Why not
make a new year's resolution to learn some Greek? Sofri
is here to help and have prepared the following useful
lesson that will enable you to read any Greek. Next all
you will have to do is understand what it means!
Let's start by listening the whole Greek
Alphabet.
Click this icon to hear the whole Greek
Alphabet:
|
Letter |
Sound
|
Phonetic Pronunciation
(The accent or stress is in bold) |
|
|
A-lpha |
|
|
Vee-ta |
|
|
Ga-ma |
|
|
De-lta
(De like the) |
|
|
E-psee-lon |
|
|
Zee-ta |
|
|
Ee-ta
(not like ETA, but like the 'e' in 'she') |
|
|
Thee-ta |
|
|
Yio-ta
(Yi like Y in 'yacht' ending like an
o not an a) |
|
|
Ka-pa
(The K not stressed!) |
|
|
Lam-v-tha |
|
|
Mee |
|
|
Nee |
|
|
Ksee |
|
|
O-mee-kron |
|
|
Pee
(do not stress the P) |
|
|
Ro
(like in row without the 'w') |
|
|
Seeg-ma |
|
|
Taff
(do not stress the T) |
|
|
Ee-psee-lon |
|
|
Fee |
|
|
Hee
('H' like in 'hand') |
|
|
Psee |
|
|
O-me-ga |
The
only way to learn Greek, is to read and write. Follow
this link:
Greek
Alphabet - print out the page, then for each letter,
write it ten times in both 'capital and small case', while
saying it out loud. Refer to the sounds above recorded by Sofri
to ensure that your pronunciation is correct. Then repeat the
exercise another 5 times!
Exceptions: Double Vowels
See how easy it is? Well there is a minor
complication. Greek words which have the following
combination of vowels, are pronounced slightly
differently. Double vowels are pronounced as one
sound. However the double vowel rule is not applicable
(an exception) if the first vowel is accented or the
second is double toned. In this case the vowels are
pronounced as normal.
|
Double vowel |
Pronounced
like |
Exceptions
(double toned) |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
The ‘oo’ in ‘too’
|
 |
|
 |
Like ‘av’ in ‘average’
or
like ‘af’ in ‘after’ (depends on context)
|
 |
|
 |
Like ‘ev’ in ‘ever’
or
like ‘ef’ in ‘effect’ (depends on context)
|
 |
What Next?
Let's learn some useful Greek phrases so that we do not get caught out
while on holiday!
Keep these handy little phrases close to hand and we
will have you ordering at a taverna in no time!
Learn Greek: Useful Phrases
|
Now, let's Try!
You are heading out from
Corfu airport and see this sign:
Remember, the accent
is the vowel that has the 'tick' above. It is the part
of the word that needs to be stressed, and this is done
by the raising of your voice at that point. Try
pronouncing the above two Greek words. Try on your own
first, but do not worry as Sofri is here to help:
Center:
Port:
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|
