Hieroglyphics

Write Like An Egyptian

How to write using hieroglyphics

Hieroglyphics are used like an alphabet. Each one has a certain sound associated with it. There are also many combinations of hieroglyphs that make even more sounds. Translating these sounds into English sounds is called transliteration. There are a few types of hieroglyphs.

Ideograms

These hieroglyphs are the easiest to understand, as their meaning corresponds directly with the picture they represent. Ideograms were not as prevalent as phonograms.

Phonograms

These hieroglyphs portray a certain sound. There are more phonograms than ideograms. Approximately 600 of 700 known hieroglyphs around the time of the New Kingdom were Phonograms.

Determinatives

These symbols are meaning-signs. They are placed at the end of a word to symbolize what the word is. Some determinatives can be translated to words like 'man', 'god', 'town', or 'evil'. Determinatives do not contribute to the sound of the word, only make sure that it's meaning is fully understood.

Vowels: For the most part, Egyptians left out vowels when they wrote. However, there are a few common sounds that use vowels that do have hieroglyphs and can be used.

Remember: Hieroglyphs are used like an alphabet to convey many sounds. While many of these sounds resemble those used in English, simply spelling out English words in hieroglyphs is not correct. The Egyptians had their own language that they used, so you must first translate to Egyptian, and THEN spell it out.

Your name does not have to be translated into Egyptian, so use the table on the right to see what your name is in hieroglyphics.

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