Study-Series-How-To-Learn-Greek-letters.ppt

Let's study the Greek Letters

1. 1.1 THE LETTERS OF THE GREEK ALPHABET
Greek Letter Called Written Sound Note
NormalCapitalIn EnglishIn GreekΙn English
α Α Alpha ἀλφα a a as in 'hat'1
β Β Beta Βητα b as English b 
γ Γ Gamma γαμμα g hard g as in
'get'
2
δ Δ Delta δελτα d as English d
ε Ε Epsilonἐψιλον e short e as in
'met'
1
ζ Ζ Zeta ζητα z as English z 
Notes:
1.There are seven vowels in Greek
2. γγ (gg) is pronounced as n
aeiou
Shortαειου
Longαηιωυ1:Grammar 1/10

2. 1.1 THE LETTERS OF THE GREEK ALPHABET
Greek Letter Called Written Sound Note
NormalCapitalIn EnglishIn GreekΙn English
η Η Eta ἠτα ē long e as in
'obey'
1, 3
θ Θ Thetaθητα th as English th 
ι Ι Iotaἰωτα i i as in 'hit'1, 4
κ Κ Kappa καππα k as English k5
λ Λ Lambdaλαμβδα l as English l 
μ Μ Mu μυ M as English m 
1.1 THE LETTERS OF THE GREEK ALPHABET
Notes:
1.There are seven vowels in Greek.
3.Pronunciation of η varies - some say 'bear' or 'honey'
4.ι can sometimes behave as a consonant when it begins a word.
5.There is a difference in sound between κ(k) and χ (kh). 1:Grammar 2/10

3. Greek Letter Called Written Sound Note
NormalCapitalIn EnglishIn Greekin English
ν Ν Nu νυ n as English n6
ξ Ξ Xi ξι x as English x 
ο Ο Omicronὀμικρον ο short o as in
'not'
1
π Π Pi πι p as English p 
π Ρ Rho ῥω r or rhas English r7, 8
σ or ς Σ Sigma Σιγμα s as English s9
1.1 THE LETTERS OF THE GREEK ALPHABET
Notes:
1.There are seven vowels in Greek.
6.ν looks like an English v but is an n.
7. ῥ should really be ‘aspirated’ (i.e. pronounced 'rh')
8. ρ looks like an English p but is an r (the Greek p is π).
9. Sigma is σ normally, but ς if it is the last letter in a word.
1:Grammar 3/10

4. Greek Letter Called Written Sound Note
NormalCapitalIn EnglishIn Greekin English
τ Τ Tau ταυ t as English t 
υ Υ Upsilonὐψιλον u as English u1, 10
φ Φ Phi φι ph or fas English f 
χ Χ Chi χι ch or khhard as in
loch
5
ψ Ψ Psi ψι ps as in lips 
ω Ω Omega ὠμεγα ō long o as in
'tone'
1
1.1 THE LETTERS OF THE GREEK ALPHABET
Notes:
1.There are seven vowels in Greek.
5.There is a difference in sound between κ and χ.
10.The υ has become a y in English words derived from Greek.
1:Grammar 4/10

5. 1.1 THE LETTERS OF THE GREEK ALPHABET
Notes:
• β, δ, ζ, θ, λ and ξ stretch above the line (and the central stroke of φ and ψ
in many people's handwriting). Contrary to English, κ and τ do not.
• β, γ, ζ, η, μ, ξ, ρ, ς, φ, χ, ψ have 'tails' which stretch below the line.
αβγδεζηθικλμνξοπρσςτυφχψω
1:Grammar 5/10

6. 1.2 BREATHINGS
Sound Written Example
Rough Breathing h ‘ ἁγιος (hagios - holy)
Smooth Breathing none ’ ἀγγελος (angelos - angel)
Every Greek vowel (α, ε, η, ι, ο, υ, ω) at the beginning
of a word must have a breathing
Notes:
• Breathings are written on top - ἀ, ἁ, ἐ,
™
ἑ,
˜
ἠ, ἡ, ἰ, ἱ, ὀ, ὁ, ὐ, ὑ, ὠ, ὡ.
• Smooth breathings are not optional just because they are not
pronounced.
• If ρ is the first letter, it also must carry a rough breathing ῥ.
1:Grammar 6/10

7. 1.3 CAPITAL LETTERS
Η, Ρ, Υ, Χ vs. English
Γ, Δ, Μ, Ξ, Σ, Ω vs. lower case
1:Grammar 7/10

8. 1.4 DIPHTHONGS AND IOTA SUBSCRIPTS
αι'ai' as in Thailand, or the English word 'eye'
ει'ei' as in veil, or the 'ay' in say
οιoi as in oil
υι'ui' as in quit
αυ'au' as in sauerkraut, or the 'ow' in how
ου'ou' as in soup, or the 'oo' in 'hoop'
ευ / ηυ'eu' as in feud, or the English word 'you'
Plus - the iota subscript - ῃ ῳ ᾳ
1:Grammar 8/10

9. Breathings – Essential
Accents – Unimportant
1.5 ACCENTS AND STRESS
1:Grammar 9/10

10. Greek English Equivalent Used for
. (on the line) . End of sentence
, , Minor break within a sentence
.
(above the line) ; and : Major break within a sentence
; ? Questions
ELISION
• Final vowel of a word normally dropped (replaced with ’) if next
word begins with vowel
ἀλλα ἐγω ἀλλ’ ἐγω
1.6 PUNCTUATION
1:Grammar 10/10