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      It's all Greek to me... No, it isn't. Learn how to pronounce words! | Study Greek Jump to content
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      It's all Greek to me... No, it isn't. Learn how to pronounce words!


      panos_gr

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      A really popular phrase which summarizes the difficulty of Greek language...

      But is Greek language that difficult indeed?

      Let's have a look at the pronunciation of vowels, consonants and diphthongs which tend to be somehow tricky for the learner:

      The accent, if written, is placed on the single vowel or the second vowel of the diphthong. If the diaeresis (two dots on top ΪΫϊϋ) is placed on the second, or the accent is on the first, it is not a diphthong. For example, ρολοϊ (clock, from ωρολογιον, whence French horloge) is pronounced roh-LOH-ee.

      VOWELS

      Α αλφα

      as in father πατηρ

      Ε εψιλον

      as in hecto- εκατον

      Η ητα

      as in spleen σπλην

      Ι ιωτα

      same as η, sometimes shorter

      Ο ομικρον

      as in Portuguese dose δοσις

      Υ υψιλον

      same as ι

      Ω ωμεγα

      as in somatic σωματικος

      CONSONANTS

      Β βητα

      as in very

      Γ γαμμα

      voiced version of χ. Before ε or ι, as in yet. Before γ, κ, or χ, as in sink

      Δ δελτα

      as in those

      Ζ ζητα

      as in zone ζωνη

      Θ θητα

      as in thesis θεσις

      Κ καππα

      as in kinetic κινητικος

      Λ λαμβδα

      as in linen λινον

      Μ μυ

      as in mixture μιγμα

      Ν νυ

      as in new νεος

      Ξ ξι

      as in ax αξινη

      Π πι

      as in plasma πλασμα

      Ρ ρω

      as in Spanish reloj ρολοϊ

      Σ σιγμα ς

      as in sack σακκος

      Τ ταυ

      as in type τυπος

      Φ φι

      as in phone φωνη

      Χ χι

      halfway between keel and heel

      Ψ ψι

      as in sepsis σηψις

      DIPHTHONGS

      αι

      like ε, but longer

      αυ

      ahv, as in sovereign, except before a voiceless consonant, in which case ahf

      ει

      as in Keith, same as η

      ευ

      as in several, left

      οι

      same as η

      ου

      as in food

      υι

      same as η

      γγ

      as in anger

      γκ

      as in anger, sink, or go

      γχ

      as in ankh

      μπ

      as in bumble

      ντ

      as in dander

      Hope all these help you out. Enjoy!

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      • 11 months later...
      • 10 months later...

      You seem to be a good teacher. I loved the way you explained it all. I have studied Greek for 2 years at the university and it is a pity I have not used it since 2008, so I forgot almost all of it. What is left is my ability to read, and ask a few questions. Even writing is something I have not stuck to so far. I would love to brush up on my Greek.

      Pose lene? :)

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