# Spelling with ב or וו



## sawyeric1

I keep using ב where it's supposed to be וו - like I spelled טלוויזיה as טלביזיה. Is there any pattern as to when one is used instead of the other? It seems confusing. 

Thanks


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## aavichai

When it comes to foreighn words that have the letter V

if the V is in the beginning or in the middle of the word then you write "WAW/VAV"

But If the V is in the middle of the word and next to it there is a vowel O or U then your write it with "Bet"

if the V is at the end of the word, you write it also with "Bet"

in the word Television - the V is in the middle and doesn't have the vowels O or U next to it
therefore, Write it with "WAW/VAV"
טלויזיה/טלוויזיה


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## sawyeric1

Can you give examples for the other two scenarios?


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## Drink

The spelling טלביזיה also exists though. How often is it used? Is it considered outdated?


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## aavichai

The "rules" that I wrote are what "supposed" to be
 I found them in the site of the Hebrew language Academy

But i don't think that we cannot find exceptions for them
especially in words that are "stuck" in their writing

I give the examples they gave

ונציה - Venezia
וִירְצְבּוּרְג - Würzburg
לִיוֶרְפּוּל / ליוורפול - Liverpool

(even though some common write is ליברפול)

לבוֹב - Lwów
מנטוֹבה - Mantova
קייב - Киев

Also the name (state) Latvia
supposed (by this "rules") to be לטוויה
but is more common as לטביה
but also לטוויה

I think some would add another rule to use the ב (and not ו)
if it is next to a vowel I
to differ the two letters that can act as vowels


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## sawyeric1

So if those are only the rules for if the word is foreign, what about native words - are there rules for them?


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## aavichai

I don't think so

in hebrew words - they are just different letters
even if today they can be sound the same

think about ת and ט
or כ and ק

just different letters


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## Drink

sawyeric1 said:


> So if those are only the rules for if the word is foreign, what about native words - are there rules for them?



In native words, these are separate letters with separate meanings. They are never interchangeable, you just have to know which one a word is spelled with. For example, זיו cannot be spelled *זיב and ניב cannot be spelled *ניו. And אביב and אביו are pronounced the same but have different meanings.

What makes it easier is if you know the rules of when ב is pronounced as /b/ and when as /v/. For example, thye hitpa'el verb "hitkaven" must be spelled with וו, because a ב in that position (as the middle root letter of a pi'el or hitpa'el verb) would always be pronounced /b/. Similarly in a pa'al verb such as "gavar", you know it's a ב, but a vav in that position would likely have made the root hollow and you would have the verb "gar" (to live).


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