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The Greek alphabet looks intimidating until you realise two things: half the letters are already in your vocabulary (Alpha, Beta, Delta, Gamma — these are English words because we borrowed them directly from Greek), and the rules are dramatically more consistent than English spelling. In Greek, almost every letter makes the same sound every time. There are no silent letters, no unexpected combinations that break the rules.
This guide is not a language course. It is a traveller's key — the minimum viable alphabet knowledge that allows you to read a road sign, sound out a menu item, or find the right platform at a bus station.
For the practical language guide once you can read the signs, see essential Greek phrases. For basic Greek words including the vocabulary you will encounter, those guides work alongside this one.
The Greek Alphabet: Full Table
Capital | Lowercase | Name | Sound | English equivalent
Α | α | Alpha | a | "a" as in father
Β | β | Beta | v | "v" as in very
Γ | γ | Gamma | gh / y | soft "g" before a/o/u; "y" before e/i
Δ | δ | Delta | th | "th" as in this (soft, voiced)
Ε | ε | Epsilon | e | "e" as in bed
Ζ | ζ | Zeta | z | "z" as in zero
Η | η | Eta | i / ee | "ee" as in feet
Θ | θ | Theta | th | "th" as in think (hard, unvoiced)
Ι | ι | Iota | i / ee | "ee" as in feet
Κ | κ | Kappa | k | "k" as in key
Λ | λ | Lambda | l | "l" as in love
Μ | μ | Mu | m | "m" as in mother
Ν | ν | Nu | n | "n" as in night
Ξ | ξ | Xi | ks | "ks" as in tax
Ο | ο | Omicron | o | "o" as in pot
Π | π | Pi | p | "p" as in place
Ρ | ρ | Rho | r | "r" as in road
Σ | σ/ς | Sigma | s | "s" as in sun (ς at end of word)
Τ | τ | Tau | t | "t" as in top
Υ | υ | Upsilon | i / ee | "ee" as in feet
Φ | φ | Phi | f | "f" as in phone
Χ | χ | Chi | h / kh | like "ch" in Scottish loch
Ψ | ψ | Psi | ps | "ps" as in lapse
Ω | ω | Omega | o | "o" as in pot (same as omicron in modern Greek)
The False Cognates: Letters That Fool You
These are the letters that look like familiar Latin letters but make different sounds. They cause more confusion than genuinely unfamiliar letters because they generate confident but wrong guesses.
Greek letter | Looks like | Actually sounds like | Example
Β β | English B | V (as in very) | ΒΟΛΟΣ sounds like "Volos"
Η η | English H | EE (as in feet) | ΗΡΑ sounds like "Ira"
Ν ν | English N | N (same) | Correct — no trap here
Ρ ρ | English P | R (as in road) | ΡΕΘΥΜΝΟ sounds like "Rethymno"
Υ υ | English Y or U | EE (as in feet) | ΥΔΡΑ sounds like "Ydra/Idra"
Χ χ | English X | KH (like loch) | ΧΑΝΙΑ sounds like "Kha-nia" (Chania)
The most important one to remember: The letter that looks like P (Ρ ρ) makes an R sound. This is the single most common source of misread Greek words on road signs. When you see a word with Ρ, it is an R.
Letter Combinations That Appear Everywhere
Once you know individual letters, these combinations are what unlock most of what you will actually encounter.
Combination | Sound | Example word
ΟΥ (ou) | "oo" as in food | ΥΔΡΑ = Y-DRA → YDRA (Hydra island)
ΑΙ (ai) | "e" as in bed | ΑΙΓΙΝΑ = E-GI-NA (Aegina island)
ΕΙ (ei) | "ee" as in feet | ΑΘΗΝΑ = A-THEE-NA (Athens)
ΑΥ / ΕΥ | "af/av" or "ef/ev" | ΕΥΧΑΡΙΣΤΩ = "efharisto"
ΜΠ (mp) | "b" at start of word, "mb" in middle | ΜΠΑΡ = "bar"
ΝΤ (nt) | "d" at start, "nd" in middle | ΝΤΟΛΜΑΔΕΣ = "dolmades"
ΓΓ (gg) | "ng" | ΑΓΓΕΛΟΣ = "angelos"
ΓΚ (gk) | "g" | ΓΚΡΕΚΟ = "Greco"
ΤΣ (ts) | "ts" as in cats | ΤΣΙΠΟΥΡΟ = "tsipouro"
ΤΖ (tz) | "dz" as in adze | ΤΖΑΤΖΙΚΙ = "tzatziki"
Practice word: ΑΘΗΝΑ. Break it down: Α (a) + Θ (th) + Η (ee) + Ν (n) + Α (a) = a-THEE-na. Athens. Once you can decode that, you can read most Greek place names.
Road Signs: The Vocabulary That Appears Everywhere
These words appear on road signs, maps, and transport boards throughout Greece. Learning them as whole words — rather than decoding letter by letter — is the most efficient strategy.
Greek | Pronunciation | Meaning
ΟΔΟΣ | O-thos | Street / road
ΠΛΑΤΕΙΑ | pla-TEE-a | Square / plaza
ΛΙΜΑΝΙ | lee-MA-nee | Port / harbour
ΠΑΡΑΛΙΑ | pa-ra-LI-a | Beach
ΑΕΡΟΔΡΟΜΙΟ | a-e-ro-THRO-mee-o | Airport
ΜΟΥΣΕΙΟ | mu-SEE-o | Museum
ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ | ek-lee-SEE-a | Church
ΕΙΣΟΔΟΣ | EE-so-thos | Entrance
ΕΞΟΔΟΣ | EK-so-thos | Exit
ΚΕΝΤΡΟ | KEN-tro | Centre / town centre
ΝΟΣΟΚΟΜΕΙΟ | no-so-ko-MEE-o | Hospital
ΦΑΡΜΑΚΕΙΟ | far-ma-KEE-o | Pharmacy
ΑΣΤΥΝΟΜΙΑ | as-tee-no-MEE-a | Police
ΑΠΑΓΟΡΕΥΕΤΑΙ | a-pa-go-REV-e-te | Forbidden / prohibited
ΣΤΟΠ | stop | Stop (same as English)
The shortcut for museums and churches: Greek religious and cultural sites almost always have their name in Greek followed by the word ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ (church) or ΜΟΥΣΕΙΟ (museum). If you can recognise those two words, you can navigate archaeological and religious sites without a guide.
Menu Reading: The Words Worth Knowing
Many traditional Greek tavernas — particularly in non-tourist areas — have menus written in Greek only. Being able to sound out the words gets you surprisingly far.
Categories you will see on menus:
Greek | Pronunciation | Meaning
ΟΡΕΚΤΙΚΑ | o-REK-tee-ka | Starters / appetisers
ΣΑΛΑΤΕΣ | sa-LA-tes | Salads
ΚΥΡΙΑ ΠΙΑΤΑ | KEE-ree-a PYA-ta | Main dishes
ΨΗΤΑ | PSEE-ta | Grilled dishes
ΨΑΡΙΑ | PSA-ree-a | Fish
ΚΡΕΑΤΑ | KRE-a-ta | Meats
ΖΥΜΑΡΙΚΑ | zee-ma-REE-ka | Pasta dishes
ΕΠΙΔΟΡΠΙΑ | e-pee-THOR-pee-a | Desserts
ΠΟΤΑ | PO-ta | Drinks
ΚΡΑΣΙ | kra-SEE | Wine
ΝΕΡΟ | ne-RO | Water
The most useful single food recognition skill: Once you know that Ψ makes a "ps" sound, you can recognise ψάρι (fish) and ψητό (grilled) — two of the most useful menu words in any Greek taverna.
Transport: Bus Stations, Ferry Ports, and Signs
Greek | Pronunciation | Meaning
ΣΤΑΘΜΟΣ | STATH-mos | Station
ΛΕΩΦΟΡΕΙΟ | le-o-fo-REE-o | Bus
ΠΛΟΙΟ | PLO-ee-o | Ship / ferry
ΤΡΕΝΟ | TRE-no | Train
ΕΙΣΙΤΗΡΙΟ | ee-see-TEE-ree-o | Ticket
ΑΝΑΧΩΡΗΣΗ | a-na-ho-REE-see | Departure
ΑΦΙΞΗ | a-FEE-ksee | Arrival
ΑΠΟΒΑΘΡΑ | a-po-VATH-ra | Platform / quay
At ferry ports particularly, knowing ΑΝΑΧΩΡΗΣΗ (departure) and ΑΦΙΞΗ (arrival) prevents the very specific kind of confusion that comes from staring at a board full of times and not knowing which column applies to you.
Practice: Decode These Greek Words
Try reading these before checking the answers. Use the table above.
- ΜΥΚΟΝΟΣ
- ΚΡΗΤΗ
- ΣΑΝΤΟΡΙΝΗ
- ΑΚΡΟΠΟΛΗ
- ΖΑΚΥΝΘΟΣ
Answers:
- MYkonos (Mykonos)
- KREEtee (Crete)
- sanTOreenee (Santorini)
- akROpolee (Acropolis)
- ZAKInthos (Zakynthos)
If you got two or three of these right, you have enough to read most Greek road signs. If you got all five, you are ready for a menu.
Plan Your Greece Trip
- Basic Greek Words — the vocabulary that goes with the script
- Essential Greek Phrases — 50+ phrases for every situation
- Hello in Greek — greetings in full with cultural context
- Ordering Food in Greek — the complete restaurant phrasebook
- How to Plan a Trip to Greece — the full planning framework
- Athens Travel Guide — the first city where you will use your new alphabet skills
🇬🇷 Planning a trip to Greece? Use our AI Trip Planner to build your itinerary — or take our quiz to find the right Greek destination.
Written by
Athens-born engineer · Coordinates a 5-expert Greek team · 50+ years combined field experience
I write every article on this site drawing on real, first-hand expertise — mine and that of four colleagues who live and work across Greece daily: a Peloponnese tour operator, a transfer specialist across Athens, Mykonos & Santorini, a Cretan hotel owner, and a Northern Greece hotel supplier. Nothing here comes from a single visit or desk research.
Informed by 5 Greek experts
Every destination we cover has been visited and vetted by at least one team member — not for a review, but as part of their daily work in Greek tourism.