FSI Hebrew Basic Course

Hebrew is the official language of the state of Israel, where it is spoken either as a first or second language by the majority of the population. Worldwide, native speakers of Modern Hebrew are thought to number over nine million.

For linguists, Hebrew is a fascinating tongue. Although it was the historical language of the Israelites, by around 200-400 CE, it had fallen out of use as a spoken language and survived only as the liturgical language of the Jewish religion as well as in literature and commerce.

It was then revived in the 19th century and now is a living language once again, the only true example of a dead language that has been successfully resurrected in this way.

As the introduction to FSI Hebrew explains, Modern Hebrew is very different from Biblical Hebrew, although it is unmistakably descended from it. For those of Jewish heritage, there are obvious reasons to study Hebrew – but for anyone with a passion for languages, learning such an ancient and culturally significant tongue has an undeniable attraction.

For those who want to try, this free online Hebrew course will be an invaluable resource.

Course Details

What is the FSI Hebrew Basic Course?

This FSI Hebrew course was first published in 1965 and was designed to teach Modern Hebrew as it is spoken by educated native speakers in informal situations. It consists of 40 units, each containing dialogs, drills and exercises. These are accompanied by many hours of audio, making this one of the most comprehensive courses in Modern Hebrew available.

It is primarily a course in the spoken language, so throughout, the Hebrew is transliterated into Roman script. However, it also includes an introduction to the Hebrew alphabet, starting on page 463.

Students are expected to work through this while studying the course, so by the time they reach Unit 10, they are also able to read the Hebrew script that features alongside the transliteration. Later in the course, certain sections are included with no transliteration, so if you are unfamiliar with the Hebrew alphabet, it is essential to learn it as you are studying.

How was FSI Hebrew Basic originally used?

This course was originally designed for US diplomatic staff who were preparing for postings in Israel. They were expected to take six hours of class five days a week, which was supplemented by a further two hours of personal study per day. In class, they spoke only Hebrew, and even outside of lessons, they spoke Hebrew among themselves. This way, after only six months, they were able to attain a high level of proficiency in the language.

How can you use FSI Hebrew Basic?

Although you won’t be able to recreate the perfect study conditions enjoyed by US diplomats, you will still be able to benefit from the wealth of material contained in this course if you know how to adapt it to your needs.

If you are studying with another Hebrew coursebook, you can use these materials to supplement your learning. Specifically, the dialogs, drills, and exercises can be a great aid in developing your fluency and speaking ability. The recordings are also useful for improving your listening and pronunciation skills.

Alternatively, you could use these materials as your primary study resource, supplementing them with any other materials you have access to.

Taking it further

Student Text

Unit	Audio
Unit 01	Tape
Unit 02	Tape
Unit 03	Tape
Unit 04	Tape
Unit 05	Tape
Unit 06	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 07	Tape
Unit 08	Tape
Unit 09	Tape
Unit 10	Tape
Unit 11	Tape
Unit 12	Tape
Unit 13	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 14	Tape
Unit 15	Tape
Unit 16	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 17	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 18	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 19	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 20	Tape
Unit 21	Tape 1 · Tape 2 · Tape 3
Unit 22	Tape 1 · Tape 2 · Tape 3
Unit 23	Tape 1 · Tape 2 · Tape 3
Unit 24	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 25	Tape 1 · Tape 2 · Tape 3
Unit 26	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 27	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 28	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 29	Tape
Unit 30	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 31	Tape
Unit 32	Tape
Unit 33	Tape
Unit 34	Tape 1 · Tape 2
Unit 35	Tape
Unit 36	Tape
Unit 37	Tape
Unit 38	Tape
Unit 39	Tape
Unit 40	Tape