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This is one in a series of cheatsheets. Full list here.
Alphabet
Α-α | Άλφα | Alpha | A as in Ant |
Β-β | Βήτα | Veeta | V as in Vase |
Γ-γ | Γάμμα (Γάμα) | Gama | g as in Good, or y as in Yellow |
Δ-δ | Δέλτα | Delta | TH as in THe |
Ε-ε | Εψίλον | Epsilon | E as in Element |
Ζ-ζ | Ζήτα | Ζeeta | Z as in Zoo |
Η-η* | Ήτα | Eeta | EE as in sEE |
Θ-θ | Θήτα | theta | th as in Thing |
Ι-ι* | Ιώτα (γιώτα) | Iota | EE as in sEE |
Κ-κ | Κάππα (κάπα) | Kapa | K as in Kitten |
Λ-λ | Λάμδα | Lambda | L as in Lemon |
Μ-μ | Μυ (μι) | Mee | M as in Mother |
Ν-ν | Νυ (Νι) | Nee | N as in North |
Ξ-ξ | Ξει (Ξι) | Ksee | X as in foX |
Ο-ο* | Όμικρον | Omicron | O as in Organ |
Π-π | Πει (Πι) | Pee | P as in Pet |
Ρ-ρ | Ρω (ρο) | Row | R as in Rhapsody |
Σ-σ/ς* | Σίγμα | Sigma | S as in Sit |
Τ-τ | Ταυ | Taf | T as in Table |
Υ-υ* | Ύψιλον | Ypsilon | EE as in sEE |
Φ-φ | Φει (φι) | Fee | F as in Fun |
Χ-χ | Χει (Χι) | Chee / Hee | H as in Hurry |
Ψ-ψ | ψει (ψι) | Psee | PS as in liPStick |
Ω-ω* | Ωμέγα | Omega | O as in Organ |
Η-η, Ι-ι and Υ-υ have the same pronunciation (“ee”)
Ο-ο and Ω-ω have the same pronunciation (“o”)
Sigma has 2 types in lower case: Start of or inside word = σ, but end of word = ς
Diphthongs
ΑΙ αι | sounds like E-ε, or “eh” as in element |
ΕΙ ει | sounds like Η-η, Ι-ι, Υ-υ or like ee |
ΟΙ οι | sounds like Η-η, Ι-ι, Υ-υ or like ee |
ΥΙ υι | sounds like Η-η, Ι-ι, Υ-υ or like ee |
ΑΥ αυ | sounds like “av” or “af” |
ΕΥ ευ | sounds like “ev” or “ef” |
ΟΥ ου | sounds like “u” as in “soup” . |
Double consonants
ΜΠ μπ | sounds like b |
ΝΤ ντ | sounds like d |
ΓΚ γκ | sounds like g |
ΓΓ γγ | sounds like ng |
ΤΣ τσ | sounds like ts |
ΤΖ τζ | sounds like tz |
Accents
Modern Greek has only ONE accent.
It is placed above the accented vowels, like this: ά, έ, ή, ί, ό, ύ, ώ.
The accent goes on one of the three last syllables.
Accents help you give emphasis to the right syllable.
E.g. “βιβλίο” (veevLEEo), ”μιλώ” (meeLO) etc.
Punctuation Marks
The Period, or full stop, the comma and the exclamation mark are the same as English.
The Greek question mark looks just like the English semi colon ;
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