Are you looking to improve your Hebrew? In our previous article on Hebrew reading practice, we discussed how practice is important in learning to read Hebrew, but it is the most important factor in any skill. By the way, we’re talking about modern Hebrew, sorry Biblical Hebrew learners :/
Do books really help people learn a language?
short answer, yes. Long answer, it depends on what type of student you are and what your goals are. a book or textbook is a great way to improve your understanding of a language. however, it is by no means the only way you should learn a language. Listening and speaking are essential to improve your understanding of the language, but a good textbook will guide you towards your goals in an organized way.
You are reading: Best books to learn hebrew
This is because most (good) textbooks have been revised and hours of thought and effort have been put into them. you can go from not knowing the alphabet, to being able to understand stories and basic grammar rules.
#1 in colloquial Hebrew (beginner and intermediate)
I’ve always been a fan of the colloquial series. Whenever I start to study a language, I always look for a routledge textbook. they are very helpful and their audio is almost always freely available online. you get 425 pages of great content, with short conversations accompanied by clear and concise audio. At the end of each conversation there is a breakdown of vocabulary and grammar which I have always loved as the explanations make sense.
Purchase Colloquial Hebrew on Amazon
#2 Hebrew Living Language – Complete Edition (Beginner & Intermediate)
When I started my journey learning Hebrew this was the second book I bought and to be completely honest it is one of my favorite textbooks for any language. living language does a great job with this series. If you are serious about studying Hebrew and want to go from beginner to advanced (length of time has many variables) in a structured way, I highly recommend this book.
- course work for beginners, intermediate and advanced
- 9 audio tapes with clear and understandable dialogues in Hebrew
- writing and reading practice with and without niqqudot ( vowel system)
- very affordable ($36.38 on amazon)
Living Language Hebrew (complete) Amazon link
#3 barron’s 501 hebrew verbs (all levels)
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Once you’ve become familiar with reading and writing basic Hebrew and know a few words, it’s time to expand your vocabulary with verbs. Just like any language, learning how to conjugate verbs is essential, but often very challenging. With Barron’s 501 Hebrew Verbs, you can get the conjugation (using the Niqqudot system) of 501 common verbs. it’s also $15.99!! (with amazon prime)
501 Hebrew Verbs Amazon link
Hebrew course #4 fsi (Upper Beginner and Intermediate)
the fsi or foreign service institute, is in charge of training the u.s. foreign affairs employees (for example, diplomats abroad). To train these agents in a foreign language, they have developed intensive courses to quickly increase the efficiency in learning the language. in fact, you can find a free version of the course on live lingua. the version shown here is from 1965, a bit dated when you listen to the audio, but still incredibly useful if you want to speed up your language learning quickly. It is best to accompany this book with a tutor or language teacher.
It should be noted, this course is not for everyone. There are no pretty images, and color coded works, but it will do wonders if you’re a serious language learner.
buy fsi hebrew on amazon
#5 Learn Modern Hebrew By Yourself – 2004 Edition (Upper Beginner/Lower Intermediate)
Teaching yourself is another fantastic brand of language learning that I swear by. although I will have to say that in my opinion their previous series was much better at pure language learning. if you just want study material and something to help you quickly understand and learn the language, I recommend the 2004 edition.
- 356 pages of great content
- starts with English writing and changes to Hebrew writing only
- great for those who want a supplement to their language learning
- $5 (pretty much a no-brainer)
Teach Yourself Hebrew 2004 Edition Amazon Link
#6 Modern Hebrew: An Essential (Intermediate) Grammar
a complete and compact routledge product with detailed grammatical explanations of the Hebrew language. Each chapter goes into great detail about each grammatical concept, with great examples.
- good for those who know the basics of the language
- best complemented by a tutor or teacher
- 372 pages of grammar concepts for beginners and advanced
- niqqudot (Hebrew vowels) friendly (great for those who can already read some Hebrew)
- $52.54 as of 11/4/2020 on amazon prime
See Also: The Best Books on Auschwitz | Five Books Expert Recommendations
Purchase on Amazon
#7 frog and toad year-round in Hebrew (upper beginner/intermediate)
so, if you’re looking to practice reading for real, reading children’s books in Hebrew will definitely improve your understanding of the language. frog and toad is already a great series, and reading it in Hebrew is sure to be challenging and fun.
Frog and Todd Hebrew Amazon Link
Looking to improve your Hebrew in just a few minutes?
We have created a blog on the top 5 instagram accounts to improve your Hebrew, each account offers detailed content that is sure to improve your learning progress.
ready to learn Hebrew with a course?
If you’re ready to learn Hebrew with an online course, especially with COVID-19 forcing many of us to stay home, we highly recommend signing up with Integraliah. They offer online Hebrew lessons for all levels at affordable rates! You can also check out their Instagram and view the content they produce by following @integraliah
about the kojii languages
kojii is a brand designed to promote minority languages, collect data on: bilinguals, language enthusiasts and polyglots, and innovate, using this data, the way we learn languages
business email: kojiilang@gmail.com
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See Also: Andrew Britton – Book Series In Order