Pronunciation of modern Greek

The pronunciation of modern Greek has remained practically unchanged since the end of the 10th century. (Texts in this language level have been appearing since around the year 1100.) It is relatively uniform, with the exception of a few exceptions, the pronunciation is clear from the text written with the Greek alphabet . For this, however, knowledge of a few rules is required, since many of the consonant letters in particular are implemented in several pronunciation variants. Conversely, modern Greek orthography is difficult because, apart from the accent, the ancient Greek spelling has largely been retained and many sounds that are spoken in the same way are represented by different graphemes .

Vowels

The five Greek vowels are expressed by numerous letters and letter combinations. All vowels are always pronounced briefly, / i / and / u / are always closed in contrast to German. When connecting two vowel letters, a trema (¨) on the second letter or the accent on the first vowel mark indicates that the two letters must be pronounced separately.

Letter (s)	Sound value	description	example
α	[ a ]	as in German M a sse	β ά ρκ α [ ˈvarka ] ' barque '
αυ	[ av ]	before vowels and voiced consonants: as in German H aw aii	αύ ριο [ ˈavriɔ ] 'tomorrow'
	[ af ]	before voiceless consonants: as in dt. h af th	αυ τοκίνητο [ aftɔˈkʲinitɔ ] 'car'
άι, άη, αϊ, αϋ	[ ai ]	before voiceless consonants: as in Italian m ai	τσ άι [ tsai ] 'tea' Δαν άη [ ðaˈnai ] 'Danae' αϋ πνία [ aiˈpnia ] 'insomnia π αϊ δάκι [ paiˈðaʲkʲi ]' ribs'
ε αι, αί	[ ɛ ]	as in German F e st	μ έ ρα [ ˈmɛra ] ‚day γυν αί κα [ ʝiˈnɛka ]‚ woman '
ευ	[ ev ]	before vowels and voiced consonants: as in German L ev el	Εύ βοια [ ˈɛvia ] 'Euboea' παρασκ ευ ή [ paraskʲɛˈvi ] 'Friday'
	[ ef ]	before voiceless consonants: as in German h ef tig	ευ χαριστώ [ ɛfxariˈstɔ ] 'thank you'
έι, εϊ	[ ɛi ]	as in dt. h ey !	θ εϊ κός [ θɛiˈkɔs ] 'divine' κ έι κ [ ˈkʲɛik ] 'cake'
ει, η, ι οι, υ, υι	[ i ]	closed i, but short: as in German m i nutiös	παράν οι α, [ paˈrania ] 'Paranoia' υ γ ιει ν ή [ iʝiiˈni ] 'Hygiene' υι οθετώ, [ iɔθɛˈtɔ ] 'adopt'
	[ j ]	before vowels in words of vernacular origin: as in German Miss i on	αδ ει άζω [ aˈðjazɔ ] 'empty' π ι άνο [ ˈpjanɔ ] 'piano'
ηυ ( Katharevousa )	[ if ]	before voiceless consonants: as in German na iv	δι ηύ θηνα [ ðiˈifθina ] 'I directed'
ο, ω	[ ɔ ]	as in dt. H o opening	πρ ώ τ ο ς [ ˈprɔtɔs ] 'first'
όι, οϊ	[ ɔi ]	Combination of open o and closed i : as in B oi ler	κορ όι δο [ kɔˈrɔiðɔ ] 'mocked' οϊ μωγή [ ɔimɔˈʝi ] 'wail'
ου	[ u ]	closed u, but short: as in German M u latte	λ ου λ ού δι, [ luˈluði ] 'flower'
	[ w ]	in transcriptions from English: like English. Wh isky	ου ίσκι, [ ˈwiski ] 'whiskey'

Consonants

Modern Greek is characterized by a large number of fricative elements, which can also be combined to form consonant combinations that are sometimes unusual in German. The vowel following the consonant is often important for pronunciation: Many consonants are pronounced “lighter” or “softer” before the “light” vowels [ i ] and [ ɛ ] than before the “dark” vowels [ a ], [ ɔ ] and [ u ]. Another peculiarity of Greek are the palatalized sounds [kʲ], [gʲ], [lʲ] and [nʲ] that arise in front of “light” vowels , in which after the articulation of the consonant the tongue lifts slightly towards the soft palate, whereby a hinted j -Loud emerges (the latter two only after being merged with [i] in popular words). Modern Greek also knows numerous Sandhi phenomena, in which two successive sounds, also at the word fugue, are tonally similar. For the pronunciation of many consonants, the sound environment in which they are located is decisive. For Germans, it is also unusual that consecutive words are not separated from each other, but rather connected aurally.

Letter (s)	Sound value	description	example
μ	[ m ]	like the German m	μ ήτρα [ ˈmitra ] 'womb'
	[ ɱ ]	before [ v ] and [ f ]: an m with the upper incisors on the lower lip	α μφ ιβολία [ aɱfivɔˈlia ] ‚doubt έ μβ ολο [ ˈɛɱvɔlɔ ]‚ cones
μπ	[ b ]	at the beginning of the word: like the German b	μπ αίνω [ ˈbɛnɔ ] 'enter'
	[ mb ] or [ b ]	in full and at the end of the word: as in German Ma mb a or A b end	έ μπ ορος [ ˈɛmbɔrɔs ] or [ ˈɛbɔrɔs ] 'trader'
	[ mp ]	in a few foreign words: like German mp with bare p	κά μπ ιγκ [ ˈkampiŋ (g) ] 'Camping'
π	[ p ]	always unaspirated, such as in dt. O p tik	π α π άς [ paˈpas ] 'pastor'
	[ b ]	at the beginning of the word after words that end in / -n /: like the German b	δεν π ειράζει [ ðɛmbiˈrazi ] 'doesn't matter '
β	[ v ]	like the German w	β ορράς [ vɔˈras ] 'north'
φ	[ f ]	like the German f	φ έρνω [ ˈfɛrnɔ ] ‚wear
ν	[ n ]	like the German n	Κί ν α [ ˈkʲina ] 'China'
	[ m ]	at the end of the word before words beginning with μ, π, μπ and ψ: like a fleetingly pronounced German m	δε ν πειράζει [ ðɛmbiˈrazi ] 'does nothing'
	[ ɱ ]	at the end of the word before words beginning with β and φ: an m with the incisors on the lower lip	στη ν Φινλανδία [ stiɱfinlanˈðia ] ‚in Finland '
	[ ŋ ]	at the end of the word before words beginning with γκ, κ and ξ: like a fleetingly pronounced German ng	στη ν Κίνα [ stiŋˈgʲina ] ‚in China '
ν + unbet. / i /	[ nʲ ]	before [ a ], [ ɔ ] and [ u ]: as in Italian si gn ora , Spanish se ñ ora	λεμο νι ά, [ lɛmɔˈnʲa ] 'lemon tree'
	[ ni ]	before [ a ], [ ɔ ] and [ u ] in words learned origin: as dt. A ni on	παρά νοι α [ paˈrania ] 'paranoia'
ντ	[ d ]	at the beginning of the word: like the German d	ντ ύνω [ ˈdinɔ ] 'to attract'
	[ d ] or [ nd ]	inside and at the end of the word: like German A d el or a nd ers	α ντ ί [ aˈdi ] or [ aˈndi ] 'instead of'
τ	[ t ]	always unaspirated, such as in Germany. Be tt ler	τ έ τ ανος [ ˈtɛtanɔs ] 'Tetanus'
	[ d ]	at the beginning of the word after words that end in / -n /: like the German d	εν τ άξει [ εnˈdaksi ] 'okay'
δ	[ ð ]	as in engl. th is	δ ουλειά [ ðuˈlʲa ] 'work'
θ	[ θ ]	as in engl. th ing	θ ύμα [ ˈθima ] 'victim'
κ	[ k ]	before [ a ], [ ɔ ], [ u ], and consonants . unaspirated always, such as in dt a k tiv	κ άτι, [ ˈkati ] 'something'
	[ kʲ ]	before [ i ] and [ ɛ ]: similar to the sequence of letters “ckch” in German Pä ckch en	κύ μα, [ ˈkʲima ] 'wave'
	[ g ]	before [ a ], [ ɔ ], [ u ] and consonants at the beginning of the word after most words that end in / -n /: like the German g	στην κ αρδιά [ stiɳgarˈðja ] 'in the heart'
	[ gʲ ]	before [ i ] and [ ɛ ] at the beginning of the word after words that end in / -n /: palatalized [ g ], something like German g + j	τον κ ήπο [ tɔŋˈgʲipɔ ] 'the garden'
γ	[ ɣ ]	before [ a ], [ ɔ ], [ u ] and consonants: like a voiced [x], Berlin [ ˈvaːɣən ] "Wagen"	γ άλα [ ˈɣala ] 'milk' γ λυκός [ ɣliˈkɔs ] 'sweet'
	[ ʝ ]	before [ i ] and [ ɛ ]: like German j , but with clear friction on the palate	γ υναίκα [ ʝiˈnɛka ] 'woman'
γ (ι) 1	[ ʝ ]	before [ a ], [ ɔ ] and [ u ]: like German j , but with clear friction on the palate	γι ατί [ ʝaˈti ] 'why' Γυ άρος [ ˈʝarɔs ] ' Gyaros ' γει α [ ʝa ] 'hello', 'bye'
γγ	[ g ] or [ ŋg ]	before [ a ], [ ɔ ], [ u ] and consonants: like German Ma g en or Ma ng o	α γγ ούρι [ aˈguri ] or [ aˈŋguri ] 'cucumber' exception: συ γγ νώμη [ siˈɣnɔmi ] 'sorry'
	[ gʲ ] or [ ŋgʲ ]	before [ i ] and [ ɛ ]: roughly like German g + j	α γγί ζω [ agʲiˈzɔ ] or [ aŋgʲiˈzɔ ] 'touch'
γκ	[ g ]	before [ a ], [ ɔ ], [ u ] and consonants at the beginning of the word: like the German g	γκ ολ [ gɔl ] '(football) goal' γκ λαβανή [ glavaˈni ] 'trap door'
	[ g ] or [ ŋg ]	before [ a ], [ ɔ ], [ u ] and consonants inside the word: like German Ma g en or Ma ng o	α γκ ώνας [ aˈgɔnas ] or [ aŋˈgɔnas ] 'elbow'
	[ gʲ ]	before [ i ] and [ ɛ ] at the beginning of the word: similar to German g + j	γκ ίνια [ ˈgʲinʲa ] 'bad luck'
	[ gʲ ] or [ ŋgʲ ]	before [ i ] and [ ɛ ] inside the word: similar to German ng + g + j or g + j	α γκι νάρα [ agʲiˈnara ] or [ aŋgʲiˈnara ] 'artichoke'
γγι	[ ŋgʲ ] or [ gʲ ]	before [⁠ a ⁠] , [⁠ ɔ ⁠] and [⁠ u ⁠] : similar to dt. ng + g + j or g + j	αστροφε γγι ά [ astrofeŋˈgʲa ] or [ astrofeˈgʲa ], starlight
γκι	[ gʲ ]	before [⁠ a ⁠] , [⁠ ɔ ⁠] and [⁠ u ⁠] on letters: similar to dt. g + j	γκι ώνης [ ˈgʲɔnis ] ' owl '
	[ gʲ ] or [ ŋgʲ ]	before [⁠ a ⁠] , [⁠ ɔ ⁠] and [⁠ u ⁠] in the word inside: similar to dt. ng + g + j or g + j
γχ	[ ŋx ]	before [ a ], [ ɔ ], [ u ] and consonants: like German ng + ch (in "ach")	σύ γχ ρονος [ ˈsiŋxrɔnɔs ] 'modern'
	[ ŋç ]	before [ i ] and [ ɛ ]: like German ng + ch (in "I")	συ γχ αίρω [ siŋˈçεrɔ ] 'congratulate'
χ	[ x ]	before [⁠ a ⁠] , [⁠ ɔ ⁠] , [⁠ u ⁠] and consonant and end of the word: . dt as in a ch	χ αρά [ xaˈra ] 'joy' Αλλά χ [ aˈlax ] 'Allah'
	[ ç ]	before [ i ] and [ ɛ ]: as in German i ch	χ ημεία [ çiˈmia ] ‚chemistry '
χι	[ ç ]	before [⁠ a ⁠] , [⁠ ɔ ⁠] and [⁠ u ⁠] : as in dt. i ch	χ ιόνι [ ˈçɔni ] 'snow'
λ	[ l ]	like the German l	λ έξη [ ˈlεksi ] 'word'
λ + unbet. [ i ]	[ lʲ ]	before [⁠ a ⁠] , [⁠ ɔ ⁠] and [⁠ u ⁠] : how ital. fami gli a	λι ακάδα [ lʲaˈkaða ] 'sunshine'
	[ li ]	before [⁠ a ⁠] , [⁠ ɔ ⁠] and [⁠ u ⁠] in words learned origin. like German L i ane	λει αίνω [ liˈεnɔ ] 'smooth'
ρ	[ r ]	tongue rolled r	βά ρ κα [ ˈvarka ] ' barque '
	[ ɾ ]	occasionally before vowels: tongue-rolled r with a stop	ρ ύζι [ ˈɾizi ] 'rice'
σ (-ς)	[ s ]	The voiceless Greek / s / sound is a bit “darker” than the German one and tends towards [ ɕ ] or the German / sh / ([ ʃ ]).	σ υ σ τήμα [ siˈstima ] 'system'
	[ z ]	before [ v ], [ ð ], [ ɣ ], [ b ], [ m ], before [ r ] optional; at the end of the word before words beginning with a voiced consonant: voiced s as in German Ro s e	πολιτι σμ ός [ pɔlitiˈzmɔs ] 'culture' Ι σρ αήλ [ izraˈil ] or [ israˈil ] 'Israel'
ζ	[ z ]	voiced s as in German s in rose	κα ζ άνι [ kaˈzani ] 'cauldron'
ψ	[ ps ]	as in German Mo ps	ψ υχή [ psiˈçi ] 'soul'
	[ bz ]	like German b with voiced s	στην ψ υχή [ stimbziˈçi ] 'in the soul'
τσ	[ ts ]	like the German z	τσ άι [ ˈtsai ] 'tea'
τζ	[ dz ]	like German d with voiced s	τζ α τζ ίκι [ dzaˈdzikʲi ] ' Tzatziki '
ξ	[ ks ]	like the German x	εν τά ξ ει [ εnˈdaksi ] 'okay'
	[ gz ]	like German g with voiced s	δεν ξ ερω [ ðεŋˈgzεrɔ ] 'I don't know'

¹ The iota (ι) given here as an example stands for every grapheme that represents an unstressed / i / sound. This / i / is not actually pronounced itself, but only shows the palatalization of the consonant preceding it (here γ).

Literature and Sources

• Heinz F. Wendt: Practical textbook Modern Greek . Munich and Berlin (Langenscheidt) 1965, ISBN 3-468-26210-8
• Heinz F. Wendt: Pocket dictionary of Greek . Munich and Berlin (Langenscheidt) 1995, ISBN 3-468-11213-0