השיעור מתחיל בחמש וחצי ונגמר בשבע ורבע.

The prefix ה־ is the Hebrew definite article, equivalent to the in English.

So:

• שיעור = lesson / class
• השיעור = the lesson / the class

In this sentence, the speaker is talking about a specific lesson, not just any lesson.

Because they agree with the subject השיעור, and שיעור is a masculine singular noun.

So Hebrew makes the verbs match the noun:

• השיעור מתחיל = the lesson starts
• השיעור נגמר = the lesson ends / is over

If the subject were a feminine noun, the verb forms would change accordingly.

The prefix ב־ here means at.

So:

• בחמש = at five
• בשבע = at seven

Hebrew usually uses ב־ when giving a clock time. It is attached directly to the word, so it is written as one unit.

These are standard Hebrew time expressions:

• חמש וחצי = five and a half = 5:30
• שבע ורבע = seven and a quarter = 7:15

Literally, they are built the same way as English expressions like five and a half or seven and a quarter, though in English we usually say half past five and quarter past seven instead.

Because when telling time in Hebrew, the hours are treated as if the word שעה (hour) is understood, and שעה is a feminine noun.

That is why Hebrew uses the feminine number forms for clock hours:

• אחת, שתיים, שלוש, ארבע, חמש, שש, שבע...

So for times, חמש and שבע are exactly what you expect.

Because וחצי is basically a fixed time expression in Hebrew.

In clock time:

• חמש וחצי = 5:30
• שבע וחצי = 7:30

Even though שעה is feminine, Hebrew normally keeps חצי in this set expression. Learners often expect more agreement here, but in actual time-telling, וחצי is the normal form.

The same kind of thing happens with רבע in expressions like שבע ורבע.

Yes. Both מתחיל and נגמר are present-tense forms.

But in Hebrew, the present tense is very commonly used for:

• regular schedules
• timetables
• habitual facts
• sometimes even near-future scheduled events

So this sentence can mean something like:

• The lesson starts at 5:30 and ends at 7:15
• or The class begins at 5:30 and finishes at 7:15

depending on context.

Yes, you could also say מסתיים.

Both are natural, but they feel a little different:

• נגמר = ends / is over / finishes
• מסתיים = ends / concludes

Very roughly:

• נגמר is common and everyday
• מסתיים can sound a bit more formal or neutral

So:

• השיעור נגמר בשבע ורבע
• השיעור מסתיים בשבע ורבע

Both work well.

Because Hebrew, like English, does not need to repeat the subject when the same subject continues.

So:

• השיעור מתחיל בחמש וחצי ונגמר בשבע ורבע

works just like:

• The lesson starts at 5:30 and ends at 7:15

The subject השיעור applies to both verbs.

The prefix ו־ means and.

It appears three times here:

• וחצי = and a half
• ונגמר = and ends
• ורבע = and a quarter

So the sentence uses ו־ both:

1. to connect parts of time expressions, and
2. to connect the two verbs.

This is completely normal Hebrew usage.

A simple transliteration is:

ha-shi'ur matchil be-chamesh va-chetzi ve-nigmar be-sheva ve-reva

A natural word-by-word guide:

• השיעור — ha-shi'ur
• מתחיל — matchil
• בחמש — be-chamesh
• וחצי — va-chetzi
• ונגמר — ve-nigmar
• בשבע — be-sheva
• ורבע — ve-reva

A good learner tip: pay special attention to the Hebrew letter ח, which has no exact English equivalent. It is a throaty sound, like the ch in German Bach or Scottish loch.