Uppercase | Lowercase | Name | Phoneme |
Α |
α |
alpha |
a |
As in "father". Combined letters αυ (alpha-upsilon, upp. ΑΥ) are pronounced "af" or "av". |
Β |
β |
beta |
v |
The sound "b" does exist but is transcribed with the combined letters μπ (mu-pi, upp. ΜΠ). Example: μπαρ (bar). |
Γ |
γ |
gamma |
* |
*The letter γ (gamma) is pronounced as an aspired "gh", except before ε (epsilon) and i (iota), where it sounds like y in "year". The "g" sound does exist but is transcribed with the combined letters γκ (gamma-kappa, upp. ΓΚ). |
Δ |
δ |
delta |
th |
As in "that". The "d" sound does exist but is transcribed with the combined letters ντ (nu-tau, upp. NT). Example: Donald is transcribed Ντόναλντ. |
Ε |
ε |
epsilon |
e |
As in "get". The sound transcribed in French by "é" (as in "aisle" in English) exists but is transcribed with the combined letters αι (alfa-iota, upp. ΑΙ). The combined letters ευ (epsilon-upsilon, upp. ΕΥ) are pronounced "af" or "av". |
Ζ |
ζ |
zeta |
* |
Equivalent to our "z", the letter ζ is pronounced like the French "z". |
Η |
η |
eta |
i |
There are in Greek 6 ways of transcribing the "i" sound (as in "pit"): the letters η (eta), ι (iota), and υ (upsilon), and the combined letters οι (omicron-iota), ει (epsilon-iota), and υι (upsilon-iota). |
Θ |
θ |
thêta |
th |
As in "think". |
Ι |
ι |
iota |
i |
Κ |
κ |
kappa |
k |
Λ |
λ |
lambda |
l |
Μ |
μ |
mu |
m |
The letter μ (mu) combined with the letter π (pi) is pronounced "b". |
Ν |
ν |
nu |
n |
The letter ν (nu) combined with the letter τ (tau) is pronounced "d". |
Ξ |
ξ |
xi |
x |
Ο |
ο |
omicron |
o |
Π |
π |
pi |
p |
Ρ |
ρ |
rho |
* |
*The letter ρ (rho) is pronounced "r" as in French or German. |
Σ |
σ |
sigma |
s |
The ς variant is used at the end of words. |
Τ |
τ |
tau |
t |
Υ |
υ |
upsilon |
i |
Φ |
φ |
phi |
f |
Χ |
χ |
chi |
* |
*The letter χ, before ε (epsilon) and ι (iota), is pronounced as a soft "sh" (as in the German "ich"). Before the other vowels, it is pronounced almost as the Spanish "jota". |
Ψ |
ψ |
psi |
ps |
Ω |
ω |
omega |
o |