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Phonetics & IPA

The pronunciation of Biblical Aramaic is reconstructed from the Tiberian vocalization tradition, Syriac parallels, and comparative Semitic phonology. Two features shape the sound system most: the spirantization of the BeGaDKePhaT consonants and the Tiberian vowel inventory.

BeGaDKePhaT Consonants (Stop / Spirant)

Letter	Name	Plosive (stop)	Fricative (spirant)	Transliteration
בּ / ב	Bet	[b]	[v]	b / ḇ
גּ / ג	Gimel	[ɡ]	[ɣ]	g / ḡ
דּ / ד	Dalet	[d]	[ð]	d / ḏ
כּ / כ	Kaph	[k]	[x]	k / ḵ
פּ / פ	Pe	[p]	[f]	p / p̄
תּ / ת	Taw	[t]	[θ]	t / ṯ

Vowels (Tiberian Pointing)

Sign	Name	IPA	Transliteration
ָ	Qamets	[ɔː]	ā
ַ	Patach	[a]	a
ֵ	Tsere	[eː]	ē
ֶ	Segol	[ɛ]	e
ִ	Hireq	[i]	i
ֹ	Holem	[oː]	ō
ֻ	Qibbuts	[u]	u
ְ	Shewa	[ə]	ə

💡 BeGaDKePhaT spirantization: The six consonants ב ג ד כ פ ת are pronounced as hard stops when they begin a syllable or are marked with a dagesh, and as soft fricatives after a vowel. A raised dot (dagesh lene) signals the stop pronunciation — e.g. בּ [b] vs. ב [v]. The same alternation is preserved in Syriac as the qushshaya/rukkakha distinction.