How to type vowels?

[Javier]

Hello,

Should this post be in technical discussions or here? I thought here it would be more appropriate, because it is only about hebrew language.

I installed the hebrew keyboard layout and started to type (I already can recognize the letters and know some words), but I saw I could not type the vowels? is there any way to do it? or is another keyboard layout to be used (like greek, greek polythonic, etc) ??

Thanks !

[Luís]

Press CAPS LOCK. Then use SHIFT + numbers to get the dots: ֱ ֲ ֳ ִ ֵ ֶ ַ ָ ׂ ּ

[Javier]

Yes, it works, muito obrigado.

so, it means if people want to vocalize, they first write the word only with consonants, and then come back to vocalize it, right? Seems quite hard, now I see why it is better to leave the vowels out

[Luís]

What do you mean? You write it all at the same time...

For example, if you type a ה followed by a ַ you get הַ.
ב with ּ becomes בּ, etc.

You can get the consonants by also pressing SHIFT during CAPS LOCK mode.

[Irrisim]

Fontboard has probably the best hebrew keyboard I've ever used, there should also be a manual on how to use it, despite you might never need a manual

Sami

[NulNuk]

why bother??? ,most ppl just get confused by thos anoying dots,
thats why no one use them ,you better get used to not use them .

[kibo]

so, it means if people want to vocalize, they first write the word only with consonants, and then come back to vocalize it, right?

Either that, or just like Luís said, caps lock + shift reverts the consonants back to normal.

Seems quite hard, now I see why it is better to leave the vowels out

Well, no, the reason why it's better to leave them out is because you need to have a very good knowledge of Hebrew so you would know how to write them. Mostly not even being a native speaker helps. On the other hand, niqqud (that's how the dots are called ) is very easy to read, so when you see a word with it you know exactly how to read it.

You won't find niqqud anywhere but in dictionaries, children's books (like fairy tales and stories) and perhaps poetry.

[Irrisim]

That's right, we almost never use nikudim, not even in grammars.
Nikudim is taught in Israeli school (first grades), they are only used in high grammatic analysis and child's books, they are also used in the Torah and other religious topics.

But still, if people learn new hebrew words, they need to know the nikudim in order to pronounce it right.
In my opinion, I can't see a reason to write with nikudim since they really aren't used much.

Sami