Kesreq

Kesreq (קֶסְרֶק) is a diacritic mark used in the Tiberian vocalization system for Hebrew. It represents a short e vowel sound, similar to the 'e' in the English word "bed." It is visually represented as a single dot placed below the Hebrew letter.

Kesreq is one of the five basic niqqud (vowel signs) representing short vowels, the others being Patach, Segol, Chiriq, and Qamatz Qatan. Its sound distinguishes it from Segol, which, while also representing an e sound, is formed by three dots.

In modern Hebrew pronunciation, the distinction between Kesreq and Segol has largely disappeared for many speakers, and both are generally pronounced as a short e sound. However, the written distinction is still maintained in liturgical texts, scholarly works, and when adhering to strict grammatical rules. Understanding Kesreq is crucial for accurately reading and pronouncing classical Hebrew texts, including the Hebrew Bible.