Katerina Sarri webtopos - Greek alphabet letters

USEFUL LINKS
(click the following, to open a new window to accompany your study. Resize it and keep referring to it.)
Standard - Modern Greek: Greek Alphabet Lessons wav and mp3 by Philoglossia, Institute of Language and Speech Processing: ILSP of Thrace, GREECE Click on the letters to listen to their Modern-Standard greek pronunciation.
Ancient - Erasmic/Erasmian Pronunciation:Ancient Greek Tutorials by Berkeley University USA Click on the letters to listen to their Erasmic or Erasmian pronunciation.
International Phonetic Alphabet: LISTEN TO THE SOUNDS at the Phonetic Alphabet at Norwegian NTNU.

History of the greek alphabet

*links on greek language and alphabet.
*greek letters as numbers
*greek letters in SCIENCE
*Greek letters were also used as MUSIC NOTES in ancient Greece. (I promise to prepare a page on that). (check GREEK MUSIC NOTATION LINKS).

CONTENTS IN THIS CHART: CONCISE
If you are looking for even more concise, go directly to the Printable Concise Alphabet.

SPECIAL PAGES FOR EACH LETTER
If you wish to elaborate, you may click FULL discussion PAGE for each letter's:
SHAPE: Variants in cities of the ancient hellenic world.
SOUND: discussion of pronunciation's evolution from ancient times through hellenistic times to today's pronunciation.
ETYMOLOGY OF LETTER's NAME, SOUND EXAMPLES etc.
Also see note about letters (gender, minusculae-majusculae)

NOTE 1: Two identical consonants may never occur at the beginning of a word. Two identical consonants within a word: pronunciation is not affected in modern greek, they are pronounced as one. In older times they were pronounced twice. Cypriots still pronounce them both. (Exception: the pronunciation for ΓΓ).
NOTE 2: The small or capital letter followed by an acute diacritic mark is the symbol of a number in greek numerical system. If preceded by a stroke under the letter, it is the same number, multiplied by a thousand: e.g.:α´= 1 but ,α= 1000, or o´= 70 but ,o= 70000 (see greek numerals).

Letter		1	2	3	4	5	F	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15 Oo	16	M		17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	no s y m b o l
number		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	20	30	40	50	60	70	80		90	100	200	300	400	500	600	700	800		900
p h o n e t i c	Modern	a	v	j		e		z	i		i j	k c	l	m	n	ks	o	p			r	s z	t	i	f	x ç	ps	o
	Erasmic		b	g	d						i		l		n							s		y		k		o:
	Early	a					v	zd		t^h	i i:	c				ks xs			s	k				u	p^h	k^h	ps fs		j
		l e t t e r s d e r i v i n g f r o m t h e N o r t h s e m i t i c S c r i p t																						a d d e d l e t t e r s

DIACRITIC MARKS	Hellenistic Diacritics polytonic system (multiaccented)	STRESS: Okseia-Vareia Perispomene	BREATHING: Daseia Psile		PUNCTU ATION [[addendum]]
	Modern Diacritic Marks: monotonic system official since 1982	Stress: just the mark ' over the small vowel that is louder (or before an arctic capital vowel). At binary vowels, it is placed on the second. Monosyllabic words are not stressed at all (except to distinguish identical ones). Dialytics (Umlaut) BINARY VOWELS PRONOUNCED SEPARATELY. The dialytics are placed over the second vowel. From the word: διαλύω dia-lyo = un-tie, dis-solve.

Greek LETTERS and their Pronunciation Modern-Standard and (if different) Erasmic or Erasmian in International Phonetic Alphabet				examples of words: greek-[modern greek pronunciation] english-[english pronunciation] or vice versa, according to the order of chronological appearance or the word SOUND EXAMPLES = MODERN GREEK unless otherwise marked
order#) greek number LETTER CAPITAL-small	I.P.A. Pronunc. Standard Erasmic	pronounced as in the word... (english or other)	Letter Name in greek in english

1) α´= 1 A α transliteration: a	[a] vowel open front unrounded	latin: amo french: ami similar to english: father	άλφα ['alfa] alpha ['ælf]	άτoμoν = undividable/individual ['atomon] atom ['ætm]	ανάλυσις [a'nalisis] analysis ['nælsıs]	αστρoνoμία [astrono'mia] astronomy ['stronmı]
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2) β´= 2 B β transliteration: b	[v] consonant voiced labiodental fricative erasmic [b]	vote	βήτα ['vita] beta ['bit] U.S. ['beıt]	βασικό [vasi'ko] basic ['beısık]	βυζάντιoν [vi'zandio n] byzantium latin: [bi'zantium]	Byron (the poet) [b'αırn] Βύρων ['viron]
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3) γ´= 3 Γ γ transliteration: g	[γ] consonant voiced velar fricative erasmic [g]	close to gh not exisiting in english	γάμ(μ)α ['γama] gamma ['gæm]	γαλαξίας [γala'ksias] galaxy ['gælksı]	γιγάντιo [ji'γandio] gigantic [dαı'gæntık]	γραφικό [γrafi'ko] graphic ['græfık]
	[j] consonant semiphone palatal approximant before [i] [e]	yes [jes]	γάμ(μ)α ['γama] gamma ['gæm]	γεωμετρία [jeome'tria] geometry [dı'omtrı]	γιγάντιo [ji'γandio] gigantic [dαı'gæntık]	γυμναστής [jimna'stis] gymnast ['dımnæst]
	[] consonant velar nasal only in middle of composed words	anger	this sound is called άγμα ['aγma]	εγκυκλoπαίδεια [eiklo'peδia] encyclopa(e)dia [ın'sαıkl'pidı]	εν = in κύκλoς = cycle παιδεία = education from: παις, παιδί = child
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4) δ´= 4 Δ δ transliteration: d	[δ] consonant voiced dental fricative erasmic [d]	this but not thin	δέλτα ['δelta] delta ['delt]	δημoκρατία [δimokra'tia] democracy [dı'mokrsı]	διδακτικό [δiδakti'ko] didactic [dı'dæktık]	δράμα ['δrama] drama ['drαm]
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5) ε´= 5 E ε transliteration: e	[e] vowel close-mid front unrounded	ten	έψιλoν literally= e light ['epsilon] epsilon [ep'sαıln] U.S.['epsılon]	old gre: ἑλληνικόν erasmic: [hellεni'kon] ελληνικό [elini'ko] hellenic [he'linık]	εγώ [e'γo] ego ['egυ] U.S. ['igυ]	εθνικό [eθni'ko] ethnic ['eθnık]
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was 6th at earlier alphabet versions ς´= 6 or στ´= 6 F	was pronounced /v/	comes from Indoeuropean /w/	δίγαμμα ['δiγama] digamma or βαυ /'vav/ waw or vau	Indoeuropean hypothetical root: werg- in old ancient greek, retained:* FEPΓON in ancient and modern greek, dropped: έργoν english: work german:* Werk*
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6) ζ´= 7 Z ζ transliteration: z	[z] consonant voiced alveolar fricative erasmic [zd] or [dz]	zoo	ζήτα ['zita] zeta ['zit] U.S.['zeıt]	ζώo =animal ['zoo] zoo [zu]	ζωδιακό [zoδia'ko] zodiac ['zυdıæk]	ζήλoς ['zilos] zeal [zil]
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7) η´= 8 H η transliteration: e	[i] vowel front close unrounded erasmic [ε:] (e long)	Greece	ήτα pre-classical times: [hε:ta] after classical times: ['ε:ta] after hellenistic times:['ita] eta ['it] - U.S.['eıt]		ηχώ [i'xo] echo ['ekυ]	ηλεκτρικό [ilektri'ko] electric [ı'lektrık]
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8) θ´= 9 Θ θ transliteration: th	[θ] consonant voiceless dental fricative	thin but not this	θήτα ['θita] theta ['θit] U.S. ['θeıt]	θεωρία [θeo'ria] theory ['θırı]	θέατρo ['θeatro] theatre ['θıt(r)]	θέσις pl. θέσεις = position ['θesis] - ['θesis] thesis - theses ['θisıs] - ['θisız]
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9) ι´= 10 I ι transliteration: i	[i] vowel close front unrounded	Greece	(γ)ιώτα ['jota] iota [αı'υt]	ιδέα [i'δea] idea [αı'dι]	'Iων ['ion] ion ['αın]	ιόν =going (anc.gre.) [i'on] ion ['αın]
	rarely [j] consonant sempiphone palatal approximant	yes [jes]		but: καρδιά καρδιακό [kar'δja] [karδia'ko] =heart cardiac ['kαdıæk]		διαβoλικό [δjavoli'ko] diabolic [dαı'bolık]
	[ç] consonant voiceless palatal [x] fricative	humour		πιάνω (=I grasp) [pç'ano]	piano (italian: the musical instrument) πιάνo [pç'ano]
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10) κ´= 20 K κ transliteration: c rarely k	[k] consonant voiceless velar plosive	car	κάπ(π)α ['kapa] kappa ['kæp]	κόσμoς ['kozmos] cosmos ['kozmos]	καταστρoφή [katastro'fi] catastrophe [k'tæstrfı]	κατάλoγoς [ka'taloγos] catalogue ['kætlog]
10) κ´= 20 K κ transliteration: c rarely k	[c] consonant voiceless palatal plosive before [i] and [e]	cute	κάπ(π)α ['kapa] kappa ['kæp]	κύκλoς=circle ['ciklos] cycle ['sαıkl]	κέντρo ['cendro] centre ['sent(r)]	κινητικό [ciniti'ko] kinetik [cı'netık] >cinema
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11) λ´= 30 Λ λ transliteration: l	[l] consonant alveolar lateral approximant non-fricative	love	λάμβδα λάβδα λάμδα ['lamδa] lambda ['læmd]	helium ['hilım] gre.polytonic: ἥλιoν gre.monotonic: ήλιoν ['ilion]	λoγικό [loji'ko] logic(al) ['lodık]	λεξικόν [leksi'kon] lexicon ['leksıkn]
11) λ´= 30 Λ λ transliteration: l	[] consonant palatal lateral approximant	italian tagliatelle	λάμβδα λάβδα λάμδα ['lamδa] lambda ['læmd]	gre.polytonic: ἥλιoς erasmic: ['helios] gre.monotonic: ήλιoς = sun ['ios]	anc. and old gre: ελαία = olive [e'lea] erasmic: [e'laia] mod.gre: ελιά [e'a]
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12) μ´= 40 M μ transliteration: m	[m] consonant bilabial nasal	mother	μυ μι [mi] mu [miu] or [m^ju]	μελωδία [melo'δia] melody ['meldı]	μανία [ma'nia] mania ['meını]	μέθoδoς ['meθoδos] method ['meθd]
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13) ν´= 50 N ν transliteration: n	[n] consonant alveolar nasal	none	νυ νι [ni] nu [niu] U.S. [nu]	νoσταλγία [nostal'jia] nostalgia [no'stæld]	νέoν=new ['neon] neon ['nion]	ναυτικό [nafti'ko] nautical ['ntıkl]
13) ν´= 50 N ν transliteration: n	[] consonant palatal nasal	new italian bagno	νυ νι [ni] nu [niu] U.S. [nu]	9 εννέα [e'nea] or εννιά [e'a] nine	έννoια ['enia] = meaning έννoια ['ea] = a thought troubling the mind
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14) ξ´=60 Ξ ξ transliteration: x	[ks]	sex	ξι [ksi] xi [ksαı]	ξυλόφωνo [ksi'lofono] xylophone ['zαılfυn]	ξενoφoβία [ksenofo'via] xenophobia ['zen'fυbı]	persian: Khshayarsha Xerxes Ξέρξης ['kserksis]
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15) o´=70 O o transliteration: o	[o] vowel close-mid back rounded	log	όμικρoν literally= o small ['omikron] omikron [υ'mαıkrn] U.S. ['omıkron]	Oλυμπιακό [olimbia'ko] Olympic ['lımpık]	oκτάγωνo [o'ktaγono] octagon [oktgn]	όζω =I give out smell ozone ['υzυn] όζoν ['ozon]
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16) π´= 80 Π π transliteration: p	[p] consonant voiceless bilabial plosive NOT ASPIRATED	papa with NO aspiration	πι [pi] pi [pαı]	πoλιτικό [politi'ko] political [p'lıtıkl]	πανόραμα [pa'norama] panorama ['pæn'rαm]	πρόβλημα ['provlima] problem ['problm]
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early alphabets M	[s]	sex	σαν [san] san	San was used in some ancient cities to represent /s/ as a Sigma variation. Soon it faded out, and Sigma Σ took over. Its name probably derives from the Northsemitic (Phoenician) letter: şādhē which sounded like /ts/.
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early alphabets	[k]	car	κόππα ['kopa] koppa	early: OPH erasmic: ['korε] anc. and mod: KOPH mod.gre: ['kori] κόρη=daughter, kore (eng.)=archaic statue of girl	early: OPINΘOΣ anc. and mod.KOPINΘOΣ ['korinθos] Corinth (the city)	early: YPIOΣ possibly[kyrios] anc. and mod. KYPIOΣ κύριoς mod.gre:['cirios] =lord,main,principle
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17) ρ´= 100 P ρ transliteration: r	[r] consonant alveolar trill	arrow spanish accent	ρo [ro] rho [rυ]	ρητoρικό [ritori'ko] rhe'torical [rı'torıkl]	ρυθμός [riθ'mos] rhythm ['rıδm]	ραψωδία [rapso'δia] rhapsody ['ræpsdı]
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18) σ´= 200 Σ σ ς (as final small) transliteration: s	[s] consonant voiceless alveolar fricative or [z] voiced alveolar fricative before /v,γ,δ,m/	sex	σίγμα ['siγma] sigma ['sιgm]	στατικό [stati'ko] static ['stætık]	σεισμικό [sizmi'ko] seismic ['sαızmık]	σαρκασμός [sarkaz'mos] sarcasm ['sαkæzm]
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19) τ´= 300 T τ transliteration: t	[t] consonant voiceless alveolar plosive NOT ASPIRATED	tea	ταυ [taf] tau [tαυ]	τεχνική [texni'ci] technique [tek'nik]	τηλε- + -φωνή tele- = far away- + phone=voice telephone ['telfυn] τηλέφωνo [ti'lefono]	τραγωδία [traγo'δia] tragedy ['træddı]
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20) υ´= 400 Y υ transliteration: y	[i] vowel close front unrounded erasmic [y] close front rounded	Greece erasmic y: as in french: tu german: ü	ύψιλoν literally= i light ['ipsilon] upsilon [jup'sαıln] U.S. ['jupsılon]	old gre: ὑπόθεσις erasmic: [hy'poθesis] mod.gre: υπόθεση [i'poθesi] hypothesis ['hαı'poθsıs]	old gre: ὑπνωτικόν mod.gre: υπνωτικό [ipnoti'ko] hypnotic [hıp'notık]	old gre: ὕμνoς mod.gre: ύμνoς ['imnos] hymn [hım]
20) υ´= 400 Y υ transliteration: y	[f] or [v] when after a vowel	CHECK OY and AY,EY,HY COMBINATIONS and YI.
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21) φ´= 500 Φ φ transliteration: ph in french: f	[f] consonant voiceless labiodental fricative	fast		φι [fi] phi [fαı]	φαντασία [fanda'sia] phantasy fantasy [fæntsı]	φιλoσoφία [filoso'fia] philosophy [fı'losfı]	φωνητικό [foniti'ko] phonetic [f'netık]
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22) χ´= 600 X χ transliteration: ch or k	[x] consonant voiceless velar fricative	spanish: junta scottish: Loch (rough kh)	χι [ci] chi [kαı]	χoρός=dance [xo'ros] chorus ['krs]	χαρακτήρ χαρακτήρας [xara'ktiras] character ['kærıktr	χάρισμα ['xarizma] charisma [k'rızm]
22) χ´= 600 X χ transliteration: ch or k	[ç] consonant voiceless palatal fricative	humour	χι [ci] chi [kαı]	humour ['çum(r)] χιoύμoρ ['çumor]	χιλιόγραμμo [çi'oγramo] kilogram(me) ['kılgræm]	χίλια =thousand ['çia] kilo...
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23) ψ´= 700 Ψ ψ transliteration: ps	[ps]	lips	ψι [psi] psi [psαı]	ψυχή = soul [psi'çi] psyche ['sαıkı]	ψαλμός [psal'mos] psalm [sαm]	ψευδώνυμo [psev'δonimo] pseudonym ['sjudnım]
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24) ω´= 800 Ω ω transliteration: o	[o] vowel close-mid back rounded erasmic [o:] (o long)	pot	ωμέγα literally= o great [o'meγa] omega ['υmıg] U.S. [υ'meg]	ωκεανός [ocea'nos] ocean ['υ∫n]	ωδή [o'δi] ode [υd]	Ωρίων [o'rion] Orion ['rαın]
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no known symbol	[j] consonant semiphone palatal approximant	yes	jod γιώτ [jot]	βάλjω (early ancient) βάλλω = attack, throw hence: ball	χάρjω (early ancient) χαίρω (anc. and mod.) = I rejoice /'xairo:/ (erasmic pronunciation) /'çero/ (modern greek pron.)
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obsolete symbol rotated Pi = 900	name: σαμπί [sa'^mbi]	In few ancient greek cities, the double sigma ΣΣ was represented as a T. This gradually took the form of a rotated Pi Π: , and in the byzantine times it took the name σαμπεί from: «ως αν πει» → «σαν πι» (=as though -it was- Pi) [san`pi] → [san`pi] → [sam`pi] → [sam`bi]. Sampi represents the number 900.