Greek alphabet (Modern pronunciation)

Note

= [z] before voiced consonants

Ancient Greek alphabet

This alphabet is based on inscriptions from Crete dated to about 800 BC. Greek was written from right to left in horizontal lines at this time. The names of the letters were slightly different to those for later varities Greek.

Greek alphabet (Classical Attic pronunciation)

The Alphabet
Letter Name & Sound Modern Greek pronunciation Alpha 1 Beta Gamma Classic Greek Pronunciation (Attic)

[a], as in father. Same as [a] in Spanish and Italian. As in Modern Greek Phonetically, this sound is: open, central, and unrounded. [v], as in vet; a voiced [b], as in bet; a voiced bilabial labiodental fricative. plosive. Evidence [gh], a sound that does not exist in English. If followed by the sound [u] then it sounds almost like the initial sound in woman, but with the back of the tongue touching more to the back (soft) palate. To pronounce [gha], try to isolate w from what without rounding your lips, and then say [a]. In Castilian Spanish this sound exists in amiga. Same is true [g], as in got; a voiced velar for [gho]: try eliminating the [u] plosive. Evidence sound from water. (C. Spanish: amigo.) On the other hand, due to a phonetic phenomenon called palatalization, [ghe] sounds a bit like ye in yes, and [ghi] sounds a bit like yi in yield. Phonetically, gamma is a voiced velar fricative. (Its palatalized version is a voiced palatal fricative.) 3

Delta Epsilon

Zeta

Eta 7

Theta

Iota 9

Kappa

10

11

Lambda

[th], as in this; a voiced dental [d], as in do; a voiced alveolar fricative. plosive. Evidence [e] as in pet, except that the [e] in pet (and other similar English words) is lax, whereas in Greek it is tense. To pronounce a tense [e] pull the edges of your lips to the sides a bit more than As in Modern Greek when you say pet. (We pull the edges of our lips to the sides when we smile; but I dont mean you need to smile every time you pronounce the Greek epsilon, OK? ) [z], as in zone, a voiced alveolar fricative. Actually, the remark for sigma (see below) applies to zeta as well (it is [zd], as in Mazda. Also: [z], and shifted a bit towards [Z], as in even: [dz]. Evidence pleasure). Read the remark for sigma to understand why, and how to pronounce it. [i], as in meet, but shorter, not so long. This is one of the three [i] in the Greek alphabet; they all long open mid-[e], as in thread have identical pronunciation. (but long). Evidence The reason for this redundancy has to do with Classic Greek, where they were not redundant. [th], as in think; a voiceless [th], as in top, but more dental fricative. In Castilian aspirated. Evidence Spanish: zorro. [i], exactly like eta (see above). The name of the letter is pronounced yota in Modern Greek. (the reason for the yAs in Modern Greek sound in front of the letters name is due to phonetic transformation of [io] into [yo]). [k], as in skip. Notice that in English [k] is aspirated if it appears word-initially; Greek makes no such distinction. When followed by the vowels [e] or [i] it becomes palatalized for the As in Modern Greek exact pronunciation please check the page on palatalization. Phonetically, it is a voiceless velar plosive. (Its palatalized version is a voiceless palatal plosive.) [l] as in lap. When followed by As in Modern Greek 4

Mu 12

Nu

13

Ksi

14

Omicron

15

16

Pi

the vowel [i] it becomes palatalized, turning to a sound that does not exist in English (check the page on palatalization). The name of the letter is pronounced lamtha ([b] is eliminated because it is difficult to pronounce it between [m] and [th]). A voiced alveolar lateral approximant. [m], as in map; a voiced bilabial nasal. Notice that the name of the letter is pronounced As in Modern Greek mi (mee), not mew as in American English. [n], as in noble; a voiced alveolar nasal. When followed by the vowed [i] it becomes palatalized, turning to a sound that does not exist in English (but exists in Spanish, written as As in Modern Greek ; see the page on palatalization). Notice that the name of the letter is pronounced ni (nee), not new as in American English. [ks] as in fox. Contrary to the English x, the letter ksi does not change pronunciation at the beginning of a word (it does not become a [z]; Greeks have no trouble starting a word with [k]+ [s]). For example, in the word As in Modern Greek ksenofovia ( = xenophobia) the initial sound [k] is not omitted. Dont put any aspiration between [k] and [s] when pronouncing this letter. The remark for sigma applies to the [s]-sound of ksi, too. Same like [o] in got the way it is pronounced in British English. Notice how the vowel in British got is tense, which means that As in Modern Greek you should really round your lips when you pronounce the Greek [o]. A mid-close back rounded vowel. [p], as in spot; a voiceless As in Modern Greek bilabial plosive. Notice that in English [p] is aspirated if it appears word-initially; Greek 5

Rho

17

18

Sigma

makes no such distinction. [rh]: between vowels it is a sound that exists in American English in the pronunciation of tt in butter (but not in Brittish English). Sounds like the Spanish [r] in pero. (Spanish speakers: in Greek there is no difference in whether you trill your rho as in perro or not; but Probably as in Modern Greek normally Greeks pronounce it when single, and as a trill when more like in pero than like in double. Word-initially: aspirated: perro.) Otherwise its a trill, [hr] like the Italian [r]. Almost every Greek can pronounce rho as a long trill if they wish (like the Russian [r]), and you will hear it pronounced like that in some Greek songs. Phonetically, it is a voiced alveolar tap (and occasionally a trill). [s], as is soap; a voiceless Probably as in Modern Greek alveolar fricative. Actually, if you listen carefully to native Greek speakers, it sounds a bit between [s] and [sh] (probably because there is no [sh] in Greek, so the sound is somewhat shifted in the phonological space). However, to the native English ear it sounds much closer to [sh] than to [s], whereas every native Greek speaker would swear they pronounce it exactly like the English [s], unless forced to admit the difference by looking at spectrograms. In reality, you can produce it like this: feel where your tongue is when you say [s] (very close to the front teeth, right?) Now feel where it is when you say [sh] (far back). Place it somewhere midway, and you will produce the Greek [s]. (Youll find that youll need to make a similar adjustment to the shape of your lips, midway through rounded for [sh] and tense for [s]; in the Greek sigma the lips are relaxed.) This is the way s is pronounced in Castilian Spanish (as opposed to Latin American Spanish). Notice 6

Tau 19

Upsilon 20

21

Phi Chi

22

Psi

23

Omega 24

that the second way of writing the lower case sigma is used exclusively when the letter appears at the end of a word (there is only one capital form). [t], as in stop; a voiceless alveolar plosive. Notice that in English [t] is aspirated if it As in Modern Greek appears word-initially; Greek makes no such distinction. [i], exactly like eta and iota (see above). The name of the letter is Rounded [i], as in French une. pronounced [ipsilon] (ee-pseeEvidence lon), not yupsilon as it is called in American English. [f] as in fat; a voiceless [ph], as in pit, but more labiodental fricative. aspirated. Evidence [ch], a sound that does not exist in English (but exists in Scottish, as in loch; German: Bach; Spanish: Jorge). When followed by vowels [e] or [i] it is pronounced as in German ich. [kh], as in cut, but more For the exact pronunciation in aspirated. Evidence this case, please check the page on palatalization. Phonetically, it is a voiceless velar fricative. (Its palatalized version is a voiceless palatal fricative.) [ps] as in lopsided. Contrary to English, the sound of the letter does not change at the beginning of a word (it does not become a [s]; Greeks have no trouble starting a word with [p]+[s]). For example, in the word As in Modern Greek psychologia ( = psychology) the initial sound [p] is not omitted. Dont put any aspiration between [p] and [s] when pronouncing this letter. The remark for sigma applies to the [s]-sound of psi, too. [o], exactly like omicron. (Once again, the reason for the Long open mid-back [o], as in redundancy is to be found in law. Evidence Classic Greek.)
1. De Baza Hello Note: this is the singular. Use when greeting a friend.

Ya-soo Hello Note: this is the plural version. Use when greeting more than one person; a person who you do not know; or an older person to show respect. Ya-sas Good morning Ka-li-mera Good afternoon (Contrary to what many will tell you, there is not a Greek word for afternoon, but this is commonly used) Hai-re-te Good evening Ka-li-spera Goodnight (you may have noticed that 'Kal-li' means 'good') Ka-li-nik-ta Thank you (a little bit difficult - you will need some practice!) Ef-hari-sto Yes (notice that the ending is very short) N-e No O-chi Please (There is not a literal translation for please in Greek.) Para-kalo Tomorrow (Commonly used Greek expression - I'll do it tomorrow!) Av-rio

Alright / OK En-daxi

2. Numerale (1-20) Unu E-na Unsprezece Doi The-o Doisprezece Trei Tri-a Treisprezece Patru Te-ssera Cinci Pen-de Sase Ex-ksi Sapte Efp-ta Opt Ock-to Noua en-nea Zece 9 the-ka-tri-a Paisprezece the-ka-tess-era Cincisprezece the-ka-pen-de Saisprezece the-ka-ec-ksi Saptesprezece the-ka-efp-ta Optsprezece the-ka-ock-to Nouasprezece the-ka-en-nea Douazeci i-kosi tho-the-ka en-the-ka The-ka