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 /ˈpço/, ποιος /ˈpços/	only with unstressed [i] after θ, π, σ, τ, φ and before a vowel
	ɲ			μια /ˈmɲa/, 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 /ˈtaf/	before unvoiced consonants (π τ κ θ χ σ ξ ψ)^[1] and word-final
αυ	av			αυγή /aˈvʝi/, 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
	ev			ευαγγέλιο /evaŋˈɟelio/	before vowels and voiced consonants (δ γ ζ λ ρ μ ν)^[1]
	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)

Diphthongs

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

	IPA	IPA used elsewhere	Examples	Notes
άι αϊ	ai̯	aj a͜i	νεράιδα /neˈɾai̯.ða/, χαϊδεύω /xai̯ˈðe.vo/
έι εϊ έυ εϋ	ei̯	ej e͜i	Χεμινγουέι /çe.miŋ.ɣuˈei̯/, λεϊμόνι /lei̯ˈmo.ni/ γκρέυ /ɡɾei̯/, τρόλεϋ /ˈtɾo.lei̯/	Chiefly in borrowings. Not to be confused with έι, εϊ, εϋ /e.i/ (with true diaeresis), as in τέιο, θεϊκός, and Κεϋλάνη.
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]
γ	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]
κ	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 /leˈmoni/, πάλι /ˈpali/	[ʎ] before [i] in some dialects, idiolects
λ	ʎ		Palatal lateral approximant	κιάλια /ˈcaʎa/	[li]+vowel with [i] unstressed
μ	m		Bilabial nasal	μόνος /ˈmonos/, χώμα /ˈxoma/
μ	ɱ		Labiodental nasal	συμφωνία /siɱfoˈnia/, σύμβαση /ˈsiɱvasi/	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	άγγελος /ˈaŋɟelos/, ανάγκη /aˈnaŋɟi/, εγχείριση /eŋˈçiɾisi πανκ /ˈpaŋk/, Χέμινγουεϊ /ˈçemiŋɣuˈei/	before velar and palatal consonants^[2] or pronunciations of non-Greek terms
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 /ɾeˈt͡sina/
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
χ	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			τσέπη /ˈtsepi/, παπούτσι /paˈputsi/
τζ	dz			τζαμί /dzaˈmi/, παντζάρι /panˈdzaɾi/
μπ	b		Voiced bilabial plosive	μπότα /ˈbota/, μπίρα /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	nt͡s		Prenasalized Voiceless alveolar affricate	αβάντσα /aˈvant͡sa/
ντζ	nd͡z		Prenasalized Voiced alveolar affricate	σκαντζόχοιρος /skaˈnd͡zoçiɾos/	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 /aŋɡliˈkos/	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/
γχ	ŋç		Prenasalized Voiceless palatal fricative	αγχίνοια /aŋˈçinia/	before [i] and [e]
γξ	ŋks			Σφιγξ /sfiŋks/

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 Holton, D., Mackridge, P. and Philippaki-Warburton, I. (1997). Greek: A comprehensive grammar of the modern language. London: Routledge.
^ For /ŋɟ ŋç/ see §1.4.2.4. at Mackridge, Peter (1985) The Modern Greek Language: A Descriptive Analysis of Standard Modern Greek. Oxford University Press.

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

[Holton_1997-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 Holton, D., Mackridge, P. and Philippaki-Warburton, I. (1997). Greek: A comprehensive grammar of the modern language. London: Routledge.

[2] For /ŋɟ ŋç/ see §1.4.2.4. at Mackridge, Peter (1985) The Modern Greek Language: A Descriptive Analysis of Standard Modern Greek. Oxford University Press.

[1]

[2]