The Alphabet
The Alphabet - Η αλφαβήτα
The Greek alphabet is comprised of 24 letters, 7 vowels and 17 consonants.
Lowercase - μικρά
α β γ δ ε ζ η θ ι κ λ μ ν ξ ο π ρ σ (ς) τ υ φ χ ψ ω
UPPERCASE - ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΑ
Α Β Γ Δ Ε Ζ Η Θ Ι Κ Λ Μ Ν Ξ Ο Π Ρ Σ Τ Υ Φ Χ Ψ Ω
Character | Name in Greek | Pronunciation | IPA |
α | άλφα | alpha | [a] |
β | βήτα | beta | [v] |
γ | γάμμα | gamma | [γ] |
δ | δέλτα | delta | [ð] |
ε | έψιλον | epsilon | [e] |
ζ | ζήτα | zeta | [z] |
η | ήτα | eta | [i] |
θ | θήτα | theta | [θ] |
ι | γιώτα | iota | [i] |
κ | κάπα | kappa | [k] |
λ | λάμδα | lamda | [l] |
μ | μι | mi | [m] |
ν | νι | ni | [n] |
ξ | ξι | xi | [x] |
ο | όμικρον | omikron | [o] |
π | πι | pi | [p] |
ρ | ρο | rho | [r] |
σ | σίγμα | sigma | [s] |
τ | ταυ | taf | [t] |
υ | ύψιλον | ypsilon | [i] |
φ | φι | fi | [f] |
χ | χι | hi | [h] |
ψ | ψι | psi | [ps] |
ω | ωμέγα | omega | [o] |
The letter ς is only used in the end of a word. At the beginning or in between the word, σ is always used. For example σχολείο (school) and τροχός (wheel).
The Greek language also has other sounds of cluster vowels, called diphthongs:
οι, ευ, αυ, αι, ου, ει.
They can all be pronounced in various ways, depending on different circumstances in which they occur.
There are also consonant clusters: τζ [dz], τσ [tʃ], γγ [g], γκ [g], ντ [d], μπ [b].