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Greek alphabet: all 24 letters and first words

Learn the Greek alphabet: all 24 letters with their Modern Greek sounds and uses in math and science, then 25 first words and phrases.

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Α α

Vowel

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  1. 1
    Α α
    Vowel
    Alpha · a, as in “father”
    αγάπη (aghápi) · love. In math, α often names an angle
  2. 2
    Β β
    Consonant
    Beta · v, as in “van”
    βιβλίο (vivlío) · book. Greeks call the letter víta
  3. 3
    Γ γ
    Consonant
    Gamma · gh, a soft throaty g; y before e and i sounds
    γάτα (gháta) · cat; γυναίκα (yinéka) · woman. In physics, γ rays are high-energy radiation
  4. 4
    Δ δ
    Consonant
    Delta · dh, like the th in “this”
    δέκα (dhéka) · ten. In math and science, Δ means “change in”, as in Δt
  5. 5
    Ε ε
    Vowel
    Epsilon · e, as in “pet”
    εδώ (edhó) · here. In math, ε stands for a very small amount
  6. 6
    Ζ ζ
    Consonant
    Zeta · z, as in “zoo”
    ζωή (zoí) · life
  7. 7
    Η η
    Vowel
    Eta · i, like the ee in “meet”
    ήλιος (ílios) · sun. In engineering, η often stands for efficiency
  8. 8
    Θ θ
    Consonant
    Theta · th, as in “think”
    θάλασσα (thálasa) · sea. In math, θ is the usual name for an angle
  9. 9
    Ι ι
    Vowel
    Iota · i, like the ee in “meet”
    ιστορία (istoría) · history; story. The smallest letter, hence “not one iota”
  10. 10
    Κ κ
    Consonant
    Kappa · k, as in “kite”
    κόσμος (kózmos) · world; people
  11. 11
    Λ λ
    Consonant
    Lambda · l, as in “lamp”
    λεμόνι (lemóni) · lemon. In physics, λ stands for wavelength
  12. 12
    Μ μ
    Consonant
    Mu · m, as in “map”
    μήλο (mílo) · apple. In science, μ means micro-, one millionth: 1 μm is a micrometer
  13. 13
    Ν ν
    Consonant
    Nu · n, as in “net”
    νησί (nisí) · island. The lowercase looks like a Latin v, but sounds n
  14. 14
    Ξ ξ
    Consonant
    Xi · ks, as in “box”
    ξέρω (kséro) · I know
  15. 15
    Ο ο
    Vowel
    Omicron · o, as in “more”
    όνομα (ónoma) · name. Sounds the same as ω
  16. 16
    Π π
    Consonant
    Pi · p, as in “pen”
    πόρτα (pórta) · door. In math, π ≈ 3.14159, a circle’s circumference divided by its diameter
  17. 17
    Ρ ρ
    Consonant
    Rho · r, tapped or rolled
    ρολόι (rolói) · clock; watch. Looks like a Latin P, but sounds r. In physics, ρ often stands for density
  18. 18
    Σ σ
    Consonant
    Sigma · s, as in “sun”
    σπίτι (spíti) · house; home. In math, Σ means “sum of”; in statistics, σ is the standard deviation
  19. 19
    Τ τ
    Consonant
    Tau · t, as in “top”
    τραπέζι (trapézi) · table
  20. 20
    Υ υ
    Vowel
    Upsilon · i, like the ee in “meet”
    ύπνος (ípnos) · sleep. Today ι, η and υ all sound the same
  21. 21
    Φ φ
    Consonant
    Phi · f, as in “fun”
    φίλος (fílos) · friend. In math, φ is the golden ratio, about 1.618
  22. 22
    Χ χ
    Consonant
    Chi · h, like the ch in Scottish “loch”
    χέρι (héri) · hand. Before e and i sounds it’s softer, like the h in “huge”. In statistics, χ² is the chi-squared test
  23. 23
    Ψ ψ
    Consonant
    Psi · ps, as in “lapse”
    ψωμί (psomí) · bread. In physics, ψ is the wave function
  24. 24
    Ω ω
    Vowel
    Omega · o, the same sound as ο
    ώρα (óra) · hour; time. In physics, Ω is the ohm, the unit of electrical resistance
  25. 25
    ς
    Letter form
    Final sigma · s, used only at the end of a word
    δρόμος (dhrómos) · street; road. Anywhere else in a word, sigma is σ
  26. 26
    γεια σου
    Greeting, informal
    ya su · hi; bye
    To one friend. To a stranger or a group: γεια σας (ya sas)
  27. 27
    καλημέρα
    Greeting
    kaliméra · good morning
    Literally “good day”. Used until about midday
  28. 28
    καλησπέρα
    Greeting
    kalispéra · good evening
    Used from late afternoon on
  29. 29
    καληνύχτα
    Farewell
    kaliníhta · good night
    Said when leaving at night or going to bed
  30. 30
    αντίο
    Farewell
    andío · goodbye
    A more final goodbye; γεια σου is the everyday way to say bye
  31. 31
    ευχαριστώ
    Phrase
    efharistó · thank you
    ευ sounds “ef” here. Ευχαριστώ πολύ (efharistó polí) · thank you very much
  32. 32
    παρακαλώ
    Phrase
    parakaló · please; you’re welcome
    Also the reply to ευχαριστώ, and “can I help you?” in shops
  33. 33
    ναι
    Word
    ne · yes
    Sounds like “neh”, which English speakers easily mistake for “no”
  34. 34
    όχι
    Word
    óhi · no
    The χ before ι is soft, like the h in “huge”
  35. 35
    συγγνώμη
    Phrase
    sighnómi · sorry; excuse me
    For apologizing or getting someone’s attention. Also spelled συγνώμη
  36. 36
    Τι κάνεις;
    Question, informal
    ti kánis? · how are you?
    Polite or plural: Τι κάνετε; (ti kánete?). Greek writes its question mark as ;
  37. 37
    καλά
    Word
    kalá · well; fine
    A common reply: Καλά, ευχαριστώ (kalá, efharistó) · fine, thanks
  38. 38
    Με λένε…
    Phrase
    me léne… · my name is…
    Literally “they call me…”: Με λένε Μαρία
  39. 39
    Χαίρω πολύ
    Phrase
    héro polí · nice to meet you
    Literally “I’m very glad”. αι sounds like e
  40. 40
    Δεν καταλαβαίνω
    Phrase
    dhen katalavéno · I don’t understand
    Δεν (dhen) makes a verb negative: καταλαβαίνω · I understand
  41. 41
    Μιλάτε αγγλικά;
    Question
    miláte angliká? · do you speak English?
    γγ sounds like the ng in “finger”. Informal: Μιλάς αγγλικά; (milás angliká?)
  42. 42
    Πόσο κάνει;
    Question
    póso káni? · how much is it?
    Literally “how much does it make?”
  43. 43
    Πού είναι…;
    Question
    pu íne…? · where is…?
    Πού είναι η τουαλέτα; (pu íne i tualéta?) · where is the toilet? The accent tells πού, “where?”, from που, “that”
  44. 44
    εντάξει
    Word
    endáksi · OK; all right
    ντ sounds like d or nd
  45. 45
    ωραία
    Word
    oréa · nice; lovely; great
    Πολύ ωραία (polí oréa) · very nice
  46. 46
    νερό
    Word
    neró · water
    Ένα νερό, παρακαλώ (éna neró, parakaló) · a water, please
  47. 47
    καφές
    Word
    kafés · coffee
    Ελληνικός καφές (elinikós kafés) · Greek coffee
  48. 48
    σήμερα
    Word
    símera · today
    Σήμερα είναι Δευτέρα (símera íne dheftéra) · today is Monday
  49. 49
    αύριο
    Word
    ávrio · tomorrow
    Τα λέμε αύριο (ta léme ávrio) · see you tomorrow
  50. 50
    Ελλάδα
    Word
    Eládha · Greece
    ελληνικά (eliniká) · the Greek language

Frequently asked questions

Is this ancient or modern Greek?

Modern Greek. The letters are the same, but some sounds have changed: β is now v, δ is the th in “this”, and η and υ sound like i. Math and science use the same letters, usually with their English names.

Why do the words have accent marks?

Greek marks the stressed syllable of every word with two or more syllables. One-syllable words go without, apart from a few like πού, “where?”, where the accent tells two words apart.

Why do ι, η and υ sound the same?

Over the centuries they merged into one sound, the ee in “meet”, and so did ει and οι. Likewise ο and ω both sound o, and αι sounds like ε. Spelling keeps the old distinctions.

How do the pronunciation guides work?

They spell Greek as it sounds: v for β, gh or y for γ, dh for δ, h for χ, and i for ι, η and υ, with an accent on the stressed vowel.

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