1st Lesson / The Greek Alphabet
Hello everyone!
This is my first lesson and it is about Greek alphabet!
Enjoy it!
Greek alphabet
Α α (alpha) sounds like /a/ in the word apple ex. άνεμος /anemos/
Β β (vita) sounds like /v/ in the word vet ex. βάση /vasi/
Γ γ (ghama) sounds like /y/ in the word year when it is followed by e or i ex γεμίζω /yemizo/ or like /gh/ in the word
when it is followed by a or o ex. μεγάλος /meghalos/
Δ δ (thelta) sounds like /th/ in the word there ex. δέμα /thema/
Ε ε (epsilon) sounds like /e/ in the word elephant ex. έλα /ela/
Ζ ζ /zita/ sounds like /z/ in the word zebra ex. ζωή /zoi/
Η η /ita/ sounds like /i/ in the word slim ex. Ηρακλής /Iraklis/
Θ θ /thita/ sounds like /th/ in the word thing ex. θάλασσα /thalassa/
Ι ι /yiota/ sounds like /i/ in the word slim ex. ιερέας /iereas/
Κ κ /kapa/ sounds like /k/ in the word key when followed by
sounds /e/ and /i/ ex. κερί /keri/
and /k/ as in lock before a consonant or a sound other than /e/ and /i/
Λ λ /lamδa/ sounds like /l/ in the word light ex. λάμπα /lamba/
Μ μ /mi/ sounds like /m/ in the word mum ex. μαμά /mama/
Ν ν /ni/ sounds like /n/ in the word noun ex. νερό /nero/
Ξ ξ /ksi/ sounds like /ks/ or /x/ in the word anxiety ex. ξανά /ksana/
Ο ο /omikron/ sounds like /o/ in the word lesson ex. νερό /nero/
Π π /pi/ sounds like /p/ in the word grandpa ex. πέτρα /petra/
Ρ ρ /ro/ sounds like /r/ in the word river ex. σοβαρός /sovaros/
Σ σ ς /sighma/ sounds like /c/ in the word city or /s/ in the word
serious ex. σαράντα /saranda/
Τ τ /taf/ sounds like /t/ in the word today ex. τώρα /tora/
Υ υ /ipsilon/ sounds like /i/ in the word slim ex. ύστερα /istera/
Φ φ /fi/ sounds like /f/ in the word fat ex. φορά /fora/
Χ χ /hi/sounds like /h/ in the word happy ex. χαρά /xara/
Ψ ψ /psi/sounds like /ps/ in the word pepsi ex. ψάρι /psari/
Ω ω /omegha/ sounds like /o/ in the word onion ex. ώρα /ora/
VOWELS / ΦΩΝΗΕΝΤΑ
In greek language are used both simple and two- letter vowels.
So, as you saw in the alphabet, simple vowels are:
Α α /a/ , Ε ε /e/ , Η η /i/ , Ι ι /i/, Ο ο /o/, Υ υ /i/ , Ω ω /o/
And two – letter vowels ( Δίψηφα)
ει, οι sounds like /i/ in the word slim
αι sounds like /e/ in the word pen
ου sounds like /u/ in the word lure
So, we have
ι, η, υ, ει, οι sound like /i/
ε, αι sound like /e/
ο, ω sound like /o/
CONSONANTS/ ΣΥΜΦΩΝΑ
Also, there are two-letter consonants:
μπ sounds like /b/ in the word baby when a vowel follows ex.
μπαμπάς /babas/
and like /mb/ when it is followed by a consonant γαμπρός
/ghambros/
ντ sounds like /d/ in the word dad when a vowel follows ex.
ντύσιμο /disimo/ and like /nd/ when it is in the middle of the
word ex. έντερο / endero/
γκ sounds like /g/ when it is in the beginning of the word or when a vowel follows ex. γκαρίζω /garizo/ and /ng/ ex. ζούγκλα
/zungla/ . There is also this combination: γγ. It sounds the
same but it is used in different words. Ex. φεγγάρι /fegari/ ,
αγγούρι /agouri/ or /angouri/
τζ sounds like /j/ in the word jar ex. τζάμι /jami/
τσ sounds like /ch/ in the word cherry ex. τσίρκο /tsirko/
Please send me your comments or your questions below or to my facebook page: Do you speak Greek?
Alexandra