Reading Biblical Greek Part 1: The Greek Alphabet & Basic Reading

Introduction

Welcome to your first step in reading Biblical Greek! This lesson focuses on the foundation of the language: the Greek alphabet, basic pronunciation, and your first Greek words. By the end, you’ll be able to read simple words from the New Testament.

Learning Objectives

Learn the Greek alphabet letters and their sounds
Understand basic pronunciation rules
Read common New Testament words
Begin recognizing Greek words in Scripture

The Greek Alphabet

The Greek alphabet consists of 24 letters. Each has an uppercase and lowercase form. Let’s learn them in small, manageable groups:

Group 1: Letters Similar to English

Greek Letter	Name	Sound	English Example
Α α	Alpha	ah	father
Β β	Beta	b	book
Ε ε	Epsilon	eh	egg
Ι ι	Iota	ee	meet
Κ κ	Kappa	k	kite
Μ μ	Mu	m	man
Ν ν	Nun	n	net
Ο ο	Omicron	oh	hot
Τ τ	Tau	t	tap

Group 2: Letters That Look Familiar But Sound Different

Greek Letter	Name	Sound	English Example
Η η	Eta	ay	play
Ρ ρ	Rho	rolled r	Spanish rojo
Υ υ	Upsilon	oo/u	boot
Χ χ	Chi	kh	chemistry
Ω ω	Omega	oh	tone

Group 3: Unique Greek Letters

Greek Letter	Name	Sound	English Example
Γ γ	Gamma	g/ng	good
Δ δ	Delta	d	door
Ζ ζ	Zeta	z	zoo
Θ θ	Theta	th	think
Λ λ	Lambda	l	lamp
Ξ ξ	Xi	x	box
Π π	Pi	p	pen
Σ σ/ς	Sigma	s	sun
Φ φ	Phi	f	phone
Ψ ψ	Psi	ps	tops

Important Notes

Final Sigma: The letter σ changes to ς when it appears at the end of a word
Capitalization: Greek typically only capitalizes proper names and the first word of paragraphs
Punctuation: Greek uses a raised dot (·) for semicolons and a question mark that looks like our semicolon (;)

Common Letter Combinations (Diphthongs)

Combination	Sound	English Example
αι	ai	aisle
ει	ay	eight
οι	oi	toil
ου	oo	food
υι	wee	we
αυ	ow	how
ευ	eu	feud

Your First Greek Words

Let’s practice with some common New Testament words:

θεός (God)
- Pronounce: theh-OS
- Practice: θ (th) + ε (eh) + ο (oh) + ς (s)
ἀγάπη (love)
- Pronounce: ah-GAH-pay
- Practice: ἀ (ah) + γά (GAH) + πη (pay)
λόγος (word)
- Pronounce: LOH-gohs
- Practice: λό (LOH) + γος (gohs)

Practice Verse: John 1:1

Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος (En archē ēn ho logos) “In the beginning was the Word”

Homework Activities

Writing Practice
- Write each Greek letter 5 times
- Copy the practice verse three times
- Write your name in Greek letters
Reading Practice
- Read the practice verse aloud 5 times
- Find these words in John 1:1-5: θεός, λόγος
- Practice writing and pronouncing each diphthong
Online Resources
- Visit Paul’s Handkerchief Bible Search and find John 1:1 in Greek

Next Steps

In Part 2, we’ll learn essential vocabulary and begin recognizing different types of words in the New Testament. Keep practicing your alphabet and pronunciation daily!

Additional Tips

Create flashcards for the alphabet
Practice writing a few minutes each day
Read aloud, even if slowly
Focus on accuracy over speed
Use online resources like https://forvo.com/ to hear native pronunciation

Remember: Learning the alphabet is like building a foundation. Take your time and make sure it’s solid before moving forward!

Part 2: Essential Vocabulary & Word Recognition

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