People love to romanticise the Greek alphabet as some mystical, ancient script. Sure, it’s old, but it’s also perfectly learnable. If you’re starting out with Greek, forget the mystique - just learn the damn letters. Here’s how.
The Greek Alphabet: Letters and Sounds
The Greek alphabet has 24 letters. No, it’s not the same as the Cyrillic alphabet. No, it’s not just ‘fancy Latin’. Here’s the breakdown, with IPA pronunciations so you don’t butcher them:
| Letter | Name | Pronunciation (IPA) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Α α | Alpha | /a/ | Like ‘a’ in ‘father’ |
| Β β | Beta | /v/ | Modern Greek: like ‘v’ in ‘vet’ |
| Γ γ | Gamma | /ɣ/ or /ʝ/ | Like a soft ‘g’ or ‘y’ sound |
| Δ δ | Delta | /ð/ | Like ‘th’ in ‘this’ |
| Ε ε | Epsilon | /e/ | Like ‘e’ in ‘bet’ |
| Ζ ζ | Zeta | /z/ | Like ‘z’ in ‘zoo’ |
| Η η | Eta | /i/ | Like ‘ee’ in ‘see’ |
| Θ θ | Theta | /θ/ | Like ‘th’ in ‘think’ |
| Ι ι | Iota | /i/ | Same as η in modern Greek |
| Κ κ | Kappa | /k/ | Like ‘k’ in ‘kite’ |
| Λ λ | Lambda | /l/ | Like ‘l’ in ‘light’ |
| Μ μ | Mu | /m/ | Like ‘m’ in ‘mother’ |
| Ν ν | Nu | /n/ | Like ‘n’ in ‘no’ |
| Ξ ξ | Xi | /ks/ | Like ‘x’ in ‘fox’ |
| Ο ο | Omicron | /o/ | Like ‘o’ in ‘pot’ |
| Π π | Pi | /p/ | Like ‘p’ in ‘spin’ |
| Ρ ρ | Rho | /r/ | Rolled ‘r’, like in Spanish |
| Σ σ/ς | Sigma | /s/ | Like ‘s’ in ‘sun’. ς is used at the end of words. |
| Τ τ | Tau | /t/ | Like ‘t’ in ‘stop’ |
| Υ υ | Upsilon | /i/ | Same as ι and η in modern Greek |
| Φ φ | Phi | /f/ | Like ‘f’ in ‘fish’ |
| Χ χ | Chi | /x/ or /ç/ | Like ‘ch’ in Scottish ‘loch’ or German ‘ich’ |
| Ψ ψ | Psi | /ps/ | Like ‘ps’ in ‘lapse’ |
| Ω ω | Omega | /o/ | Same as ο in modern Greek |
Common Pitfalls (And How to Avoid Them)
- Beta (β) is /v/, not /b/. If you say ‘b’ for beta, you’ll sound like a tourist.
- Gamma (γ) before front vowels (ε, ι, η, υ) sounds like /ʝ/ (a soft ‘y’). Before back vowels (α, ο, ω), it’s /ɣ/ (a guttural ‘g’).
- Don’t confuse ξ (xi, /ks/) with χ (chi, /x/). One’s a ‘ks’ sound, the other’s a throaty ‘h’.
- The letter σ becomes ς at the end of a word. No, it’s not optional.
Why Bother Learning the Alphabet?
Because transliteration is a crutch. If you want to read Greek - whether it’s a street sign, a menu, or Homeric poetry - you’ll need the alphabet. Plus, it’s the foundation for Greek grammar and pronunciation.
Δίφθογγος
/ˈðifθoŋɡos/“Diphthong”
Once you’ve got the alphabet down, try practising with Greek tongue twisters or polite phrases to get comfortable with the sounds.
