The Greek Alphabet
For reference, this table shows the complete Greek alphabet, including both upper and lower-case letters, with their classical names as used in math and science classes or by fraternities and sororities, followed by a representation (in parentheses, and written for English-speakers) of the way modern Greeks pronounce them. At the right you can see the sound or sounds that each letter stands for. A few explanatory notes are down at the bottom. I didn’t put stress marks on any of the modern Greek letter names except the last one, oméga. That’s the only letter whose name doesn’t have the stress on the first syllable.
Letter
Name
Sound
Α
α
Alpha (ahlfa)
[ah]
Β
β
Beta (veeta)
[v]
Γ
γ
Gamma (ghahma)
[gh], or [y] as in yoyo
See note 1 below.
Δ
δ
Delta (thelta)
[th] as in then
See note 2.
Ε
ε
Epsilon (epsilon)
[eh] as in met
Ζ
ζ
Zeta (zeeta)
[z]
Η
η
Eta (eeta)
[ee]
Θ
θ
Theta (theeta)
[th] as in thin
Ι
ι
Iota (yota)
[ee]
Κ
κ
Kappa (kahpa)
[k]
Λ
λ
Lambda (lahmtha)
[l]
Μ
μ
Mu (mee)
[m]
Ν
ν
Nu (nee)
[n]
Ξ
ξ
Xi (ksee)
[ks]
Ο
ο
Omicron (omikron)
[oh]
Π
π
Pi (pee)
[p]
Ρ
ρ
Rho (ro)
[r]
Σ
σ, ς
Sigma (sighma)
[s]
See note 3.
Τ
τ
Tau (tahf)
[t]
Υ
υ
Upsilon (eepsilon)
[ee], [f], or [v]
See note 4.
Φ
φ
Phi (fee)
[f]
Χ
χ
Chi (chee)
[ch] as in chutzpah
See note 2.
Ψ
ψ
Psi (psee)
[ps]
Ω
ω
Omega (oméhga)
[oh]
Notes
1)
In this table, [gh] stands for the "rough g" sound described in the Pronunciation Guide. The letter γ is also pronounced like English y—the consonant, not the vowel—but only when it comes immediately before the [ee] or the [eh] sound. In all other positions, it's pronounced [g]. For example, the Greek name Giórgos ('George') is pronounced “Yórghos,” although there’s also a more conservative spelling, Giórgeos, which is pronounced "Yóryos.”
2)
In this table, [th] is underlined when it’s the version you hear in then and bathe. The voiceless version heard in thin and bath is unmarked. I've also underlined [ch] as a reminder that it‘s not the English sound, although there’s no other Greek sound to get it confused with.
3)
In the lower case, ς is written at the end of a word, but σ in any other position. (There’s no upper case equivalent: Σ is used everywhere.)
4)
When υ comes immediately after α or ε, it’s pronounced [f] or [v], depending on whether or not the next sound is voiced. For example, ελευθερία ('freedom') is pronounced "eleftherEEa" because the sound of theta (θ) doesn’t involve the vocal cords. But rho (ρ) does, so Euro is pronounced “Evro,” not “Efro.” In any other position, the sound of υ is always [ee].