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The Greek alphabet consists of 24 letters - 7 vowels and 17 consonants.
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letter | name of letter | IPA |
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Α α | άλφα | /a/ |
Β β | βήτα | /v/ |
Γ γ | γάμμα | /ɣ/ |
Δ δ | δέλτα | /ð/ |
Ε ε | έψιλον | /e/ |
Ζ ζ | ζήτα | /z/ |
Η η | ήτα | /i/ |
Θ θ | θήτα | /θ/ |
Ι ι | ιώτα | /i/ |
Κ κ | κάππα | /k/ |
Λ λ | λάμδα | /l/ |
Μ μ | μι | /m/ |
Ν ν | νι | /n/ |
Ξ ξ | ξι | /ks/ |
Ο ο | όμικρον | /o/ |
Π π | πι | /p/ |
Ρ ρ | ρο | /ɾ/ |
Σ σ ς | σίγμα | /s/ |
Τ τ | ταυ | /t/ |
Υ υ | ύψιλον | /i/ |
Φ φ | φι | /f/ |
Χ χ | χι | /x/ |
Ψ ψ | ψι | /ps/ |
Ω ω | ωμέγα | /o/ |
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The lowercase σ is written in the beginning or middle of a word. The lowercase ς is written in the end of a word.
σπίτι = house (/ˈspi.ti/)
σκύλος = dog (/ˈsci.los/)---
When γ is followed by /a/, /o/ or /u/, it is pronounced /ɣa/, /ɣo/ or /ɣu/ respectively.
γάτα = cat (/ˈɣa.ta/)
γονείς = parents (/ɣoˈnis/)
γουρούνι = pig (/ɣuˈɾu.ni/)---
When γ is followed by /i/ or /e/, it is pronounced /ʝi/ or /ʝe/.
γη = earth (/ˈʝi/)
γυναίκα = woman (/ʝiˈne.ka/)
γέλιο = laughter (/ˈʝe.ʎo/)---
When γ is followed by /io/ or /ia/, it is pronounced /ʝo/ or /ʝa/.
γιος = son (/ˈʝos/)
γιαγιά = grandmother (/ʝaˈʝa/)---
When κ is followed by /a/, /o/ or /u/, it is pronounced /ka/, /ko/ or /ku/ respectively.
καράβι = ship (/kaˈɾa.vi/)
κορίτσι = girl (/koˈɾi.t͡si/)
ακούω = I hear (/aˈkuo/)---
When κ is followed by /i/ or /e/, it is pronounced /ci/ or /ce/.
κήπος = garden (/ˈci.pos/)
κερί = candle (/ceˈɾi/)---
When κ is followed by /ia/, /io/ or /iu/, it is pronounced /ca/, /co/ or /cu/ respectively.
κιάλια = binoculars (/ˈca.ʎa/)
κιόλας = already (/ˈco.las/)
τζακιού = of fireplace (/dzaˈcu/)---
When λ is followed by /ia/, /ie/, /io/ or /iu/, it is pronounced /ʎa/, /ʎe/, /ʎo/ or /ʎu/.
ελιά = olive (/eˈʎa/)
ελιές = olives (/eˈʎes/)
λιοντάρι = lion (/ʎonˈda.ɾi/)
φασολιού = of bean (/fa.soˈʎu/)---
When ν is followed by /ia/, /ie/, /io/ or /iu/, it is pronounced /ɲa/, /ɲe/, /ɲo/ or /ɲu/.
νιάτα = youth (/ˈɲa.ta/)
καπετάνιος = captain (/ka.peˈta.ɲos/)
καπετάνιου = captain’s (/ka.peˈta.ɲu/)
κουνιέμαι = I move (/kuˈɲe.me/)---
When χ is followed by /a/, /o/ or /u/, it is pronounced /xa/, /xo/ or /xu/ respectively.
χαρά = joy (/xaˈɾa/)
χορός = dance (/xoˈros/)
χουρμάς = date [fruit] (/xuɾˈmas/)---
When χ is followed by /i/ or /e/, it is pronounced /çi/ or /çe/.
χειμώνας = winter (/çiˈmo.nas/)
χέρι = hand (/ˈçeɾi/)
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letter combinations
αι is pronounced /e/, just like ε.
παίζω = I play (/ˈpe.zo/)---
ει is pronounce /i/, just like η, ι and υ!
εικόνα = picture (/iˈko.na/)---
οι is pronounced /i/, just like η, ι and υ!
οικογένεια = family (/i.koˈʝe.ni.a/)---
υι is pronounced /i/, just like η, ι and υ!
υιοθετώ = adopt (/i.o.θeˈto/)---
ου is pronounced /u/.
ουρανός = sky (/u.ɾaˈnos/)
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To sum up, there are 6 different ways to spell an /i/ sound - η, ι, υ, ει, οι, υι!
There are 2 different ways to spell an /o/ sound - ο and ω.
There are 2 different ways to spell and /e/ sound - ε and αι.
There is no easy way to know which one to use each time. You need to learn each word’s orthography.
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αυ is pronounced /av/ when it is followed by a voiced sound and /af/ when it is followed by an unvoiced sound.
αύριο = tomorrow (/ˈa.vɾi.o/)
αυλή = yard (/aˈvli/)
αυτός = he (/aˈftos/)---
ευ is pronounced /ev/ when it is followed by a voiced sound and /ef/ when it is followed by an unvoiced sound.
ευχαριστώ = thank you (/ef.xa.ɾiˈsto/)
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μπ is pronounced /b/ in the beginning of words or in loanwords. It is pronounced /mb/ in the middle of words. You might hear it pronounced /b/ even in the middle of words by some native Greeks.
αμπέλι = vine (/amˈbe.li/)
μπαμπάς = dad (/baˈbas/) [loanword]---
ντ is pronounced /d/ in the beginning of words or in loanwords. It is pronounced /nd/ in the middle of words. You might hear it pronounced /d/ even in the middle of words by some native Greeks.
αντίο = farewell (/aˈdi.o/) [loanword]
άντρας = man (/ˈan.dɾas/)---
γκ is pronounced /g/ in the beginning of words or in loanwords. It is pronounced /ŋɡ/ in the middle of words.
αγκαλιά = hug (/aŋ.ɡaˈʎa/)
γκρίζο = grey (/ˈɡɾi.zo/)---
γγ is pronounced /ŋɡ/. It’s never used in the beginning of words.
εγγόνια = grandchildren (/eŋˈɡo.ɲa/)---
τσ is pronounced /t͡s/.
τσάι = tee (/ˈt͡sa.i/)---
τζ is pronounced /dz/.
τζάκι = fireplace (/ˈdza.ci/)---
γχ is pronounced /ŋx/.
άγχος = stress (/ˈaŋ.xos/)---
When σ is followed by a voiced consonant (except λ), then it’s pronounced /z/.
κόσμος = world (/ˈko.zmos/)
σβήνω = I erase (/ˈzvi.no/)---
This also happens when a word ends in -ς and the following word starts with a voiced consonant.
ο σκύλος μου = my dog (/oˈsci.loz.mu/)
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voiced consonant (/v/, /b/, /ð/, /d/, /z/, /dz/, /r/, /m/) + /i/ + /a/, /e], /i/, /o/, /u/
καράβια = ships (/kaˈɾa.vʝa/)
κομπιούτερ = computer (/koˈbʝu.teɾ/)
διαβάζω = I read (/ðʝaˈva.zo/)
δόντια = teeth (/ˈðon.dʝa/)
τραπέζια = tables (/tɾaˈpe.zʝa/)
χέρια = hands (/ˈçe.ɾʝa/)μια = a (/ˈmɲa/)
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unvoiced consonant (/f/, /p/, /θ/, /t/, /s/, /ks/, /ps/, /ts/) + /i/ + /a/, /e], /i/, /o/, /u/
καρφιά = nails (/kaɾˈfça/)
πιάτο = plate (/ˈpça.to/)
κορίτσια = girls (/koˈɾi.t͡sça/)---
This is not always the case. You need to know when it’s one syllable, e.g. μάτια = eyes (/ˈma.tça/), or seperate syllables, e.g. δωμάτια = rooms (/ðoˈma.ti.a/)
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source: foundalis.com