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Greek alphabet Useful Greek words & phrases

The Greek alphabet is a set of twenty-four letters that has been used to write the Greek language since the 8th century BC. It is still in use today. It is the first and oldest alphabet in the narrow sense that it notes each vowel and consonant with a separate symbol. The letters were also used to represent Greek numerals, beginning in the 2nd century BC.

The Greek alphabet is descended from the Phoenician alphabet, and is not related to Linear B or the Cypriot syllabary, earlier writing systems for Greek. It has given rise to many other alphabets used in Europe and the Middle East, including the Latin alphabet. In addition to being used for writing Ancient and Modern Greek, its letters are today used as symbols in mathematics and science, as particle names in physics, as components of star names, in the names of fraternities and sororities, in the naming of supernumerary tropical cyclones, and for other purposes.

Main letters

Below is a table listing the Greek letters, as well as their forms when romanized. The table also provides the equivalent Phoenician letter from which each Greek letter is derived. Pronunciations transcribed using the International Phonetic Alphabet.

Capital	Low-case	Greek Name	English
		Alpha	a
		Beta	b
		Gamma	g
		Delta	d
		Epsilon	e
		Zeta	z
		Eta	h
		Theta	th
		Iota	i
		Kappa	k
		Lambda	l
		Mu	m
		Nu	n
		Xi	x
		Omicron	o
		Pi	p
		Rho	r
		Sigma	s
		Tau	t
		Upsilon	u
		Phi	ph
		Chi	ch
		Psi	ps
		Omega	o

Letter	Corresponding Phoenician letter	Name				Transliteration¹		Pronunciation		Numeric value
Letter	Corresponding Phoenician letter	English	Ancient Greek	Medieval Greek (polytonic)	Modern Greek (info)	Ancient Greek	Modern Greek	Classical Ancient Greek	Modern Greek	Numeric value
Α α	Aleph	Alpha	ἄλφα		άλφα	a		[a] [aː]	[a]	1
Β β	Beth	Beta	βῆτα		βήτα	b	v	[b]	[v]	2
Γ γ	Gimel	Gamma	γάμμα		γάμ(μ)α	g	gh, g, y	[ɡ]	[ɣ], [ʝ]	3
Δ δ	Daleth	Delta	δέλτα		δέλτα	d	d, dh	[d]	[ð]	4
Ε ε	He	Epsilon	εἶ	ἒ ψιλόν	έψιλον	e		[e]		5
Ζ ζ	Zayin	Zeta	ζῆτα		ζήτα	z		[zd, dz, zː] (?)	[z]	7
Η η	Heth	Eta	ἦτα		ήτα	e, ē	i	[ɛː]	[i]	8
Θ θ	Teth	Theta	θῆτα		θήτα	th		[tʰ]	[θ]	9
Ι ι	Yodh	Iota	ἰῶτα		(γ)ιώτα	i		[i] [iː]	[i], [ʝ]	10
Κ κ	Kaph	Kappa	κάππα		κάπ(π)α	k		[k]	[k], [c]	20
Λ λ	Lamedh	Lambda	λάβδα	λάμβδα	λάμ(β)δα	l		[l]		30
Μ μ	Mem	Mu	μῦ		μι/μυ	m		[m]		40
Ν ν	Nun	Nu	νῦ		νι/νυ	n		[n]		50
Ξ ξ	Samekh	Xi	ξεῖ	ξῖ	ξι	x	x, ks	[ks]		60
Ο ο	'Ayin	Omicron	οὖ	ὂ μικρόν	όμικρον	o		[o]		70
Π π	Pe	Pi	πεῖ	πῖ	πι	p		[p]		80
Ρ ρ	Resh	Rho	ῥῶ		ρω	r, rh	r	[r], [r̥]	[r]	100
Σ σ ς	Sin	Sigma	σῖγμα		σίγμα	s		[s]		200
Τ τ	Taw	Tau	ταῦ		ταυ	t		[t]		300
Υ υ	Waw	Upsilon	ὖ	ὖ ψιλόν	ύψιλον	u, y	y, v, f	[ʉ(ː)], [y(ː)]	[i]	400
Φ φ	origin disputed (see text)	Phi	φεῖ	φῖ	φι	ph	f	[pʰ]	[f]	500
Χ χ		Chi	χεῖ	χῖ	χι	ch	ch, kh	[kʰ]	[x], [ç]	600
Ψ ψ		Psi	ψεῖ	ψῖ	ψι	ps		[ps]		700
Ω ω	'Ayin	Omega	ὦ	ὦ μέγα	ωμέγα	o, ō	o	[ɔː]	[o]	800

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Useful Greek words & phrases

Key to abbreviations: inf = informal, frm = formal, sg = said to one person, pl = said to more than one person.

English	Greek
Welcome	Καλώς Ορίσατε (Kalós orísate) - frm Καλώς Όρισες (Kalós órises) - inf Καλώς Ήλθατε (kalós ílthate) - frm Καλώς Ήλθες (kalós ílthes) - inf Καλώς Ήρθατε (kalós írthate) - frm Καλώς Ήρθες (kalós írthes) - inf
Hello	Γειά! (ya) - inf Γειά σου (ya su) - inf Γειά σας (ya sas) - frm Έλα (éla) - inf (on phone) Λέγετε (léyete) - frm (on phone) Εμπρός (embrós) - inf (on phone)
How are you? I'm fine, thanks. And you?	Πώς είστε; (pos íste?) - frm Πώς είσαι; (pos íse?) - inf Τι κάνετε; (ti kánete?) - frm Τι κάνεις; (ti kánis?) - inf
How are you? I'm fine, thanks. And you?	Καλά (είμαι), σας ευχαριστώ. Εσείς; (kalá [íme], sas efharistó. Esís?) - frm Καλά (είμαι), ευχαριστώ. Εσύ; (kalá [íme], efharistó. Esí?) - inf
Long time no see	Καιρό έχουμε να τα πούμε! (keró éhume na ta púme! [lit "we haven't talked for a long time"]) Καιρό έχω να σας δω! (keró ého na sas do) - frm Καιρό έχω να σε δω! (keró ého na se do) - inf
What's your name? My name is ...	Πώς σας λένε; (pós sas léne?) - frm Πώς σε λένε; (pós se léne?) - inf Πώς λέγεστε; (pós légeste?) - frm Πώς λέγεσαι; (pós légese?) - inf Πώς ονομάζεστε; (pós onomázeste? - frm Πώς ονομάζεσαι; (pós onomázese?) - inf Ποιό είναι το όνομά σας; (pyó íne to ónomá sas?) - frm Ποιό είναι το όνομά σου; (pyó íne to ónomá su?) - inf
What's your name? My name is ...	Με λένε ... (me léne ...) Ονομάζομαι... (onomázome…) Λέγομαι ... (légome ...)
Where are you from? I'm from ...	Από πού είστε; (Apó pu íste?) - frm Από πού κατάγεστε; (Apó pu katágeste?) - frm Από πού είσαι; (Apó pu íse?) - inf Από πού κατάγεσαι; (Apó pu katágese?) - inf
Where are you from? I'm from ...	Είμαι από... (íme apó…) Κατάγομαι από... (Katágome apó…)
Pleased to meet you	Χάρηκα για την γνωρημία (Hárika ya tin gnorimía) - frm Χάρηκα (Hárika) - inf
Good morning	Καλημέρα σας (Kaliméra sas) - frm Καλημέρα σου (Kaliméra su) - inf Καλημέρα (Kaliméra)
Good afternoon	Καλὸ ἀπόγευμα (Kaló apóyevma)
Good evening	Καλησπέρα (Kalispéra) - when you come Καλό βράδυ (Kali bradi) - when you go
Good night	Καληνύχτα (Kaliníhta)
Goodbye	Γειά σας (Yiá sas) - frm, ΚΓειά σου (Yiá sou) - inf, Αντίο (autio)
Good luck	Καλὴ τύχη! (Kalí tíhi)
Cheers/Good health!	Στην υγειά σου! (stin iyá su!) - sg Στην υγειά μας! (stin iyá mas!) - pl including self Στην υγειά σας! (stin iyá sas!) - pl not including self Είς υγείαν! (is iyían)
May you be well	Νάσαι καλά! (Náse kalá!) - inf Νάστε καλά! (Náste kalá!) - frm
Bon appetit	Καλή όρεξη! (Kalí óreksi!)
Bon voyage	Καλό ταξίδι! (Kaló taksídi!)
I don't understand	Δεν καταλαβαίνω (Then katalavéno)
Please speak more slowly	Παρακαλώ μιλάτε πιο αργά (Parakaló miláte pyo argá) - inf Παρακαλώ μίλα πιο αργά (Parakaló míla pyo argá) - frm
Do you speak Greek?	Μιλάς Ελληνικά; (Milás Elliniká?) - inf Μιλάτε Ελληνικά; (Miláte Elliniká?) - frm
Yes, a little	Ναι λιγάκι
How do you say ... in Greek?	Πώς λέτε ... στα Ελληνικά; (Pos léte … sta Ellinká?) - inf Πώς λές … στα Ελληνικά; (Pos les … sta Elliniká?) - frm
Excuse me	Με συγχωρείτε! (Me sinhorís) - inf Με συγχωρείς! (Me synhorís!) - frm
How much is this?	Πόσα κοστίζει αυτό; (Pósa kostízi aftó?) Πόσο κάνει αυτό; (Póso káni aftó?)
Sorry	Συγνώμη! (sygnómi) Λυπάμαι! (lypáme [lit. ‘I’m saddened’]) - more frm
Thank you Response	Ευχαριστώ (Efharistó ) Ευχαριστώ πολύ (Efharistó polí)
Where's the toilet?	Πού είναι η τουαλέτα; (pu íne i tualéta?) Πού είναι το μπάνιο; (pu íne to báño?)
This gentleman/lady will pay for everything	Ὁ κύριος θὰ πληρώσει γιὰ ὅλα (O kírios tha plirósi giá óla) - gentleman Ἡ κυρία θὰ πληρώσει γιὰ ὅλα (I kiría tha plirósi giá óla) - lady
Would you like to dance with me?	Θέλεις να χορέψεις μαζί μου; (thélis na horépsis mazí mu?) - inf Θέλετε να χορέψετε μαζί μου; (thélete na horépsete mazí mu?) - frm
I love you	Σ΄αγαπώ (S’agapó) - inf / Σας αγαπώ (Sas aghapó) - frm
Get well soon	Περαστικά (Perastiká)
Leave me alone!	Άφησέ με ήσυχο! (áfisé me ísiho!) - m/inf Άφησέ με ήσυχη! (áfisé me ísihi!) - f/inf Αφήστε με ήσυχο! (afíste me ísiho!) - m/frm Αφήστε με ήσυχη! (afíste me ísihi!) - m/frm
Help! Fire! Stop!	Βοήθεια! (voíthia!) Φωτιά! (fotyá!) Στόπ! (Stop!) Σταμάτα! (Stamáta!) - inf/sg Σταματήστε! (Stamatíste!) - frm/pl
Call the police!	Καλέστε την αστυνομία! (Kaléste tin astynomía!) - frm Κάλεσε την αστυνομία! (Kálese tin astynomía!) - inf
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year	Καλά Χριστούγεννα! (Kalá hristúyenna) Ευτυχισμένο το Νέο Έτος! (Eftyhisméno to Néo Étos!) Καλή χρονιά! (Kalí hroñá)
Happy Easter	Καλό πάσχα (Kaló pásha) Χριστός ανέστη! (Hristós anésti) - Christ has Risen Αληθώς ανέστη! (Alithós anésti) - Truly he has Risen (reply)
Happy Birthday	Χρόνια Πολλά! (Hróña Pollá) Χαρούμενα Γενέθλια! (Harúmena genéthlia!)
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Greek numerals

Description

Each unit (1, 2, …, 9) was assigned a separate letter, each tens (10, 20, …, 90) a separate letter, and each hundreds (100, 200, …, 900) a separate letter. This requires 27 letters, so the 24-letter Greek alphabet was extended by using three obsolete letters: digamma ϝ,(also used are stigma ϛ or, in modern Greek, στ) for 6, qoppa ϟ for 90, and sampi ϡ for 900.To distinguish numerals from letters they are followed by the keraia (Greek κεραία, "hornlike projection"), a symbol ( ʹ ) similar to an acute sign ( ´ ) but with its own Unicode character (U+0374).

This alphabetic system operates on the additive principle in which the numeric values of the letters are added together to form the total. For example, 241 is represented as σμαʹ (200 + 40 + 1). A famous example is 666 (the number of the Beast), which is represented as χξϛʹ (600 + 60 + 6) in medieval manuscripts of the Book of Revelation.

To represent numbers from 1,000 to 999,999 the same letters are reused to serve as thousands, tens of thousands, and hundreds of thousands. A "left keraia" (Unicode U+0375, ‘Greek Lower Numeral Sign’) is put in front of thousands to distinguish them from the standard use. For example, 2010 is represented as ͵βιʹ (2000 + 10).

Letter	Value	Letter	Value	Letter	Value
αʹ	1	ιʹ	10	ρʹ	100
βʹ	2	κʹ	20	σʹ	200
γʹ	3	λʹ	30	τʹ	300
δʹ	4	μʹ	40	υʹ	400
εʹ	5	νʹ	50	φʹ	500
ϝʹ or ϛʹ or στʹ	6	ξʹ	60	χʹ	600
ζʹ	7	οʹ	70	ψʹ	700
ηʹ	8	πʹ	80	ωʹ	800
θʹ	9	ϟʹ	90	ϡʹ	900

In modern Greek, uppercase letters are preferred, as in Φίλιππος Βʹ = Philip II.