Greek Alphabet | Ελληνικό Αλφάβητο

Understanding Greek Letters

The Greek alphabet has 24 letters. You will see it in modern Greek, and also as symbols in math and science. The audio on this page helps you learn the real Greek sounds, not just the “symbol names” you may have seen in school.

Greek also uses common letter pairs (digraphs) that change the sound. You will notice patterns quickly once you practice a few words and replay the audio for tricky sounds.

Pronunciation Guide

Greek pronunciation is easier when you stop reading letters like English. The biggest surprises are that β sounds like v, and δ sounds like “th” in “this”.

English speakers often mix up θ and δ. Think of θ as the “soft th” in “think”, and δ as the “voiced th” in “this”. Another tricky part is χ and γ, which can feel throaty. Copy the audio and keep the sound gentle.

Practice sentences: 1) Θέλω ψωμί. 2) Δεν είναι εδώ. 3) Έχω ένα παιδί. 4) Καινούριο βιβλίο.

Writing Guide

Greek is written left to right. Most letters have clear uppercase and lowercase forms, and some lowercase forms look very different from English (like λ, μ, π).

For tricky letters, write slowly and focus on the main shape first. For example, lowercase β is a loop, and lowercase ξ has a flowing shape. Keep your strokes smooth.

A simple practice plan: write each uppercase letter once, then write the lowercase form three times. Use the chart as your reference, and use the worksheet to build muscle memory.

Learning Tips

Use sound groups. For example, several spellings sound like i (η, ι, υ, ει, οι). That feels confusing at first, but it actually helps reading because your ear guides you.

Use audio every day: listen to a letter, repeat it, then write it. Ten minutes a day is enough to make progress.

Most beginners can learn the letter names in a week and start reading simple words in 2–4 weeks. The most common mistake is guessing the sound of β and γ using English rules.

Greek vs English Alphabet

Greek and English share some familiar-looking letters, but the sounds are not always the same. For example, Greek β is v, and Greek η is i in modern Greek.

Greek also uses digraphs (like ου, αι) that change the sound. English has many digraphs too, but the Greek ones are very common and worth learning early.

Greek letters are also used as symbols in science and math. Learning the Greek alphabet helps you read both Greek words and common symbols you see in textbooks.