Reading Biblical Greek Part 1: The Greek Alphabet & Pronunciation Guide

Series Outline

Part 1: The Greek Alphabet & Pronunciation Guide
Part 2: Understanding Verb Conjugation
Part 3: Part 3: Noun Declension Basics
Part 4: Prefixes, Suffixes, and Compound Words
Part 5: Prepositions & Articles in Greek
Part 6: Basic Sentence Structure & Syntax
Part 7: Vocabulary Building & Common Biblical Terms

Introduction

Welcome to the first step in learning how to read Biblical Greek! In this first part of the series, we’ll begin with the very foundation of the language: the Greek alphabet and its pronunciation. Understanding the Greek letters is crucial because it allows you to read the words that make up the New Testament text. By the end of this lesson, you will be familiar with the alphabet, how each letter is pronounced, and ready to start recognizing Greek words in Scripture.

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The Greek Alphabet

The Greek alphabet has 24 letters, with each having both uppercase and lowercase forms. Below is a table listing the letters with their names, transliterations (the way we write Greek letters using English letters), and a pronunciation guide.

Letter	Uppercase	Lowercase	Name	Transliteration	Pronunciation
Alpha	Α	α	ἄλφα	a	As in father
Beta	Β	β	βῆτα	b	As in book
Gamma	Γ	γ	γάμμα	g	As in good
Delta	Δ	δ	δέλτα	d	As in door
Epsilon	Ε	ε	ἒ ψιλόν	e	As in egg
Zeta	Ζ	ζ	ζήτα	z	As in zoo
Eta	Η	η	ἦτα	ē	As in ay in play
Theta	Θ	θ	θῆτα	th	As in thing
Iota	Ι	ι	ἰῶτα	i	As in ee in meet
Kappa	Κ	κ	κάππα	k	As in kite
Lambda	Λ	λ	λάμβδα	l	As in log
Mu	Μ	μ	μῦ	m	As in man
Nu	Ν	ν	νῦ	n	As in not
Xi	Ξ	ξ	ξῖ	x	As in box
Omicron	Ο	ο	ὄμικρον	o	As in o in hot
Pi	Π	π	πεῖ	p	As in pet
Rho	Ρ	ρ	ῥῶ	r	Rolled r (like in Spanish)
Sigma	Σ	σ/ς	σίγμα	s	As in see (ς is used at the end of words)
Tau	Τ	τ	ταῦ	t	As in time
Upsilon	Υ	υ	ὖ ψιλόν	u/y	As in oo in boot, or u in put
Phi	Φ	φ	φῖ	ph	As in phone
Chi	Χ	χ	χῖ	ch	As in chemistry
Psi	Ψ	ψ	ψῖ	ps	As in tops
Omega	Ω	ω	ὦ μέγα	ō	As in o in tone

Greek Alphabet Pronunciation Tips

Breathing Marks: Greek also uses breathing marks over vowels. A smooth breathing mark ( ᾽ ) indicates no additional sound, while a rough breathing mark ( ῾ ) means you add an “h” sound before the vowel. For example, Ἁ is pronounced “Ha” instead of “A.”
Diphthongs: Greek has combinations of two vowels pronounced as a single sound. Examples include αι (pronounced like “ai” in aisle), ει (pronounced like “ei” in eight), and ου (pronounced like “oo” in food).

Practice Section: Let’s Read!

Now that you know the alphabet, let’s practice identifying and pronouncing some simple Greek words:

Λόγος (Logos) – Meaning “word” or “reason.”
ἀγάπη (Agapē) – Meaning “love.”
Χριστός (Christos) – Meaning “Christ” or “Anointed One.”

Try sounding these words out using the pronunciation guide above.

Homework and Next Steps

Practice Writing the Alphabet: Write out the Greek alphabet several times, focusing on recognizing both the uppercase and lowercase forms.
Memorize the Pronunciations: Start getting comfortable with how each letter sounds by reviewing the table frequently.
Read Simple Words: Use an interlinear Bible or online resource like Blue Letter Bible to start reading small Greek words in the New Testament.

Conclusion

You’ve just taken your first step toward reading biblical Greek! By mastering the alphabet and its pronunciation, you’ll be able to start recognizing and pronouncing Greek words in the New Testament. In Part 2, we’ll dive into verb conjugation, where you’ll learn how verbs change based on tense, person, and voice.

Part 2: Understanding Verb Conjugation