Greek character reference

This is Modern Greek, not Ancient Greek pronunciation. In particular, β is v, η and υ are i, and φ is f.

Σ has two lowercase forms: σ inside a word and ς at its end. The accent mark identifies the stressed syllable. Diaeresis (¨) keeps adjacent vowels separate.

Letter combinations often have a different reading from the sum of their letters. Transcription conventions vary; the word drills accept the alternatives listed for each item.

Modern Greek alphabet

Capital	Lowercase	Greek name	Reading guide
Α	α	άλφα	a
Β	β	βήτα	v
Γ	γ	γάμμα	gh; y-like before front vowels
Δ	δ	δέλτα	dh (this)
Ε	ε	έψιλον	e
Ζ	ζ	ζήτα	z
Η	η	ήτα	i
Θ	θ	θήτα	th (think)
Ι	ι	ιώτα	i
Κ	κ	κάππα	k
Λ	λ	λάμδα	l
Μ	μ	μι	m
Ν	ν	νι	n
Ξ	ξ	ξι	ks / x
Ο	ο	όμικρον	o
Π	π	πι	p
Ρ	ρ	ρω	r
Σ	σ ς	σίγμα	s; ς is used at the end of a word
Τ	τ	ταυ	t
Υ	υ	ύψιλον	i when alone
Φ	φ	φι	f
Χ	χ	χι	kh; softer before front vowels
Ψ	ψ	ψι	ps
Ω	ω	ωμέγα	o

Common combinations

Letters	Reading	Example
αι	e	και
ει	i	είναι
οι	i	οικογένεια
ου	u	μου
υι	i	υιός
αυ	av before vowels/voiced sounds; af before voiceless sounds	αυγό / αυτό
ευ	ev before vowels/voiced sounds; ef before voiceless sounds	ευγενικός / ευχαριστώ
μπ	b; sometimes mb, especially inside words	μπαμπάς
ντ	d; sometimes nd, especially inside words	ντομάτα
γκ	g at the start; often ng inside words	γκολ / άγκυρα
γγ	ng	φεγγάρι
τσ	ts	τσάι
τζ	dz	τζάμι

Stress and separate vowels

Form	Example	Meaning
ά έ ή ί ό ύ ώ	νερό	Accent shows stress
ϊ ϋ ΐ ΰ	καΐκι	Diaeresis means the vowel is read separately

Sources and conventions

Letter names, sounds, and transcription serve different purposes. Latin spellings are reading aids; consult the linked teaching sources for pronunciation and contextual rules.

• University of Arizona: Modern Greek alphabet and phonetics
• Open University: paired Greek letters and final sigma