The Greek alphabet consists of 24 letters, each with unique sounds and variations. In this lesson, we will review the Greek alphabet, pronunciation rules, and tips to help you read and pronounce Greek words correctly.

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1. The Greek Alphabet

Uppercase	Lowercase	Name	Pronunciation Example
Α	α	Άλφα (Alpha)	A as in “father”
Β	β	Βήτα (Vita)	V as in “vet”
Γ	γ	Γάμμα (Gamma)	G as in “go” or soft Y before vowels
Δ	δ	Δέλτα (Delta)	Th as in “this”
Ε	ε	Έψιλον (Epsilon)	E as in “pet”
Ζ	ζ	Ζήτα (Zeta)	Z as in “zebra”
Η	η	Ήτα (Ita)	I as in “machine”
Θ	θ	Θήτα (Theta)	Th as in “thin”
Ι	ι	Ιώτα (Iota)	I as in “machine”
Κ	κ	Κάππα (Kappa)	K as in “kite”
Λ	λ	Λάμδα (Lambda)	L as in “love”
Μ	μ	Μι (Mu)	M as in “mother”
Ν	ν	Νι (Nu)	N as in “night”
Ξ	ξ	Ξι (Xi)	X as in “axe”
Ο	ο	Όμικρον (Omicron)	O as in “pot”
Π	π	Πι (Pi)	P as in “pen”
Ρ	ρ	Ρο (Rho)	Rolled R sound
Σ	σ/ς	Σίγμα (Sigma)	S as in “see”
Τ	τ	Ταυ (Taf)	T as in “top”
Υ	υ	Ύψιλον (Ypsilon)	I as in “machine”
Φ	φ	Φι (Phi)	F as in “fish”
Χ	χ	Χι (Chi)	Ch as in “Bach” (soft)
Ψ	ψ	Ψι (Psi)	Ps as in “lips”
Ω	ω	Ωμέγα (Omega)	O as in “more”

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2. Pronunciation Rules

1. Greek Vowels:

   • There are 5 vowel sounds, but multiple letters can represent the same sound.
     • Η, Ι, Υ all sound like “ee” in “see.”
     • Ο, Ω both sound like “o” in “pot.”
     • Ε, Α sound as they do in “pet” and “father,” respectively.

2. Double Consonants:
   Some consonant combinations have unique pronunciations:

   • ΜΠ (mp) sounds like “b”
   • ΝΤ (nt) sounds like “d”
   • ΓΚ (gk) sounds like “g” in “go”
   • ΤΣ (ts) sounds like “ts” in “cats”
   • ΤΖ (tz) sounds like “dz” in “adze”

3. Final Sigma (ς):

   • The letter sigma (Σ) is written as ς when it appears at the end of a word.
     • Example: κόσμος (kósmos – world)

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3. Common Pronunciation Mistakes to Avoid

1. Mispronouncing Gamma (Γ)

   • Before A, O, U, it sounds like a soft G (“go”).
   • Before E, I, it sounds like Y (“yes”).

2. Mixing Omicron (Ο) and Omega (Ω)

   • Though they have the same sound, they are used in different contexts.

3. Emphasizing the Correct Syllable (Stress Marks)

   • Every Greek word has an accent (´) to indicate stress.
     • Example: φίλος (fílos – friend), not filós

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4. Sample Words to Practice

Greek	Pronunciation	Meaning
καφές	kafés	coffee
σπίτι	spíti	house
δρόμος	drómos	road
γάτα	gáta	cat
αγάπη	agápi	love

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5. Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Match the Letters

Match the Greek letters with their correct pronunciation:

1. Χ
2. Δ
3. Ψ
4. Ρ
   • a. Ps
   • b. Th
   • c. Ch
   • d. R

Exercise 2: Read and Pronounce

Practice reading the following words aloud:

• νερό (neró – water)
• μουσική (mousikí – music)
• θάλασσα (thálassa – sea)

Exercise 3: Identify the Accent

Identify where the accent should be placed:

• Φιλος (Friend)
• Καφες (Coffee)
• Ομικρον (Omicron)

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6. Useful Phrases for Pronunciation Practice

• How do you pronounce this?

  • Πώς προφέρεται αυτό; (Pós proférete aftó?)

• Can you say it again?

  • Μπορείτε να το ξαναπείτε; (Boríte na to xanapíte?)

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7. Cultural Note

Greek pronunciation can vary slightly between regions, but the standard pronunciation remains consistent across Greece. Learning proper pronunciation will help you blend in and communicate effectively.