia six
ht$
th Q. drink, Hi. to water

{owh:T
t
e
hm the primaeval ocean
hfLih:T
t
e
hill glory, praise
|e wa T
tawk the midst
hfb"(owT
tb abomination
hfrowT
tr instruction
ta xa T
taat under, instead of
dyimfT
tamd continually, regular
{yimfT
tamm complete, blameless
{mT
tmm be complete
b(T
tb Pi. be abhorred
hfLip:T
tefill prayer
&pt
tf capture
hfmUr:T
t
e
rm tribute, contribution
hf(: $iT /(a $"T
tsa/tia nine



This list of basic Hebrew words is intended to help you keeping up or
to brush up your Hebrew.

The list is arranged alphabethically, still you may figure out word-
families ({wq - {wqm, llp - hlpt etc.) or groups like the numbers or
pronouns.

If you find errors or have suggestions, please send me an email.
Thank you for the feedback which has been sent so far.

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