The BeGaD KeFaT
Bégad Kéfat Occusives and Fricatives
בּ ב, גּ ג, דּ ד, כּ כ, פּ פ, תּ ת
The Bégad Kéfat are letters that are pronounced in two ways. They are distinguished by the presence of a dagesh in their center.
The בּ and the ב
The Beith, B, בּ becomes Veith, V, ב
The גּ and the ג
Le Guimèl, G, גּ no longer changes, with or without a dot : ג
The דּ and the ד
Thee Dalèt, D, דּּ no longer changes, with or without a dot : ד
The כּּ and the כ
Thee Kaf, K, כּ becomes Khaf, KH, כ
The פּ and the פ
The Péh, P, פּ becomes Féh, F, פ
The תּ and the ת
The Tav, T, תּ no longer changes, with or without a dot : ת
. . . . . . .
So there are only 3 left to remember
The Beith בּ and the Veith ב
The Kaf כּּ and the Khaf כ
The Pé פּ and the Fé פ
The Shin « ש »
שׁ שׂ
The Shin שdoes not belong to the Bégad Kéfat because its dot (dagesh) is not in the center of the letter. It is placed just above the letter. However, like the Bégad Kéfat, it is also pronounced in two ways. But for the Shin, it depends on whether the dot is on the right or left side of the letter.
- Thus, the Shin שis pronounced as "sh" when the dot is on the right: שׁ
- and it is pronounced as "s" when the dot is on the left: שׂ
The Shin « שׁ » ,dot on the right
The Sin « שׂ », dot on the left