The Hebrew Vowels
The Original Writings of Hebrew do not use vowels. The Palestinian System was developed to preserve proper pronunciation and meaning after the language ceased to be a living language. This system employs points and signs above, below, and within the consonant letters.
A Class
אָ Kamets A Hat
אַ Pathah A Father
I and E Class
אֶ Seghol E Met
אִ Hirek I Pin
אֵ TSere E They
אִי Hirek Yodh I Machine
אֵי TSere Yodh E They
O and U Class
אָ Kamets Hatuph O Not
אֻ Kibbuts U Put
אֹ Holem O Roll
וֹ Full Holem O Go
וּ Shurek U True
In addition to these vowels, the Masoretes, who created the vowel pointing system, employed half vowels referred to as a Shewa. They are pronounced with a short e sound.
Class - Simple - Compound
A ( ְ ) ( אֲ ) Hateph Pathah
I and E ( ְ ) ( אֱ ) Hateph Seghol
O and U ( ְ ) ( אֳ ) Hateph Kamets
The simple or compound Shewas ( ְ ) all have the same value, whether they are a, i or o class vowel. They all use the same half vowels.
The gutturals use compound Shewas (אֲ אֱ אֳ ), where other consonants typically use the simple Shewa ( ְ ).
When the י (yodh) is preceded by an I or E vowel, due to combining with the vowel it loses its consonantal force ימ. (yim) שׂים (sim).
Holem and Shurek used the letter waw ( ו ) when written in full form. Holem ( וֹ ), Shurek( וּ ).
Every syllable must have a full vowel.
Short O (אָ) and long A (אָ) signs are the same with no difference in pronunciation of A and O. יָד (yadh) and כָּל (kol).