The Greek “Abc” which is actually ABG Alpha Beta Gamma!

A guide to transliteration with an explanation of what sounds the various letter symbols represent in both the Ancient “Classical” language and Modern Demotika.

This table uses Symbols. If your computer has not have Symbol please go back to the older table or use a newer computer at a library with a recent upgrade.

I will add a Unicode version after I do some research on whether you need Acrobat Reader to read Unicode symbols. I tried to download a reference table at the library and the computer freeze. I want to make these reference pages readable for everyone regardless of whether or not you have access to the latest upgrades!

Symbol and letter name	Ancient	Modern
Α α Αλφα Alpha	/a/as in cup or aha if short as in father or calm if long	/a/ the vowel sound in ten butt or cat
Β β Βητα Beta	/b/ as in bar or bed Barys ευβοια = Euboea	Β = /v/ vase voice over ευβοια = evvia /b/ is written “mp” μπ
Γ γ Γάμμα Gamma	Initial /g/ as in get or go /g/ before k g k^h or x = /ng/	G= fricative “j” as in the german word “sagen” [γ] or g in sugar j/y the sound in yield before e or i. Iatros = jatros
Δ δ Δέλτα Delta	/d/ D as in does	The letter D equals “dh” [ð] the final sound of breadth The sound “d” is written “nt” ντ
Ε ε Εψιλόν Epsilon The “bare” e	A Short E sound [e] in met or get or French é	E as in beat or fret [ε]
Ζ ζ Ζητα Zeta	“sd” “ds”or z adze	Z always /z/ zeal
Η η ητα Eta	Long E /ε:/ in prey or hair Ancient heesukhia becomes	/i/ Ita feet or beat Modern isihia
Θ θ Θητα Theta	T ^has in Tin or tap not thin Aspirated strong t Ant-hill	“th” fricative θ in thin or think or author
Ι ι Ιωτα Iota	I in pit or bin If long the vowel in bead or machine	I or Y sometimes when initial – due to convergence the following letters all equal an I sound in demotic ει οι υι η ι υ
Κ κ Κάππα Kappa	K hard king skin	K the same
Λ λ Λάμβδα Lambda	L as in left or lion	L likewise
Μ μ Μυ Mu	M as in muse mock man	M likewise
Ν ν Νυ Nu	N do not confuse the lower case n with upsilon!	Final N is variable in Attic and usually omitted in Demotic N.b. nt = “d”
Ξ ξ Ξι Xi	X usually ks sometimes g+s or kh+s wax box “senos” is k+senos ! Do not confuse with Chi	K+ S
Ο ο Ομικρόν Omicron	O short as in obey or not	O in bought or taut
Π π Πι Pi	P pet push spot spin	P likewise
Ρ ρ Ρω Rho	R rolled r in road or rich or three	R likewise
Σ ς σ Σίγμα Sigma	S see mouse sing	S = z if before β γ δ ζ μ ν ρ Lesbos is Lezvos
Τ τ Ταυ Tau	T tip tap stick	T likewise
Υ υ Υψιλόν Upsilon	U the ü of French lune and German muller /y/	I Hygeia is Iyia N.B. This letter plus e or a before θ ξ π σ τ φ ψ χ is a / e + f and elsewhere a / e + v Euboia becomes Evvoia But “autos” is aftos
Φ φ Φι Phi	P aspirated P^has in pin or philter or uphold	F in fish or fool not P Café is spelt Καφέ
Χ χ Χι Chi	K^h as in pack-horse Choros = K^horos	“H” the “ch” fricative in loch or ich /χ/ before e or i and elsewhere ç
Ψ ψ Ψι Psi	P+s ps in apse or lips
Ω ω Ωμέγα Omega	O long o: as in home or lone saw or awe	O in fortune or bought

A Note on Diphthongs

Ai Αι = the sound in high height or aisle but in Demotic equals the epsilon e the sound in bet.

Au Αυ = how law house however in Demotic becomes af as in after be fore some sounds and av as in have before others.

Ei Ει = the final sound in fiancée or the sound in they or rein but = I in Demotic

Eu Ευ = the sound in belt or new or Spanish ceuta but in Demotic can equal ef as in chef or left and ευχαριστω = efharisto or ev as in ever so that the ancient verb douleuei becomes doolevi.

Oi Οι = the sound in boy or foil or coin but becomes I in demotic so that oikos – house becomes ikos and ανοιγω – open is pronounced anigo.

Ou Ου is the sound in fool or too or bow but in Demotic the sound in moon or boot. Demotic μουσείο = moosio Museum.

Ui υι [yi] the sound in French huit or oui similar to why but I in Demotic.

Double consonants – both letters in pairs ss tt is pronounced.

Gg γγ gk γκ and gk^h γχ = ng αγγελος = angelos – angel αγγλια = anglia England

Note the following orthographic conventions in Demotic

Initial Medial

γκ g g ngg ngk

μπ b b mb mp

ντ d d nd nt

τζ dz

A Note on Breathings and “H”

Aspiration of a vowel or r sound in Ancient Greek was indicated by this sign ‛ over an initial vowel or rho usually the first or second letter of a word however ’ indicated a lack of aspiration. This “h” in the ancient language derives from an earlier k or j sound.

Outos with the “rough” breathing sign ‛ over the u was “howtos” but oios has the smooth breathing sign and so is pronounced oios.

The sound often transliterated as “h” in Demotic Greek texts is a fricative and has a completely different origin in the change of an aspirated k to a fricative, one example of this being the word αρχαια prounounced ark^haia which is now pronounced “arhea”. Many words that had an initial breathing in ancient Greek lack it in Demotic hence heesukhia becoming isihia and hugeia iyia.