Good news: in 2025, you can reach conversational Hebrew completely free! Forget the myth that quality education must be expensive. This article contains a proven plan and best free resources used by thousands of successful learners.
Important: "Free" doesn't mean "worse". Many of these resources are even more effective than paid courses!
Completely Free Online Platforms
1. HebrewGlot - Free Foundation
What's available for free:
- First 2 lessons without limitations
- 14-day access to all trainers
- Complete verb dictionary - forever
- Binyanim section with detailed explanations
- Basic progress statistics
How to use:
- Register for free
- Complete lessons 1-2
- Use dictionary to study new verbs
- During 14 days actively practice in trainers
- After trial period - continue using dictionary and binyanim
Value: Dictionary with 1000+ verbs and binyan system is 70% of Hebrew grammar!
2. Duolingo - Completely Free Course
What it offers:
- Complete Hebrew course from scratch
- Daily exercises
- Gamified learning
- Mobile app
Free version limitations:
- Ads between lessons
- Limited "lives"
- No offline access
How to work around:
- Watch ads patiently (30 seconds)
- Wait for "lives" to restore (4-5 hours)
- Study online
Result: Basic A1 level in 3-4 months of regular practice
3. YouTube - Unlimited Content
Best channels for beginners:
HebrewPod101
- 1000+ free videos
- From alphabet to advanced level
- Lessons 10-20 minutes
Learn Hebrew with Rosen School
- Explanations in English
- Grammar rules
- Dialogues with natives
How to use effectively:
- Watch videos with subtitles
- Take notes of new words
- Repeat after speaker aloud
- Return to video in a week
4. Podcasts - Listening Anywhere
Free podcasts:
StreetWise Hebrew (TLVHN)
- Modern conversational Hebrew
- Explanations in English
- Short episodes 10-15 minutes
Ulpan La-Inyan
- Specifically for learners
- Different difficulty levels
- Transcripts on website
How to listen:
- In transportation
- During walks
- While exercising
- While cooking
Tip: Start with simplest episodes, even if they seem too easy.
Free Mobile Apps
1. HebrewGlot (Web/Mobile)
Free:
- Access to dictionary
- First lessons
- 14 days of trainers
Use on phone:
- In subway - 10 minutes dictionary
- In line - 5 minutes trainer
- Before sleep - word review
2. Anki - King of Flashcards
Why free:
- Open source
- Community creates decks
- Sync between devices
Ready Hebrew decks:
- "Hebrew 1000 Most Common Words"
- "Hebrew Verbs by Binyan"
- "Hebrew Pimsleur"
How to use:
- Download Anki (ankiweb.net)
- Find deck "Hebrew 1000"
- Review daily 10-15 minutes
Free Online Dictionaries
1. Morfix (morfix.co.il)
Functions:
- Hebrew → Russian / English
- Usage examples
- Verb conjugations
- Pronunciation
Completely free: Yes
2. Pealim (pealim.com)
Specialization:
- Conjugation of all verbs
- All binyanim and tenses
- Form tables
How to use:
- Check verb forms
- Compare with HebrewGlot dictionary
- Create Anki flashcards
Free Conversation Practice
1. Tandem - Language Exchange
How it works:
- Register for free
- Find Israeli partner learning English/Russian
- Communicate 30 minutes in Hebrew + 30 minutes in your language
Advantages:
- Completely free
- Live communication
- Cultural exchange
- New friends
Tips:
- Be active in finding partners
- Prepare conversation topics beforehand
- Don't be afraid of mistakes
2. HelloTalk
Differences from Tandem:
- More users
- Text chats with corrections
- Voice messages
- Built-in translator
Cons:
- Many only want to practice English/Russian
- Need to filter non-serious users
Free Reading Materials
Adapted Texts
1. Belingua (belingua.com)
- Parallel texts Hebrew-Russian/English
- Click on word = translation
- Different difficulty levels
2. Readlang
- Read any texts with instant translation
- Creates flashcards from unknown words
- Free plan: 10 translations/day
Children's Books Online
Where to find:
- Israeli libraries online
- Project Gutenberg (public domain)
- E-vrit.co.il - children's books
Why children's books:
- Simple vocabulary and grammar
- Short sentences
- Repetitive constructions
- Interesting to read!
Free Strategy for 6 Months
Month 1: Basics
- Morning (15 min): Duolingo
- Day (20 min): HebrewGlot lessons 1-2
- Evening (15 min): YouTube - HebrewPod101
- Before sleep (10 min): Anki flashcards
Result: Alphabet + 200 words
Month 2: Grammar
- Morning (15 min): Duolingo
- Day (25 min): HebrewGlot dictionary and binyanim
- Evening (20 min): YouTube grammar
- Anki (10 min): Review
Result: Present tense + binyanim PAAL, PIEL
Month 3: Conversation Practice
- Morning (15 min): Podcasts
- Day (20 min): HebrewGlot trainer (use trial)
- Evening (30 min): Tandem - language exchange (2-3 times/week)
- Anki (10 min)
Result: First dialogues + 500 words
Months 4-6: Deepening
- Morning (20 min): Reading children's books
- Day (20 min): HebrewGlot dictionary - new verbs
- Evening (30 min): HelloTalk or Israeli series with subtitles
- Anki (15 min)
Result: Basic conversational level + 1000 words
Cost of this program: $0
Time investment: 60-75 minutes/day
Duration: 6 months
Level achieved: A2-B1 (basic communication)
When to Start Paying
Signs it's time to invest
1. Reached free resource ceiling
- Completed all free lessons
- Need more complex materials
2. Need conversation practice
- Tandem doesn't provide enough
- Want structured lessons with teacher
3. Preparing for exam
- Need specialist help
- Require feedback
Recommendation: First 3-4 months study free, then evaluate need for premium access.
Real Example: From Zero to B1 for Free
Anna's Story (29, programmer)
Starting level: Absolute zero
Resources (all free):
- HebrewGlot - grammar and dictionary
- Duolingo - daily practice
- YouTube - HebrewPod101
- Anki - flashcards
- Tandem - 3 times per week 30 minutes
Schedule:
- 1 hour per day on weekdays
- 2 hours on weekends
Result after 8 months:
- Level B1 (intermediate)
- Vocabulary 1500 words
- Can conduct conversation on daily topics
- Reads adapted texts
- Money spent: $0
Her advice:
"The main thing is regularity and not spreading yourself thin. I chose HebrewGlot as foundation and stuck to its program. Other resources - as supplements."
Conclusion
Learning Hebrew for free is absolutely possible with:
- Discipline - study daily
- System - follow a program (HebrewGlot)
- Motivation - remember your goal
- Patience - progress takes time
Your free toolkit:
- HebrewGlot - grammar foundation
- Duolingo - daily practice
- Anki - memorizing words
- Tandem - conversation practice
- YouTube - listening
- News - reading
Cost: $0
Result: Conversational level in 6-12 months
Start right now: HebrewGlot lesson 1 - free forever!
Remember: The best investment is time investment in yourself. And it's absolutely free!
Article updated: October 28, 2025