Darga & Tevir דַּרְגָּא תְּבִיר
Learn tevir, a common trop that looks like merekha with a dot inside, and its partner darga.
Ready to go?
Set yourself up for success
- Set aside at least 30 minutes. We're all busy, but shorter sessions generally limit retention.
- Find a quiet place. Even after many years, I still need a quiet spot to practice. The great thing is you can be inside or outside.
- Be in the right frame of mind. Reading requires focus. If you're tired or distracted or angry, you will struggle. Take a few minutes to recenter yourself before you start.
Get everything you need
- Print out your reading if you can. It's helpful to be able to take notes when you're learning. (Bring a pencil, too!)
- Use headphones if possible — they help you hear the melody clearly.
- Wear a kippah — it's customary.
Repetition is key to learning trop!
This is tevir
Tevir looks like merekha but with a dot nestled inside that appears under the word. It is always followed by tippeḥa.
Often paired with
There are two conjunctive te’amim that will often (but not always) appear before tevir. One is our old friend merekha. The other is new; it is called darga. Darga looks like a backward letter z.
Remember: merekha’s melody changes depending on the trop it is partnered with — it sounds different with tevir than with tippeḥa. Darga, however, is always chanted the same.
Important
Tevir is always followed by tippeḥa
Tevir
Practice tevir by itself, without darga or merekha.
Accent on later syllable
When the accent falls on a later syllable, the melody builds through the lead-in syllables.
Learn the melody
Practice with words
Accent on first syllable
When the accent falls on the first syllable, compress the melody into that syllable.
Learn the melody
Practice with words
Darga Tevir
Practice the darga-tevir pattern. Darga looks like a backward "z" under the word.
Accent on later syllable
When both words have multiple syllables, the melody flows naturally through each word.
Learn the melody
Practice with words
Accent on first syllable
When one or both words are single-syllable, compress the melody for those words.
Learn the melody
Practice with words
Merekha Tevir
Practice the merekha-tevir pattern. Remember: merekha's melody changes with each partner.
Accent on later syllable
When both words have multiple syllables, the melody flows naturally through each word.
Learn the melody
Practice with words
Accent on first syllable
When one or both words are single-syllable, compress the melody for those words.
Learn the melody
Practice with words
Tevir with Tippeḥa
Tevir is always followed by tippeḥa (or merekha-tippeḥa). Practice full phrases that end with tippeḥa.
Accent on later syllable
With longer phrases, the melody flows through all the te'amim to reach tippeḥa.
Learn the melody
Practice with words
Accent on first syllable
When words are single-syllable, compress the melody for those words.