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The Paxos Travel Guide

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3 - The Greek Alphabet

column topLearn The Greek Alphabet
column topLet us Try To Speak Some Greek!

Back to Top of 3 - The Greek Alphabet PageLearn The Greek Alphabet





Before you visit Greece, why not learn some Greek? Sofri, from the Agni Travel office is here to help and has 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 speech:

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)

In the next newsletter, Sofri will be building on your new Greek skills, helping you communicate with the locals. having a clear grasp of the above is most important though.

If you have any questions or comments concerning this Greek lesson, please follow this thread in our forum: Learning the Greek Alphabet
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Back to Top of 3 - The Greek Alphabet PageLet us Try To Speak Some Greek!


You are heading out from Corfu airport and see the above 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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