The Alphabet Flashcards
Pronunciation and writing of each letter in the Greek alphabet
How is this letter pronounced?
A
[a] as in father, but short
How is this letter pronounced?
Β
[v] as in vote
How is this letter pronounced?
Γ
[y] as in yellow before e, u, i; otherwise a soft [g] as in Spanish lago
How is this letter pronounced?
Γκ
[g] as in Spanish lago
How is this letter pronounced?
Δ
[th] as in then
How is this letter pronounced?
Ε
[e] as in pen
How is this letter pronounced?
Ζ
[z] as in zoo
How is this letter pronounced?
Η
[i] as in machine, but short
How is this letter pronounced?
Θ
[th] as in thin
How is this letter pronounced?
Ι
[i] as in machine, but short.
How is this letter pronounced?
Κ
[k] as in make (unaspirated)
How is this letter pronounced?
Λ
[l] as in like
How is this letter pronounced?
Μ
[m] as in music
How is this letter pronounced?
Μπ
[b] as in book
How is this letter pronounced?
Ν
[n] as in net
How is this letter pronounced?
Νt
[d] as in door
How is this letter pronounced?
Ξ
[x] as in fox
How is this letter pronounced?
Ο
[o] as in top (short)
How is this letter pronounced?
Π
[p] as in stop (unaspirated)
How is this letter pronounced?
Ρ
a single-trilled [r] as in Italian or Spanish
How is this letter pronounced?
Υ
[i] as in machine, but short
How is this letter pronounced?
ΑY
[αv] or [αf]
- [αv] when the following sound is voiced (voiced sounds are vowels, and consonants such as [l] or [r]).
- [αf] when the following sound is voiceless (voiceless sounds are consonants such as [t], [k], [x]).
How is this letter pronounced?
EY
[ev] or [ef]
- [ev] when the following sound is voiced (voiced sounds are vowels, and consonants such as [l] or [r]).
- [ef] when the following sound is voiceless (voiceless sounds are consonants such as [t], [k], [x]).
How is this letter pronounced?
Σ
[s] or [z]
[s] as in soft
[z] as in zoo when used before β, γ, or μ
How is this letter pronounced?
Τ
[t] as in spot (unaspirated)
How is this letter pronounced?
Υ
[i] as in machine, but short
How is this letter pronounced?
Φ
[f] as in five
How is this letter pronounced?
Χ
[ch] as in Scottish loch
How is this letter pronounced?
Ψ
[ps] as in lapse
How is this letter pronounced?
Ω
[o] as in top
How is this letter written?
άλφα
A α
How is this letter written?
βήτα
Β β
How is this letter written?
γάμμα
Γ γ
How is this letter written?
δέλτα
Δ δ
How is this letter written?
έψιλον
Ε ε
How is this letter written?
ζήτα
Ζ ζ
How is this letter written?
ήτα
Η η
How is this letter written?
θήτα
Θ θ
How is this letter written?
ιώτα
Ι ι
Note: Unlike the lowercase Latin i, the Greek version has no dot.
How is this letter written?
κάππα
Κ κ
How is this letter written?
λάμδα
Λ λ
How is this letter written?
μυ
Μ μ
How is this letter written?
νυ
Ν ν
How is this letter written?
ξι
Ξ ξ
How is this letter written?
όμικρον
Ο ο
How is this letter written?
πι
Π π
How is this letter written?
ρώ
Ρ ρ
How is this letter written?
σίγμα
Σ σ/ς
How is this letter written?
ταυ
Τ τ
Note: Unlike the Latin lowercase t, the Greek version’s vertical line does not exceed the horizontal line.
How is this letter written?
ύψιλον
Υ υ
Note: Unlike the Latin lowercase u, the Greek version has no additional vertical line.
How is this letter written?
φι
Φ φ
How is this letter written?
χι
Χ χ
How is this letter written?
ψι
Ψ ψ
How is this letter written?
ωμέγα
Ω ω
How is this pronounced?
αι
Mostly [e], sometimes [ai]
It’s pronounced [ai] if there is a double dot over the ι (e.g., παϊδάκι, “little child”).
Also, if the word is accented on the first of the two vowels the accent mark by itself indicates separate pronunciation and the double dot is not necessary (e.g., Μάιος, “lamb chop”).
How is this pronounced?
αυ/ευ
[av]/[ev] or [af]/[ef]
In αυ/ευ combinations, the letter υ is:
* [v] when the following sound is voiced (voiced sounds are vowels, and consonants such as [l] or [r]).
* [f] when the following sound is voiceless (voiceless sounds are consonants such as [t], [k], [x]).
Notes:
- If the αυ/ευ is stressed, the accent mark falls on υ, a rather peculiar choice since the letter represents a consonant here (e.g., αύριο).
- If the accent mark falls on the first letter of the combination, then the two sounds are pronounced separately, and now Υ/υ represents a vowel and sounds like [i] as in machine (e.g., άυπνος, άυλος).