יהוה
YHWH/je.hoˈva/masculine
The English phrase "yhwh" is the tetragrammaton, the personal name of God in Hebrew, represented by the form יהוה (YHWH).
יהוה is the personal name of God as it appears in the Hebrew Bible.
Meaning: יהוה (tetragrammaton) (name)
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /je.hoˈva/. The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable. The romanization is YHWH.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistake the pronunciation of the letters, but in traditional Hebrew contexts, the name is typically not spoken aloud.
When do people say it?
In Jewish tradition, the name is considered too sacred to be pronounced and is often replaced by the word Adonai (Lord) during reading. YHWH is often pronounced as Adonai out of reverence.
Did you know?
- Some historians argue the name יהוה originally meant 'he fells', referring to the god's power to strike with lightning.
- Because יהוה is too sacred to speak, it is common to see the letters replaced by symbols or blank spaces in some printed Hebrew texts.
- Because the exact pronunciation was lost through the tradition of not saying it, many modern scholars use the vocalization 'Yahweh' to refer to the name in academic settings.
Example sentences for Hebrew are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Two students are discussing a biblical text.
- רוטם Rotemהאם ראית את השם יהוה בטקסט?Ha'im ra'it et hashem YHWH ba-tekst?Did you see the name YHWH in the text?
- עידו Idoכן, הוא מופיע בפסקה הראשונה.Ken, hu mofia ba-piska ha-rishona.Yes, it appears in the first paragraph.
- רוטם Rotemזהו השם המקודש של יהוה.Zehu hashem ha-mekudash shel YHWH.That is the holy name of YHWH.
- עידו Idoאני מבין, תודה על ההסבר, רוטם.Ani mevin, toda al ha-hagsbar, Rotem.I understand, thanks for the explanation, Rotem.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yhwh” translations and entries יהוה, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries יהוה, CC BY-SA 4.0.
