Modern Greek Grammar

Konstantinos Athanasiou

1. The Greek alphabet - Το ελληνικό αλθάβηηο

Capital letters
Α (άιθα)
Β (βήηα)
Γ (γάκα)
Γ (δέιηα)
Δ (έςηινλ)
Ε (δήηα)
Ζ (ήηα)
Θ (ζήηα)
Η (γηώηα)
Κ (θάπα)
Λ (ιάκδα)
Μ (κη)
Ν (λη)
Ξ (μη)
Ο (όκηθξνλ)
Π (πη)
Ρ (ξν)
΢ (ζίγκα)
Σ (ηαπ)
Τ (ύςηινλ)
Φ (θη)
Υ (ρη)
Φ (ςη)
Χ (σκέγα)
Small letters Pronunciation
α a
β v
γ gh*(before a,o,oo) y(before e, i)
δ th (as in this)
ε e
δ z
ε i
ζ th (as in think)
η i
θ k
ι l
κ m
λ n
μ x
ν o
π p
ξ r
ζ, s (at the end of words) s
η t
π i
θ f
ρ ch
ς ps
σ o

* the sound gh is similar to the very first sound of w in words as woman, why.

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microfilm or any other means without written permission from the author Konstantinos Athanasiou.
 Modern Greek Grammar
Konstantinos Athanasiou

1.1 Vowels and consonants – Φωνήενηα και ζύμθωνα

Vowels - Φωνήενηα Consonants - Σύμθωνα
Letters and pronunciation Letters and pronunciation
α a β v
ε e γ gh (before a, o, oo, the sound gh is
η, ε, π i similar to the very first sound of w in words as
ν, σ o woman, why) y (before e, i)
δ (as in this)
δ z
ζ (as in think)
θ k
ι l
κ m
λ n
μ x
π p
ξ r
ζ, ο s
η t
θ f
ρ ch
ς ps

1.2 Vowel- and consonantcombinations – Δίψηθα θωνήενηα, ζυνδυαζμοί και δίψηθα ζύμθωνα
Vowelcombinations - Δίψηθα Φωνήενηα και Consonantcombinations - Δίψηθα ζύμθωνα
ζυνδυαζμοί
Combinations and pronunciation Combinations and pronunciation
αη e κπ b, mb, mp
εη i λη d, nd, nt
νη i γθ g (as in go), ng, nk
νπ oo (as in good) γγ g (as in go)
απ av or af ηζ ts
απ ev or ef ηδ dz

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced in digital form or any other form, by print, photoprint,
microfilm or any other means without written permission from the author Konstantinos Athanasiou.
 Modern Greek Grammar
Konstantinos Athanasiou

1.3 Common abbreviations

άγ. St (Saint) ζεκ. note
αη. c (century) ζηξ. 1000 m²
βι. see ηει. tel
γξακκ. gm (gram(s)) ηόλ. ton (1000 kg)
δει. i.e. (id est, that is) η.κ. m², square metre
εθ. cm (centimetre) ΤΓ. PS (Postscript)
θ. Mr., Mrs. ργξ. kg (kilogram)
θ.ά. et al. (et alia, and others) ρηι. mille, thousand
Κ.Γ. N.T. (New Testament) ρκ. km (kilometre)
θηι. etc.
Κνο, Κα Mr., Mrs. Cardinal directions
ι.γ. e.g. (exempli gratia, for example) Α E
κ.κ. p.m. (post meridiem, after noon) Β N
κ.Υ. AD (anno domini) Γ W
Π.Γ. O.T. (Old Testament) Ν S
π.κ. a.m. (ante meridiem, before noon) ΒΑ NE
π.ρ. e.g. (exempli gratia, for example) ΒΓ NW
π.Υ. BC (before Christ) ΝΑ SE
ζ. p (page) ΝΓ SW

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced in digital form or any other form, by print, photoprint,
microfilm or any other means without written permission from the author Konstantinos Athanasiou.