Use Greek and Hebrew with Keyboard Selector

man at desk uses logos to do new testament research

We read and study the Bible in the original languages. That is a non-negotiable. Hebrew and Greek are as fundamental to the work of the scholar and preacher as a hammer in a toolkit. We use the original languages in our day-to-day workflow, including our digital resources. The keyboard selector is a new tool in Logos helps you do just that.

While Logos already allows you to work with the original languages by simply copying and pasting or using transliteration, you can now use a tool called the “Keyboard Selector.”

Using the Keyboard Selector

Note: This feature is only available in the Logos desktop application. You may deactivate the keyboard selector in the Program Settings menu.

The keyboard selector appears in input boxes where you might want to enter original language characters. You can pick between English, Greek, and Hebrew by clicking the keyboard icon and selecting the desired language. You can also toggle between keyboards by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Space (Windows) or Cmd + Ctrl + Space (Mac). At any time, pressing the Caps Lock key will escape the biblical language keyboard, so you can, for example, quickly type search operators. 

keyboard selector greek hebrew

Once you’ve typed in what you want to search for, press enter to search the surface text, or (for best results) select it from the dropdown list that appears.

Entering Hebrew Text

Right to Left

Remember that Hebrew runs right to left. When the Hebrew keyboard is active, backspace will remove the character to the right of the cursor. Vowels should be input after their corresponding consonant. Morphological searches or searches with operators still operate left to right, even though Hebrew words or phrases are written right to left. 

Examples:

  • Type גָדָל by entering gimel, qamets, dalet, qamets, lamed. 
  • lemma:גדל@Va will return results (lemma:aV@גדל will not)
  • lemma:גדל@Va BEFORE lemma:הלך returns the result וַיִּגְדַּ֖ל הָאִ֑ישׁ וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ הָלוֹךְ֙

Vocalization, Punctuation, and Cantillation Marks

Both surface searches (pressing Enter) and query picker suggestions (selecting from the dropdown) are not sensitive to vocalization, punctuation, or cantillation marks.

Examples:

  • If you input גדל OR גָדָל and press Enter, Logos will show results for any occurrences of that sequence of consonants (such as  גדל, גֹ֨דֶל, or גָדַ֣ל). Logos will not return results for גדל with a prefix or suffix (such as גִּדַּ֣לְתִּי).
  • If you input גדל OR גָדָל and select the lemma from the dropdown menu that appears, Logos will return all the results for that lemma, including those with prefixes and suffixes (e.g. גִּדַּ֣לְתִּי).

If you want to find an inflected form of a Hebrew word 

  • Use the Basic, Bible, or Morph search types to enter the consonantal text of the inflected form of the word (e.g. אגדל) and press Enter. 

Or

  • Use the morph picker in the Morph search:
  1. type the Hebrew word, 
  2. select the lemma from the search query dropdown, 
  3. toggle to English input 
  4. Type ‘@’ to the right of the Hebrew word. Then select the characteristics you want to search for.

Your query should look similar to: lemma:גדל@V

Alternatively, you can type your query by following the pattern above.

Note: Be sure to enter ‘lemma:’ or ‘root:’ before entering the Hebrew letters. Remember, pressing the Caps Lock key will toggle your input back to your system language.

If you want to perform a search sensitive to cantillations marks, create a new syntax search and ensure the Lexham Hebrew Bible: Cantillation Database is selected. 

English/Hebrew Keyboard Map

LetterNameKeystroke
אalephshift + .
בbetb
גgimelg
דdaletd
הheh
וvavw
זzayinz
חkhetx
טtetv
יyody
כkaphk
ךkaph (final)shift + k
לlamedl
מmemm
םmem (final)shift + m
נnunn
ןnun (final)shift + n
סsameks
עayinshift + ,
פpep
ףpe (final)shift + p
צtsadec
ץtsade (final)shift + c
קqophq
רreshr
שׂsinf
שׁshinj
תtavt



DiacriticNameKeystroke
בַpatakha
בָqamets (qamets hatup)shift + a
בֶsegole
בֵtsereshift + e
בִhireqi
בֹholemo
וֹfull holemw + o
בֻqibbutsu
וּshureq+
בְshewa;
בּdagesh+
בֲhat. patahalt+shift+a (Windows)
opt+shift+a (Mac)
בֱhat. segolalt+shift+e(Windows)
opt+shift+e (Mac)
בֳhat. qamatsalt+shift+o (Windows)
opt+shift+o (Mac)
ב֘zarqashift + 2
ב֨qadmashift + 3
ב֜gereshshift + 4
ב֞gershayimshift + 5
ב֬iluyshift + 7
ב֝g. muqdamshift + 8
ב֗reviashift + q
ב֟qar. parashift + y
בֽmetegalt + 1 (Windows)
opt + 1 (Mac)
atn. hafukhalt + 2 (Windows)
opt + 2 (Mac)
ב֖tipehaalt + 3 (Windows)
opt + 3 (Mac)
ב֥merkhaalt + 4 (Windows)
opt + 4 (Mac)
ב֦mer. kefulaalt + 5 (Windows)
opt + 5 (Mac)
ב֭dehialt + 6 (Windows)
opt + 6 (Mac)
ב֣munahalt + 7 (Windows)
opt + 7 (Mac)
ב֛teviralt + 8 (Windows)
opt + 8 (Mac)
ב֧dargaalt + 9 (Windows)
opt + 9 (Mac)
ב֪yer ben yomoalt + 0 (Windows)
opt + 0 (Mac)
ב֑etnahtaalt + = (Windows)
opt + = (Mac)
בׇqam. qatanalt + o (Windows)
opt + o (Mac)
ב֚yetivalt + ] (Windows)
opt + ] (Mac)
ב֤mahapakhalt + \ (Windows)
opt + \ (Mac)
bulletalt + g (Windows)
opt + g (Mac)
ב̣punctumalt + ‘ (Windows)
opt + ‘ (Mac)
n/aZero width non-joiner 2xalt + m (Windows)
opt + m (Mac)
«guillemetsalt + , (Windows)
opt + , (Mac)
»guillemetsalt + , (Windows)
opt + , (Mac)
ב׳geresh p.alt + / (Windows)
opt + / (Mac)
ב֗reviaalt+shift+ 1 (Windows)
opt+shift+ 1 (Mac)
ב֮zinoralt+shift+ 2 (Windows)
opt+shift+ 2 (Mac)
ב֙pashtaalt+shift+ 3 (Windows)
opt+shift+ 3 (Mac)
ב֠tel. gedolaalt+shift+ 4(Windows)
opt+shift+ 4(Mac)
ב֩tel. qetanaalt+shift+ 5(Windows)
opt+shift+ 5(Mac)
ב֟qar. paraalt+shift+ 6(Windows)
opt+shift+ 6(Mac)
ב֡pazeralt+shift+ 7(Windows)
opt+shift+ 7(Mac)
ב֕zaq. gadolalt+shift+ 8(Windows)
opt+shift+8 (Mac)
ב֓shalshaletalt+shift+9 (Windows)
opt+shift+9 (Mac)
ב֯masora c.alt+shift+0 (Windows)
opt+shift+0 (Mac)
בֿrafealt+shift+- (Windows)
opt+shift+- (Mac)
mark basealt+shift+= (Windows)
opt+shift+= (Mac)
n/ac. grapheme joineralt+shift+p (Windows)
opt+shift+p (Mac)
ב֔zaq. qatanalt+shift+[ (Windows)
opt+shift+[ (Mac)
ב֒segoltaalt+shift+] (Windows)
opt+shift+] (Mac)
ב֫olealt+shift+\ (Windows)
opt+shift+\ (Mac)
bulletalt+shift+g (Windows)
opt+shift+g (Mac)
ב̊ring abovealt+shift+h (Windows)
opt+shift+h (Mac)
ב׃sof pasuqalt+shift+; (Windows)
opt+shift+; (Mac)
בׄpunctumalt+shift+’ (Windows)
opt+shift+’ (Mac)
ב̇masora dotalt+shift+, (Windows)
opt+shift+, (Mac)
ב̈thousandsalt+shift+. (Windows)
opt+shift+. (Mac)

Entering Greek Text

Accents and Breathing Marks

Both surface searches (pressing Enter) and query picker suggestions (selecting from the drop-down) are not sensitive to accents or breathing marks.

Examples:

  • Input breathing marks and accents after its corresponding letter. For example, enter οὐδέ by typing (1) omicron, (2) upsilon, (3) smooth breathing mark, (4) delta, (5) epsilon, (6) acute accent.
  • If you input εις, the query will suggest both εἰς and εἷς. 
  • If you input εις and press enter without selecting a lemma, Logos will return results for both surface forms (εἰς and εἷς).

Capitalization

You can choose whether to make surface text searches case sensitive by selecting or deselecting the Match Case option in the search panel.

keyboard selector match case

English/Greek Character Map

Letters

LetterNameKeystroke
LetterNameKeystroke
αalphaa
Αalphashift + a
βbetab
Βbetashift + b
γgammag
Γgammashift + g
δdeltad
Δdeltashift + d
εepsilone
Εepsilonshift + e
ζzetaz
Ζzetashift + z
ηetah
Ηetashift + h
θthetaq
Θthetashift + q
ιiotai
Ιiotashift + i
κkappak
Κkappashift + k
λlambdal
Λlambdashift + l
μmum
Μmushift + m
νnun
Νnushift + n
ξxix
Ξxishift + x
οomicrono
Οomicronshift + o
πpip
Πpishift + p
ρrhor
Ρrhoshift + r
σsigmas
Σsigmashift + s
ςsigma (final)v
τtaut
Τtaushift + t
υupsilonu
Υupsilonshift + u
φphif
Φphishift + f
χchic
Χchishift + c
ψpsiy
Ψpsishift + y
ωomegaw
Ωomegashift + w

Breathings

BreathingNameKeystroke
rough[
smooth]

Accents

AccentNameKeystroke
άacute/
grave\
circumflex=

Other

DiacriticNameKeystroke
̆breveshift + 2
͂combining Greek perispomeishift + `
coronis]
ϊdiaresis`
Ϝdigammashift + ctrl + opt + d (Mac)shift + ctrl + alt + d (Windows)
̇dotshift + 5
̣dot belowshift + 6
double low quotation markshift + ctrl + opt + ( (Mac)
shift + ctrl + alt + ( (Windows)
double high quotation markshift + ctrl + opt + ) (Mac)
shift + ctrl + alt + ) (Windows)
ϗkai (abbrev)shift + 7
ʹkeraiashift + 3
Ϟkoppa (lowercase)shift + ctrl + opt + k (Mac)shift + ctrl + alt + k (Windows)
Ϙkoppa (uppercase)shift + ctrl + opt + a (Mac)shift + ctrl + alt + a (Windows)
͵lower numeral signshift + 4
̄macronshift + 1
Ϲsigma (lunate)shift + ctrl + opt + c (Mac)shift + ctrl + alt + c (Windows)
Ϡsampishift + ctrl + opt + p (Mac)
shift + ctrl + alt + p (Windows)
single left-pointing angle quotation markshift + ctrl + opt + < (Mac)
shift + ctrl + alt + < (Windows)
single right-pointing angle quotation markshift + ctrl + opt + > (Mac)
shift + ctrl + alt + > (Windows)
Ϛstigmashift + ctrl + opt + s (Mac)shift + ctrl + alt + s (Windows)
subscriptj
ϳyotctrl + opt + j (Mac)ctrlo + alt + j (Windows)l



Add System Keyboards

Additionally, advanced Logos users may want to install additional keyboards in their operating system in order to type original language characters in Logos and elsewhere.

Note: The Logos keyboard picker in Logos overrides your system keyboard map. If you have a Greek or Hebrew keyboard active through your operating system, you do not need to use the Logos keyboard picker.

In macOS:

  1. Open System Preferences > Keyboard
  2. Click Input Sources
  3. Click the Plus icon
  4. Select the keyboard you want, then click Add.  
  5. Toggle between keyboards by clicking the keyboard icon in the menu bar.

Note: You can enable a virtual (clickable) keyboard by selecting Show keyboard & emoji viewers in the menu bar in the keyboard preferences dialog.

In Windows:

  1. Open Settings > Time & Language > Region & Language
  2. Select and add additional languages.
  3. Use Left Alt + Shift to switch between your normal keyboard and others.

Note: these instructions are for Windows 10, steps for different versions of the operating systems may vary.

Note: You can install a virtual (clickable) keyboard in Windows. See Logos Original Language Keyboard.


Don’t have Logos yet, but want to try out the new Keyboard Selector? Download the free Logos Academic Basic and put your language skills to use.

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Written by
Tavis Bohlinger

Dr. Tavis Bohlinger is the Creative Director at Reformation Heritage Books. He holds a PhD from Durham University and writes across multiple genres, including academia, poetry, and screenwriting. He lives in Grand Rapids with his wife and three children.

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