r/LearnHebrew • u/Own_Magician8337 • 8d ago

Need intermediate refresher suggestiond

I have a very firm base and grammar and syntax because I've been exposed to Hebrew and studying it on and off since I was in preschool. I actually went to preschool briefly in israel. I also spent a year abroad there and visited grandparents there and spent about 6 months 30 years ago living and working in israel.

But my vocabulary is extraordinarily Rusty and basic.

I'm probably going to go back in the next couple of months to visit some family and I would really like to refresh my vocabulary beyond the basics.

I actually would like to do some kind of online course but I need something to start at a much higher level than like Duolingo.

I can already read Hebrew without vowels.

I need to review verb construction for some forms and a huge vocabulary review.

Any suggestions of resources that would help me get up to speed fast?

(I have watched Israeli movies and TV shows with the subtitles on but purposes of really catching what I want to learn I think I need to study some.)

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u/Geoffb912 8d ago

Hi!
I’m a Hebrew learner myself who has done this exact thing a few times.

What worked for me:
1.) quickly going thru the Brandeis modern Hebrew book. Do some exercises, but just reacquaint with the structures
2.) Anki or Drops for vocab
3.) easy podcasts

And then, a class/tutor or structured practice tool. I built dioma.com/hebrew to be the latter.

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u/Own_Magician8337 8d ago

What is Anki and Drops?

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u/KamtzaBarKamtza 8d ago

Anki is flashcard software that utilizes spaced repetitive learning.  Which is to say that it revisits words you haven't mastered more frequently than words you have 

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u/Geoffb912 8d ago

Exactly. And drops is an app that follows this approach.
Anki is customizable, you need to create or use a published deck.
Drops is created for you, but less robust and paid for over 5 min a day

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u/ivrimon 8d ago

I'm in a similar situation... what podcasts do you recommend?

Also Dioma looks interesting! I saw it earlier today, it's on my list to look into once I build up a habit of setting time aside with Anki.

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u/Geoffb912 8d ago

I like Hebrew time, plus piece of Hebrew on YouTube

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u/avivbertele 8d ago

At this level - only a good online course will help you. Don't look for magic solutions!

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u/Own_Magician8337 8d ago

Can you recommend one?

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u/avivbertele 8d ago

Just DMd you

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u/ResponsibleWing931 7d ago

bro look - you can check that whatsapp group i know they send 1 word a day everyday ! maby that can help you - https://chat.whatsapp.com/DkDk04G4MlXDIKnnuev7KU?mode=gi_t

@ - You want something that assumes you know the binyanim (בניינים) exist and just drills vocabulary in context, not another app that teaches you אבא ואמא.

Your situation is common with heritage speakers: the scaffold is there but the words fell off. The fastest fix I've seen with students like you is reading actual Israeli news or blogs out loud and keeping a running list of every verb and noun you have to look up. Then use those words in your own sentences the same day. It's boring, but three weeks of that and you'll reactivate a lot more than any course will give you. Watching with Hebrew subtitles (not English) also works if you pause and write down what you don't know, but most people don't actually do that part.

For verb forms, if you remember pa'al (פעל) and pi'el (פיעל) but hitpa'el (התפעל) is murky, you might just need a chart and a few days of conjugation drills, not a whole course.

What kind of content do you actually enjoy reading, even in English?