Learn the Greek alphabet and how to read Greek

Vocabulum is a Telegram app for learning the Greek alphabet from scratch: all 24 letters, their names and pronunciation. Audio exercises help you distinguish letters, read letter combinations and count syllables.

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Inside the app

Greek alphabet in Vocabulum with letter names and pronunciation — Start with letters and sounds, then move on to reading rules. Each Greek letter name comes with pronunciation guidance.

The 24 letters of the Greek alphabet

We continue to develop the alphabet and reading section with more word examples and practice with sounds, letter combinations and syllables, and clearer explanations.

Many Greek letters look familiar, but their sounds differ: β is [v], while η, ι and υ represent [i]. Outside γγ, γκ and γχ, γ before [e] and [i] has a soft sound, close to y in “yes”. The table shows each letter, its Greek name and pronunciation.

The Greek alphabet: letters, names and sounds
Letter	Name	How it is read
Α α	άλφα alpha	[a] as an independent vowel
Β β	βήτα vita	[v]
Γ γ	γάμα gamma	[gh] before α, ο, ω, ου [y] before ε, αι and before ι, η, υ, ει, οι, υι
Δ δ	δέλτα delta	[th] as in «this»
Ε ε	έψιλον epsilon	[e] when it is not part of ει
Ζ ζ	ζήτα zita	[z]
Η η	ήτα ita	[i]
Θ θ	θήτα thita	[th] as in «think»
Ι ι	γιώτα iota	[i] as a vowel in a word
Κ κ	κάπα kappa	[k] before the [a] and [o] sounds [k] soft before the [e] and [i] sounds
Λ λ	λάμδα lamda	[l] the usual reading [ly] before unstressed [i] plus a vowel
Μ μ	μι mi	[m] when it is not part of μπ
Ν ν	νι ni	[n] when it is not part of ντ
Ξ ξ	ξι ksi	[ks]
Ο ο	όμικρον omikron	[o] when it is not part of οι or ου
Π π	πι pi	[p] when it is not part of μπ
Ρ ρ	ρο ro	[r]
Σ σ/ς	σίγμα sigma	[s] the usual reading outside τσ [z] before a voiced consonant
Τ τ	ταυ taf	[t] when it is not part of ντ, τσ or τζ
Υ υ	ύψιλον ipsilon	[i] outside the pairs αυ and ευ
Φ φ	φι fi	[f]
Χ χ	χι chi	[kh] before α, ο, ω, ου [kh] soft before ε, αι and before ι, η, υ, ει, οι, υι
Ψ ψ	ψι psi	[ps]
Ω ω	ωμέγα omega	[o]

How to read Greek: letter combinations

Some sounds are written with two letters, and some letters change their sound next to others. ου is [u], αι is [e], and ει and οι are [i]. The combination μπ is [b] at the start of a word and usually [mb] within it.

Σ has two lowercase forms: σ within a word and ς at the end. In words of more than one syllable, an accent marks the stressed vowel, as in καφές.

Letter combinations and how they are read
Combination	How it is read
αι	[e] plain αι [ai] in loanwords such as τσάι and Κάιρο [a-i] with a diaeresis in αϊ
αυ	[av] before a voiced consonant or a vowel [af] before a voiceless consonant or at the end of a word
ει	[i] plain ει [ei] in loanwords such as μέιλ and κέικ [e-i] with a diaeresis in εϊ
ευ	[ev] before a voiced consonant or a vowel [ef] before a voiceless consonant or at the end of a word
οι	[i] plain οι [oi] in the word ρολόι [o-i] with a diaeresis in οϊ
ου	[u]
γχ	[nkh] before the [a] and [o] sounds [nkh] soft before the [e] and [i] sounds
γγ	[ng] before [a], [o], or a consonant [ng] soft before the [e] and [i] sounds
γκ	[g] at the start of a word [g] soft word-initially before [e] and [i] [ng] inside a word [ng] soft inside a word before [e] and [i]
μπ	[b] at the start of a word [mb] inside a word
ντ	[d] at the start of a word [nd] inside a word
τσ	[ts]
τζ	[dz]
γι	[y] in γι before a vowel
ια	one syllable: [ya] / [yo] the stress is not on ι two syllables: [i-a] / [i-o] the stress is on ι (ία, ίο)

Alphabet and reading exercises

The alphabet track is made of short exercises with audio:

name a letter and match uppercase and lowercase letters;
find a sound in a word;
listen to a word and choose the letter or combination you hear;
count the syllables in a word;
sort words by how a combination sounds in them.

After a mistake you see the rule that applies and how the word is read. Example words come from the dictionary with their audio and translation, so reading practice builds your vocabulary at the same time.

If you are new to Greek

Begin with the letters, then add the Base collection of Greek words: its words use the same letters and sounds, so reading practice continues in every session. If you can already read Greek, the app checks which words you know on the first launch and suggests where to start.

Questions about the alphabet

How many letters are in the Greek alphabet?

24. Seven of them are vowels: α, ε, η, ι, ο, υ and ω. Several sounds are written with two letters, for example ου [u] and μπ [b].

Does the alphabet track have audio?

Yes. Every letter and every example word has a recording, and you can listen as many times as you need.

Is the alphabet track free?

Yes. All learning sections and exercises are free.

Learn the Greek letters in Telegram

Open Vocabulum, start the alphabet track and read your first Greek words today.

Open in Telegram

Learn the Greek alphabet and how to read Greek

Inside the app

The 24 letters of the Greek alphabet

How to read Greek: letter combinations

Alphabet and reading exercises

If you are new to Greek

Questions about the alphabet

How many letters are in the Greek alphabet?

Does the alphabet track have audio?

Is the alphabet track free?

See also

Learn Greek vocabulary with spaced repetition

Everyday Greek phrases and A2 exam practice

Learn the Greek letters in Telegram

Website analytics

Learn the Greek alphabet and how to read Greek

Inside the app

The 24 letters of the Greek alphabet

How to read Greek: letter combinations

Alphabet and reading exercises

If you are new to Greek

Questions about the alphabet

How many letters are in the Greek alphabet?

Does the alphabet track have audio?

Is the alphabet track free?

See also

Learn Greek vocabulary with spaced repetition

Everyday Greek phrases and A2 exam practice

Learn the Greek letters in Telegram