How to provide an audio guide in Hebrew
A Hebrew guide is added to a guide that already exists rather than built from nothing. The English stops are translated, reviewed by someone who reads Hebrew, and narrated, and the Hebrew version then sits behind the same QR code the English version already uses. Nothing on the wall changes, and no second sign is printed.
In practice a venue works through it in this order, and the review step is the one most often skipped and most often regretted.
- Settle the regional variant and register before any translation starts
- Translate the English stops, keeping the source text locked while that happens
- Have a Hebrew reader review it, ideally someone who knows the collection
- Narrate the reviewed text, checking proper nouns and place names first
- Publish it behind the QR codes already on the wall, with no reprinting
What Hebrew needs from your layout
Hebrew is more compact than English, often noticeably shorter, since vowels are usually not written.
Hebrew runs right to left, which affects layout direction, alignment, and the position of interface controls. Mixed text containing English words or numbers becomes bidirectional, and getting the ordering right at the boundaries is a real implementation detail rather than a styling choice.
Vowel points, and modern usage
Modern Hebrew is normally written without vowel points, which fluent readers do not need. Adding them is unusual outside children's material and religious texts, and doing so unnecessarily reads as odd.
Modern Israeli Hebrew is the relevant variety for visitor information. Biblical or liturgical registers are a different thing and should not be reached for simply to sound weighty.
Getting the Hebrew narration right
Narration in Hebrew raises questions that do not exist in English, and they are far cheaper to answer before a voice records anything than after.
- Modern Israeli pronunciation is the default rather than liturgical pronunciation.
- Unwritten vowels mean the correct reading of a word depends on context, which synthetic voices sometimes get wrong.
- Foreign names need an agreed Hebrew rendering before recording.
Where Hebrew fits in your language plan
Across the New Zealand museums using Journey Pal, between 50% and 60% of guide use is in English. That is our own usage data, and it is worth knowing before committing to a long list of languages: local-language listening is usually the largest share, and translations extend a guide rather than being the reason for one.
That makes Hebrew an addition to a working guide rather than a prerequisite for launching. Get the source script right, publish it, then add Hebrew where your visitor numbers justify the translation and, just as importantly, where you have someone who can review it.
Frequently asked questions
Can we provide an audio guide in Hebrew at our museum?
Yes. The Hebrew version is translated from your English stops, reviewed, narrated, and published behind the QR codes you already have on the wall, so adding it does not mean new signage, a new app, or new hardware.
Do we need a separate Hebrew version of our signage as well?
Usually not. The physical sign can stay short and carry a QR code, with the full Hebrew text and audio behind it, which avoids reprinting signage every time the content changes.
How much longer will the Hebrew version be?
Hebrew is more compact than English, often noticeably shorter, since vowels are usually not written.
Do visitors need an app to hear the Hebrew guide?
No. The guide opens in the visitor's phone browser from a QR code, with the interface laid out right to left to match Hebrew.
Make this easier for your visitors
Journey Pal helps museums, heritage sites, zoos, and attractions deliver audio guides and translations through QR codes, with no app download required.