Shwa

Shwa is a term used in Hebrew linguistics and orthography to describe a vowel sign, or the absence of a vowel, associated with a Hebrew letter. In written Hebrew, the shva (often transliterated shva, sheva, or sh'va) is a diacritic placed under a consonant and represented by two vertical dots. The sign functions as part of the system of niqquim, the vowel pointings used to indicate vowel sounds in Hebrew script.

There are two main realizations of shva: shva na (sheva naḥ) and shva nach. Shva na is a vocal shva, typically realized as a very short vowel sound, which in traditional grammar may approximate a brief "e" or "i" depending on the syllable and surrounding letters. Shva nach is a silent shva, producing little or no vowel sound and often affecting syllable structure rather than pronunciation. The precise realization of shva na can vary between Biblical Hebrew, Rabbinic tradition, and Modern Hebrew.

In practice, the shva is used across Hebrew texts, including the Hebrew Bible, liturgical works, and modern writings with vowel-pointed text. Its interpretation often depends on grammar, cantillation marks, and whether the word is accented or follows certain morphological patterns. In modern Hebrew, many shva na occurrences are pronounced only lightly or are effectively silent, while others retain a distinct, brief vowel quality.

See also: Niqqum, Hebrew diacritics, Cantillation.