Appendix:Greek pronunciation
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Vowels
IPA | IPA used elsewhere | Articulation | Examples | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
α | a | ä | low central | αγορά [aɣɔˈɾa], άνω [ˈanɔ] | |
ο ω |
ɔ | o̞ or o | mid back | ομάδα [ɔˈmaða] πάνω [ˈpanɔ], ωμέγα [ɔˈmeɣa] |
|
ου | u | high back | πουλί [puˈli], φούστα [ˈfusta] | ||
ε αι |
ɛ | e̞ or e | mid front | πεθερά [peθeˈɾa], μέλι [ˈmɛli] αιτία [ɛˈtia], παιδί [pɛˈði] |
|
ι η υ ει οι υι |
i | high front | βιβλίο [viˈvlio], παιδί [pɛˈði] μητέρα [miˈtɛɾa], νίκη [ˈnici] γλυκό [ɣliˈko] κλειδί [kliˈði] |
||
ι η υ οι ει |
ʝ | j | καράβια [kaˈɾavʝa], παιδιά [pɛˈðʝa], μαγειρειό [maʝiˈɾʝo] | only with unstressed [i] after β, δ, ζ, ρ and before a vowel | |
ç | φωτιά [foˈtça], ελάφια [ɛˈlafça], καλάθια [kaˈlaθça], ίσιος [ˈisços], πιο [pço], ποιος [pços] | only with unstressed [i] after θ, π, σ, τ, φ and before a vowel | |||
ɲ | μια [mɲa], μυαλό [mɲaˈlo] | only with unstressed [i] after μ and before a vowel | |||
αυ | af | αυτός [afˈtos], ταυ [taf] | before unvoiced consonants (π τ κ θ χ σ ξ ψ)[1] and word-final | ||
αυ | av | αυγή [avˈʝi], μαύρος [ˈmavɾos] | before vowels and voiced consonants (δ γ ζ λ ρ μ ν)[1] | ||
ευ | ef | ευχαριστώ [efxaɾiˈsto] | before unvoiced consonants (π τ κ θ χ σ ξ ψ)[1] and word-final | ||
ευ | ev | ευαγγέλιο [evaŋˈɟelio] | before vowels and voiced consonants (δ γ ζ λ ρ μ ν)[1] | ||
ευ | e | Εύβοια [ˈevia], ευφημισμός [efimiˈzmos] | before β, φ | ||
ηυ | if | επηυξημένος [epifksiˈmenos] | before unvoiced consonants (π τ κ θ χ σ ξ ψ) and word-final | ||
ηυ | iv | απηύδησα [aˈpivðisa] | before vowels and voiced consonants (δ γ ζ λ ρ μ ν) |
Consonants
IPA | IPA used elsewhere | Articulation | Examples | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
β | v | Voiced labiodental fricative | βουλή [vuˈli], σοβαρός [sovaˈɾos], συμβουλή [siɱvuˈli], βόδι [ˈvoði], βόρεια [ˈvoɾia] | ||
γ | ɣ | Voiced velar fricative | γάμος [ˈɣamos], αγάπη [aˈɣapi], αγόρι [aˈɣɔɾi], γάτα [ˈɣata] | before [a] [ɔ] [u] | |
ʝ | j | Voiced palatal fricative | για [ʝa], γένος [ˈʝenos], Γεώργιος [ʝeˈoɾʝios], γυαλί [ʝaˈli] | before ι, η, υ, οι, ει and [e] | |
δ | ð | Voiced dental fricative (interdental) | δώρο [ˈðoɾo], παιδί [peˈði], δάχτυλο [ˈðaxtilo], ενδιαφέρον [enðiaˈfeɾon] | ||
ζ | z | z̺ | Voiced alveolar fricative | ζωή [zoˈi], ζήλια [ˈziʎa], χαζός [xaˈzos], ζάχαρη [ˈzaxaɾi] | |
θ | θ | Voiceless dental fricative (interdental) | θάλασσα [ˈθalasa], άνθος [ˈanθos], θέμα [ˈθema] | ||
κ | k | Voiceless velar plosive | κόρη [ˈkoɾi], σύκα [ˈsika] | before [a] [o] [u] | |
c | Voiceless palatal plosive | κήπος [ˈcipos], πακέτο [paˈceto] | before ι, η, υ, ει, οι and [e] | ||
λ | l | Dental lateral approximant | λάθος [ˈlaθos], καλό [kaˈlo], λεμόνι [lemoni], πάλι [ˈpali] | ʎ before [i] in some dialects, idiolects | |
ʎ | Palatal lateral approximant | κιάλια [ˈcaʎa] | [li]+vowel with [i] unstressed | ||
μ | m | Bilabial nasal | μόνος [ˈmonos], χώμα [ˈxoma] | ||
ɱ | Labiodental nasal | συμφωνία [siɱfoˈnia], έμφαση [ˈeɱfasi] | before β, φ (labial/labiodental fricatives) | ||
ν | n | Dental nasal | νονός [noˈnos], ένας [ˈenas], άνω [ˈano], νύχτα [ˈnixta], άνοιξη [ˈaniksi] | ɲ before [i] in some dialects and idiolects | |
ɲ | Palatal nasal | νοιάζομαι [ˈɲazome], πανιά [paˈɲa] | [ni]+vowel with [i] unstressed | ||
ŋ | Velar nasal | πανκ [ˈpaŋk], Χέμινγουεϊ [ˈçemiŋɣuˈei] | before velar and palatal consonants | ||
ξ | ks | Voiceless velar plosive and Voiceless alveolar fricative | ξένος [ˈksenos] | ||
π | p | Voiceless bilabial plosive | πόδι [ˈpoði], κάπου [ˈkapu], παπάς [paˈpas], πέντε [ˈpende] | ||
ρ | ɾ | r | Alveolar flap | ροδιά [ɾoˈðʝa], ψάρι [ˈpsaɾi], πάρα [ˈpaɾa], ρετσίνα [ɾeˈʦina] replace ʦ with t͡s, invalid IPA characters (ʦ) | |
σ/ς | s | Voiceless alveolar fricative | σώμα [ˈsoma], δάσος [ˈðasos], βάση [ˈvasi], σαλάτα [saˈlata] | ||
σ | z | Voiced alveolar fricative | Λέσβος [ˈlezvos], Πελασγός [pelaˈzɣos], Έσδρας [ˈezðɾas], κόσμος [ˈkozmos] | before [v] [ɣ] [ʝ] [ð] [z] [m] invalid IPA characters (][][][][][) | |
τ | t | Voiceless dental plosive | τέλος [ˈtelos], ποτό [poˈto], μητέρα [miˈteɾa] | ||
φ | f | Voiceless labiodental fricative | φόρος [ˈfoɾos], νέφος [ˈnefos], φούστα [ˈfusta] | ||
χ | x | Voiceless velar fricative | χαρά [xaˈɾa], βήχας [ˈvixas], άγχος [ˈaŋxos], χάνω [ˈxano], χρόνος [ˈxɾonos] | before [a], [o], [u] | |
ç | Voiceless palatal fricative | χιόνι [ˈçoni], βροχή [vɾoˈçi], χέρι [ˈçeɾi] | before ι, η, υ, ει, οι, [e] | ||
ψ | ps | Voiceless bilabial plosive and Voiceless alveolar fricative | ψωμί [psoˈmi] |
Grouped consonants
IPA | IPA used elsewhere | Articulation | Examples | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
τσ τς |
ʦ replace ʦ with t͡s, invalid IPA characters (ʦ) | Voiceless alveolar affricate | τσέπη [ˈʦepi] replace ʦ with t͡s, invalid IPA characters (ʦ), παπούτσι [paˈpuʦi] replace ʦ with t͡s, invalid IPA characters (ʦ) | ||
τζ | ʣ replace ʣ with d͡z, invalid IPA characters (ʣ) | Voiced alveolar affricate | τζάμι [ˈʣami] replace ʣ with d͡z, invalid IPA characters (ʣ), παντζάρι [panˈʣaɾi] replace ʣ with d͡z, invalid IPA characters (ʣ) | ||
μπ | b | Voiced bilabial plosive | μπότα [ˈbota], μπύρα [ˈbiɾa] | initial position | |
mb | Prenasalized Voiced bilabial plosive | καμπάνα [kamˈbana] | medial position, variation dependent on sociolinguistic/dialectal factors; alternative pronunciations: mb invalid IPA characters (<></>), b | ||
b | Voiced bilabial plosive | μπουμπούκι [buˈbuci] | medial position, variation dependent on sociolinguistic/dialectal factors | ||
mp | Prenasalized Voiceless bilabial plosive | κομπιούτερ [komˈpçuteɾ] | with borrowed words | ||
μπτ | mt or mpt | Πέμπτη [ˈpemti] or [ˈpempti] | |||
ντ | d | Voiced dental plosive | ντουλάπα [duˈlapa], ντάμα [ˈdama], ντομάτα [doˈmata] | initial position | |
nd | Prenasalized Voiced dental plosive | πέντε [ˈpende], έντομο [ˈendomo] | medial position, variation dependent on sociolinguistic/dialectal factors; alternative pronunciation: nd invalid IPA characters (<></>), d | ||
d | Voiced dental plosive | ντουντούκα [duˈduka] | medial position, variation dependent on sociolinguistic/dialectal factors | ||
nt | Prenasalized Voiceless dental plosive | αντένα [anˈtena] | with borrowed words | ||
ντσ ντς |
nʦ replace ʦ with t͡s, invalid IPA characters (ʦ) | Prenasalized Voiceless alveolar affricate | |||
ντζ | nʣ replace ʣ with d͡z, invalid IPA characters (ʣ) | Prenasalized Voiced alveolar affricate | |||
γκ | ɡ | Voiced velar plosive | γκρίνια [ˈɡɾiɲa], γκάζι [ˈɡazi] | initial position, before [a], [o], [u] | |
ɟ | Voiced palatal plosive | γκιόνης [ˈɟonis] | initial position, before ι, η, υ, οι, ει, [e] | ||
ŋɡ | Prenasalized Voiced velar plosive | αγκώνας [aŋˈɡonas] | medial position | ||
ŋɟ | Prenasalized Voiced palatal plosive | ανάγκη [aˈnaŋɟi] | medial position | ||
γκτ | ŋkt | ελεγκτής [eleˈŋktis] | |||
γγ | ŋɡ | Prenasalized Voiced velar plosive | αγγλικός [aŋɡlikos] | alternate pronunciation: ŋɡ invalid IPA characters (<></>), ɡ | |
ŋɟ | Prenasalized Voiced palatal plosive | άγγελος [ˈaŋɟelos] | before ι, η, υ, ει, οι, [e]; alternate pronunciation: ŋɟ invalid IPA characters (<></>), ɟ | ||
ŋɣ | Prenasalized Voiced velar fricative | έγγραφο [ˈeŋɣɾafo] | |||
ŋʝ | ŋj | Prenasalized Voiced palatal fricative | εγγεγραμμένος [eŋʝeɣɾaˈmenos] | before [i] and [e] | |
γχ | ŋx | Prenasalized Voiceless velar fricative | άγχος [ˈaŋxos] | ||
ŋç | Prenasalized Voiceless palatal fricative | αγχίνοια [aŋˈçinia] | before [i] and [e] | ||
γξ | ŋks | Σφιγξ [sfiŋks] |
References
Suggested sources
The main sources of the values above were:
- Holton, D., Mackridge, P. and Philippaki-Warburton, I. Greek: A Comprehensive Grammar of the Modern Language. London: Routledge, (1997).
- Peter Mackridge, The modern Greek Language
- Peter Mackridge, Η Νεοελληνική γλώσσα Athens (1990,1999) (translation in Greek by K.N. Petropoulos)
- Wikipedia: Modern Greek phonology
- Wikipedia: International Phonetic Alphabet
- Wikipedia: IPA chart for English
- Wiktionary: IPA pronunciation key