Appendix:Greek pronunciation

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Vowels

The following table contains some vowel letters that are pronounced as consonants.
Also see Diphthongs.

	IPA	IPA used elsewhere	Articulation	Examples	Notes
α	a	ɐ	low central	αγορά [aɣoˈɾa], άνω [ˈano]
ο ω	o	o̞ or ɔ	mid back	ομάδα [oˈmaða] πάνω [ˈpano], ωμέγα [oˈmeɣa]
ου	u		high back	πουλί [puˈli], φούστα [ˈfusta]
ε αι	e	e̞ or ɛ	mid front	πεθερά [peθeˈɾa], μέλι [ˈmeli] αιτία [eˈtia], παιδί [peˈði]
ι η υ ει οι υι	i		high front	βιβλίο [viˈvlio], παιδί [peˈði] μητέρα [miˈteɾa], νίκη [ˈnici] γλυκό [ɣliˈko] κλειδί [kliˈði] κοινός [ciˈnos] υιός [iˈos]	When not followed by a vowel(e.g. μικρός [miˈkros] When stressed (e.g. δουλεία [ðuˈli.a]) In words of learned origin (e.g. ποιόν [piˈon]) When preceded by consonant + [ɾ] (e.g. μητριά [mi.tɾiˈa])
ι η υ οι ει	ʝ	j		καράβια [kaˈɾavʝa], παιδιά [peˈðʝa], μαγειρειό [maʝiɾˈʝo]	only with unstressed [i] after β, δ, ζ, ρ and before a vowel
	ç			φωτιά [foˈtça], ελάφια [eˈlafça], 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
				για [ʝa], κιάλια [ˈcaʎa], νοιάζομαι [ˈɲazome], χιόνι [ˈçoni]	only with unstressed [i] after γ, κ, λ, ν, χ and before a vowel. The preceding consonant becomes palatal.
αυ	af			αυτός [aˈftos], ταυ [taf]	before unvoiced consonants (π τ κ θ χ σ ξ ψ) and word-final
	av			αυγή [aˈvʝi], μαύρος [ˈmavɾos]	before vowels and voiced consonants (δ γ ζ λ ρ μ ν)
ευ	ef			ευχαριστώ [efxaɾiˈsto]	before unvoiced consonants (π τ κ θ χ σ ξ ψ) and word-final
	ev			ευαγγέλιο [evaŋˈɟelio]	before vowels and voiced consonants (δ γ ζ λ ρ μ ν)
	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
	iv			απηύδησα [aˈpivðisa]	before vowels and voiced consonants (δ γ ζ λ ρ μ ν)

Diphthongs

Diphthongs: when two vowels are pronounced very fast, as one syllable.

	IPA	IPA used elsewhere	Articulation	Examples	Notes
άι αϊ	ai̯	aj a͜i		νεράιδα [neˈɾai̯.ða], χαϊδεύω [xai̯ˈðe.vo]
όι οϊ	oi̯	oj o͜i		κορόιδο [koˈɾoi̯.ðo], κοροϊδεύω [ko.ɾoi̯ˈðe.vo]

Consonants

Also see some Vowels that are pronounced as consonants.
Also see Grouped 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 [aˈɣoɾi], γάτα [ˈɣata]	before [a], [o], [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], κιάλια [ˈcaʎa]	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 [ɾeˈtsina]
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]
τ	t		Voiceless dental plosive Voiceless alveolar 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], άγχος [ˈaŋxos], χουρμάς [xuɾˈmas], χρεώνω [xɾeˈo.no], δάχτυλο [ˈðax.ti.lo], Αλλάχ [aˈlax]	before [a, o, u], or consonants; at the end of words
	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	ts		Voiceless alveolar affricate	τσέπη [ˈtsepi], παπούτσι [paˈputsi]
τζ	dz		Voiced alveolar affricate	τζαμί [dzaˈmi], παντζάρι [panˈdzaɾi]
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, 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 (careful § barely attested pronunciation), commonly pronounced [koˈbʝuter]
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, 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 (careful § barely attested pronunciation), commonly pronounced [aˈdena]
ντσ ντς	nts		Prenasalized Voiceless alveolar affricate	αβάντσα  [aˈvantsa]
ντζ	ndz		Prenasalized Voiced alveolar affricate	σκαντζόχοιρος  [skaˈndzoçiɾos]	Many speakers don't distinguish between dz and ndz and for those who do their ndz doesn't map consistently with the established spellings, thus the given word may be pronounced as [skaˈdzoçiɾos] by both of the above-mentioned groups.
γκ	ɡ		Voiced velar plosive	γκρίνια [ˈɡɾiɲa], γκάζι [ˈɡazi]	initial position, before [a, o, u], or a consonant
	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, ɡ]
	ŋɟ		Prenasalized Voiced palatal plosive	άγγελος [ˈaŋɟelos]	before ι, η, υ, ει, οι, [e]; alternate pronunciation: [ᵑɟ, 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]

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: IPA for Greek
• Wikipedia: International Phonetic Alphabet
• Wikipedia: IPA chart for English
• Wiktionary: IPA pronunciation key