Hebrew For Dummies

The book is set around themed chapters - work, travel, money, biblical etc. This is helpful if you want to learn specific key vocabulary. The Hebrew is in phonetics/transliterations. The book is written to be read - each chapter is an entertaining overview of a theme. The book has a very basic grammar guide. The enclosed CD isn't too bad. I find the book really readable and the cultural oversights are good too. I'd recommend it for beginners and people hoping to get insight into Hebrew culture as they learn.I'd also recommend David C. Gross - Eng-Heb/Heb-Eng conversational dictionary (Hippocrene) - transliterations only. The Lonely Planet Hebrew phrasebook - has a useful grammar guide + phrases/dictionary - transliterations & Hebrew script. The Berlitz listening CD is pretty good. + uTalk language learning app.From my experience some study (even if you don't feel like your learning much) before you go somewhere helps a lot - then the learning picks up pace massively once you're in the country. Pronunciation/intonation are tricky to learn in a home country but again will fall into place once abroad.

I was disappointed in this book. I have been learning Biblical Hebrew for some years. I have become familiar with the Hebrew alphabet and am accustomed to reading Hebrew from right to left. I find "Hebrew for Dummies" confusing because of the author's use of transliteration (e.g. Aron HaKodesh for "Holy Ark"). I suggest that it is impossible to learn Hebrew on the basis of transliteration. The student needs to know the alphabet and become used to reading simple Hebrew sentences from right to left.

The guide is useful as something you might like to use before travelling . The audio section in the CD was sparse. Overall there are better ways of learning hebrew .

I bought this book to supplement the Hebrew course I am using as I needed a "teacher" who would supply the amusing anecdotes and overview that my more serious text book lacks. As such, it fulfils its brief. However, like all teachers, it can very annoying and, for me, principally because it only give you the phonetic spelling of the Hebrew word which is profoundly irritating when you are trying to learn to read Hebrew! It has made me work harder trying to locate the expressions in my other book and it has revived my flagging interest so success ..of a sort.

Quite interesting cultural notes and everything written in Roman type, which may help someone wanting a fast-track introduction to the language:can always learn the Hebrew script later, if interested, and then do a course that uses it.