Pashta, Qadma & Yetiv פַּשְׁטָא קַדְמָא יְתִיב
Here are new te'amim that look similar.
Learn to tell them apart by their position.
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 pashta
Pashta looks like a flipped merekha above the word. It is always positioned over the left corner of the last letter.
Often paired with
Pashta is most frequently paired with mahpakh, which looks like a "less than" sign. Mahpakh is always followed by pashta, so it easy to remember.
Pashta may also appear with merekha. Remember: merekha’s melody depends on the trop it partners with — it sounds different with pashta than with tippeḥa.
This is yetiv
Yetiv has the same shape as mahpakh (a "less than" sign), but positioned under the right side of the first letter. It is usually followed by zakef qatan.
Important
Comparing qadma and pashta
Pashta always appears over the left-most corner of the last letter of the word. If you see two pashta marks in the same word, the first one tells you which syllable is stressed.
Qadma appears over the first letter of the stressed syllable — not the last letter. Qadma is a conjunctive trop, like merekha, munaḥ, and mahpakh. In fact, qadma often appears before mahpakh.
Comparing yetiv and mahpakh
Yetiv always appears under the right-hand side of the first letter and any vowel under that letter — it precedes the word. It is usually followed by zakef qatan.
Mahpakh is under the stressed syllable and is always followed by pashta.
Qadma with zakef: metigah
Mahpakh Pashta
Practice the mahpakh-pashta pattern. Mahpakh is the "less than" sign under the stressed syllable, followed by pashta.
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 Pashta
Practice the merekha-pashta pattern. Remember: merekha's melody changes depending on its 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
Qadma Mahpakh Pashta
Practice the full qadma-mahpakh-pashta sequence. Qadma appears first, followed by mahpakh-pashta.
Accent on later syllable
With longer phrases, the melody flows through all three te'amim.
Learn the melody
Practice with words
Accent on first syllable
When words are single-syllable, compress the melody for those words.
Learn the melody
Practice with words
Yetiv
Yetiv appears under the first letter of a word and is usually followed by zakef qatan.
Accent on later syllable
With multi-syllable words, the melody builds through the lead-in syllables.
Learn the melody
Practice with words
Accent on first syllable
Most yetiv words are single-syllable, so compress the melody into one syllable.