These letters are produced in the throat. They share special rules that set them apart from other letters.
Letter
Name
Sound
Key rule
א
Alef
Silent (glottal stop)
No dagesh · Carries vowel at word start
ה
He
H as in hello
No dagesh · Furtive patach at word end
ח
Chet
Ch as in loch
No dagesh · Uses chataf vowels · Furtive patach
ע
Ayin
Silent (guttural)
No dagesh · Uses chataf vowels · Furtive patach
2. Writing Practice - Trace and copy each guttural letter
3. Find the Guttural Letters - Circle every א ה ח ע
Look at each letter below. Circle the ones that are guttural letters.
4. Sort - Guttural or Not?
Write each letter from the box into the correct column.
Guttural
Not Guttural
5. Dagesh Test - Can this letter take a dagesh?
For each letter, circle Yes or No.
6. Patach Ganuv - The hidden “a” before final gutturals
The rule: when a word ends in ח or ע (and sometimes הּ) preceded by a long vowel like cholam (ö), shuruk (ü), or tsere (é), a small “a” sound is inserted before the final guttural. This extra patach is called patach ganuv (“furtive patach”) and is read before the letter it sits under, not after. Example:רוּחַis read RU-ach, not “rucha.”
Write the transliteration of each word and mark where the hidden “a” falls. (Use hyphens to show syllable breaks, e.g. RU-ach.)
רוּחַwind, spirit→
שָׂמֵחַhappy (m.)→
יוֹדֵעַknows (m.)→
שׁוֹמֵעַhears (m.)→
בָּטוּחַsure (m.)→
תַּפּוּחַapple→
7. True or False
Guttural letters are made in the throat.
TF
The letter ב is a guttural letter.
TF
Guttural letters can take a dagesh.
TF
There are four guttural letters.
TF
The letter ח sounds like Ch in "loch."
TF
The letter כ is a guttural letter.
TF
Alef (א) is always silent.
TF
Guttural letters prefer "A" type vowels.
TF
A patach ganuv at the end of a word is read after the guttural letter.