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By Hila
The Hebrew Letter Nun (נוּן)
The 14th letter of the Hebrew alphabet — learn its "n" sound, final form, and dreidel connection.
About the Letter Nun
Nun is the 14th letter of the Hebrew alphabet (Aleph Bet), with a gematria value of 50. Its Hebrew name is נוּן. The word Nun is also the Aramaic word for "fish," and many traditional Hebrew letter teaching charts show Nun illustrated as a fish — a helpful visual for young learners.
Nun is best known to Jewish children through the dreidel (סְבִיבוֹן), the spinning top used during Hanukkah. Nun is one of the four letters on the dreidel, standing for the word נֵס (nes, miracle) in the phrase "A great miracle happened there." This cultural connection makes Nun one of the most recognizable letters for children who celebrate Hanukkah.
The Sound of Nun
How it Sounds
"n" — exactly like the English letter N. The sound in "name," "night," and "number." There are no exceptions or variant pronunciations for Nun — it always makes the clear "n" sound. This makes Nun one of the easiest letters for English-speaking children to produce correctly.
Regular vs. Sofit
Nun has two forms: regular Nun (נ) used at the start or middle of a word, and Nun Sofit (ן) used at the end of a word. Both make the same "n" sound. Children just need to recognise that ן at the end of a word is still Nun. Words like גָּן (gan, garden/kindergarten) end with Nun Sofit.
How to Recognize Nun
Regular Nun (נ) has a short horizontal stroke at the top-left that curves into a descending vertical line — like a small bent hook. It sits compactly between the baseline and the top of the text. Nun Sofit (ן) is a straight vertical stroke that drops well below the baseline — significantly longer than Vav (ו), which stays within normal letter height.
Common Confusion: Nun Sofit (ן) is often confused with Vav (ו) because both are vertical strokes. The key: Nun Sofit descends noticeably below the baseline, like a tall letter hanging down. Vav stays at normal height. If you see a vertical stroke that drops below the line of text, it is Nun Sofit. Also confirm by position — Nun Sofit only appears at the end of a word.
Example Words with Nun
Here are four common Hebrew words featuring Nun. The last word uses Nun Sofit at the end.
| Hebrew | Transliteration | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| נֵר | (ner) | candle |
| נָהָר | (nahar) | river |
| נֵס | (nes) | miracle |
| גָּן | (gan) | garden / kindergarten |
How to Teach Nun to Children
Nun is a friendly letter to teach — its "n" sound matches English exactly, and the Hanukkah dreidel connection gives children an immediate cultural anchor. The main teaching challenge is the sofit form (ן), which looks different from the regular form but makes the same sound.
Teaching Tip: Use the dreidel as your introduction. Hold up the dreidel and point to the Nun — "This is Nun. It stands for nes, miracle. Nun makes an 'n' sound like your name." The familiar holiday object makes the letter instantly memorable. For the sofit form, explain: "When Nun is at the end of a word, it stretches down like it's tired and wants to sit."
The Dreidel Connection
Nun appears on the dreidel for נֵס (nes, miracle). In the Hanukkah game, landing on Nun means "nothing" — neither take nor give. But for learning the alphabet, it means everything: children who celebrate Hanukkah already know this letter by sight before formal study begins.
Nun the Fish
The name Nun means "fish" in Aramaic, and the letter's shape is said to resemble a fish swimming. Some teaching materials use a fish illustration alongside Nun. This makes for a fun mnemonic: "Nun the fish swims in the river" — connecting the shape, the name, and the word נָהָר (nahar, river).
Practice Through Play
Kriakala's interactive games reinforce Nun and all 22 Hebrew letters — including recognition of both the regular and sofit forms — through play and audio pronunciation designed for young readers ages 4–7.
Practice Nun with Kriakala
Kriakala is a Hebrew reading app for children ages 4–7, designed by an Israeli reading specialist. The app teaches all 22 Aleph Bet letters — including Nun and its sofit form — through interactive games with audio pronunciation support.
Practice Nun for Free
Download Kriakala and help your child learn Nun and all 22 Hebrew letters through fun, interactive games designed for young readers ages 4–7.
Download Kriakala FreeFrequently Asked Questions about Nun
Nun Sofit (ן) is the final form of Nun — used when Nun appears at the very end of a word. Regular Nun (נ) has a short body that sits between the baseline and the top of the text. Nun Sofit has a straight vertical stroke that extends well below the baseline. Five Hebrew letters have sofit forms: Kaf, Mem, Nun, Pe, and Tsadi. Children learning to read need to recognise both forms as the same letter and the same "n" sound.
The dreidel has four Hebrew letters: Nun (נ), Gimel (ג), He (ה), and Shin (ש) — or Pe (פ) in Israel. These stand for the phrase נֵס גָּדוֹל הָיָה שָׁם (Nes gadol haya sham, A great miracle happened there) — or שָׁם is replaced by פֹּה (here) in Israel. Nun represents נֵס (nes, miracle). In the dreidel game, landing on Nun means "nothing" — you neither take nor give from the pot.
Nun Sofit (ן) and Vav (ו) both look like vertical strokes, but there is an important difference: Nun Sofit descends significantly below the baseline — its stroke continues downward past where the other letters sit. Vav stays within the normal letter height. If a vertical stroke drops noticeably below the line of text, it is Nun Sofit, not Vav. Context (end of word) also helps confirm it is Nun Sofit.
Yes — in the gematria system, Nun equals 50. This is significant in several contexts: the 50th day after Passover is Shavuot (Pentecost), the 50th year in ancient times was the Jubilee year (Yovel), and many prayers reference the number 50 symbolically. The word נוּן (nun) itself is also a word for "fish" in Aramaic, which is why the letter name is connected to an image of a fish in some teaching traditions.