Alphabet and Diphthongs
The Vowels in Greek are α (alpha), ε (epsilon), η (eta), ι (iota), ο (omicron), υ (upsilon), ω (omega). The vowels ε and ο are always short while η and ω are always long; α, ι, and υ are called doubtful vowels as they are sometimes long and sometimes short.Gamma (Γ γ) Before μ,ν, γ, χ, κ, or ξ is pronounced like n in “wing” or “sing” and is called gamma-nasal
Quantity. — The vowels η and ω are always long. The vowels ε and ο are always short. The vowels α, ι, and υ are called doubtful vowels because they are sometimes short and sometimes long.
Breathings. — Vowels which begin a word must have either a smooth breathing mark ( ᾽ ) or a rough breathing mark ( ῾ ) placed over the vowel to indicate whether it is aspirated or not (or before it if the vowel is capital). The rough breathing mark (aspiration) indicates that the h sound precedes the word. Such as ἕνεκα, because, pronounced “heneka.” Initial ρ is always aspirated and diphthongs have their breathing mark placed over the second vowel.
Letter
|
Sound
|
Greek Name
|
English Name
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Α α
|
a as in “father” or “also”
|
ἄλφα
|
alpha
|
|
Β β
|
b as in “barn” or “boy”
|
βῆτα
|
beta
|
|
Γ γ
|
g as in “goal” or “great”
|
γάμμα
|
gamma
|
|
Δ δ
|
d as in “down” or “deep”
|
δέλτα
|
delta
|
|
Ε ε
|
e as in “fed” or “bed”
|
ἒ ψιλόν
|
epsilon
|
|
Ϝ ϝ*
|
w as in “win” or “wonder”
|
ϝαῦ (δίγαμμα)
|
vau
|
|
Ζ ζ
|
zd as in “Mazda” or ds as in “odds”
|
ζῆτα
|
zeta
|
|
Η η
|
a as in “fate” or “late”
|
ἦτα
|
eta
|
|
Θ θ
|
th as in “three” or “the”
|
θῆτα
|
theta
|
|
Ι ι
|
i as in “machine” or ee as in “feel”
|
ἰῶτα
|
iota
|
|
Κ κ
|
k as in “kite” or “kill”
|
κάππα
|
kappa
|
|
Λ λ
|
l as in “light” or “line”
|
λάμβδα
|
lambda
|
|
Μ μ
|
m as in “man”or “meal”
|
μῦ
|
mu
|
|
Ν ν
|
n as in “now” or “night”
|
νῦ
|
nu
|
|
Ξ ξ
|
x as in “fax” or “wax”
|
ξεῖ
|
xi
|
|
Ο ο
|
o as in “hose” or “nose”
|
ὄ μικρόν
|
omicron
|
|
Π π
|
p as in “peel” or “pun”
|
πῖ
|
pi
|
|
Ϙ ϙ*
|
c as in “cone” or “con”
|
ϙόππα
|
koppa
|
|
Ρ ρ
|
r as in “rope” or “run”
|
ῥῶ
|
rho
|
|
Σ σ ς
|
s as in “sin” or “sorry”
|
σίγμα
|
sigma
|
Τ τ
|
t as in “teeth” or “tiny”
|
ταῦ
|
tau
|
|
Υ υ
|
u as in “prune” or oo as in “noon”
|
ὖ ψιλόν
|
upsilon
|
|
Φ φ
|
ph as in “phone” or “phonics”
|
φεῖ
|
phi
|
|
Χ χ
|
ch as in “loch” or “mach”
|
χεῖ
|
chi
|
|
Ψ ψ
|
ps as in “lips” or “steps”
|
ψεῖ
|
psi
|
|
Ω ω
|
ow as in “own” or oa as in “loan”
|
ὦ μέγα
|
omega
|
Improper Diphthongs. — ᾳ, ῃ, ῳ are improper diphthongs called iota subscript. They are formed whenever an ι follows immediately after ᾱ, η, or ω.
|
αι
|
ai as in “aisle” or i as in “line”
|
|
αυ
|
ou as in “house” or “mouse”
|
|
ει
|
ei as in “freight” or ai as in “straight”
|
|
ευ
|
eh + oo as in Fr. fleur
|
|
ηυ
|
a + u as in “sou”
|
|
οι
|
oi as in “foil” or “oil”
|
|
ου
|
ew as in “new” or “stew”
|
|
υι
|
we as in “we” or oui as in Fr. “Louise”
|
|
ωυ
|
o + ou fused into one syllable
|
