Greek Alphabet FAQ

The Greek alphabet has 24 letters. This includes:

• 7 vowels: Α (alpha), Ε (epsilon), Η (eta), Ι (iota), Ο (omicron), Υ (upsilon), Ω (omega)
• 17 consonants: all remaining letters

This is 2 fewer than the modern English alphabet's 26 letters.

The traditional order is:

1. Alpha (Α, α)
2. Beta (Β, β)
3. Gamma (Γ, γ)
4. Delta (Δ, δ)
5. Epsilon (Ε, ε)
6. Zeta (Ζ, ζ)
7. Eta (Η, η)
8. Theta (Θ, θ)
9. Iota (Ι, ι)
10. Kappa (Κ, κ)
11. Lambda (Λ, λ)
12. Mu (Μ, μ)
13. Nu (Ν, ν)
14. Xi (Ξ, ξ)
15. Omicron (Ο, ο)
16. Pi (Π, π)
17. Rho (Ρ, ρ)
18. Sigma (Σ, σ/ς)
19. Tau (Τ, τ)
20. Upsilon (Υ, υ)
21. Phi (Φ, φ)
22. Chi (Χ, χ)
23. Psi (Ψ, ψ)
24. Omega (Ω, ω)

See our complete Greek alphabet order page for more details.

Key differences include:

• Number of letters: Greek has 24, English has 26
• Unique Greek letters: Θ (theta), Ξ (xi), Φ (phi), Χ (chi), Ψ (psi), Ω (omega)
• Letters only in English: C, J, Q, V, W
• Different sounds: Η (eta) sounds like "ee", not "h"
• Historical relationship: Latin alphabet (used for English) evolved from Greek

Learn more on our Greek vs Latin alphabet page.

Yes! The Greek alphabet is actively used in:

• Modern Greek language: ~13 million native speakers
• Mathematics and science: Symbols like π, Σ, Δ, Ω
• Fraternities and sororities: ΑΒΓ, ΔΣΦ, etc.
• Technology: Software versions (alpha, beta)
• Brand names: Omega watches, Delta airlines

Greek letter pronunciation varies between ancient and modern Greek. Common pronunciations in English:

• Alpha: AL-fah
• Beta: BAY-tah
• Gamma: GAM-ah
• Delta: DEL-tah
• Omega: oh-MAY-gah

See our complete pronunciation guide with audio examples.

Some do, but many don't:

• Similar: Α (a), Β (b), Δ (d), Κ (k), Λ (l), Μ (m), Ν (n), Τ (t)
• Different: Η (sounds like "ee"), Ρ (r, not p), Χ (kh, not x)
• No English equivalent: Θ (th), Φ (ph), Ψ (ps)

Both are "O" sounds, but:

• Omicron (Ο, ο): "Little O" - short O sound (like "hot")
• Omega (Ω, ω): "Big O" - long O sound (like "tone")
• In modern Greek, they sound nearly identical
• Omega is the last letter; omicron is 15th

Greek letters are used because:

• Visual distinction: Different from Latin letters used for variables
• Historical tradition: Early mathematicians wrote in Greek
• International standard: Universally recognized symbols
• Specific meanings: π always means pi (3.14159...)
• Shortage of symbols: More symbols needed than 26 English letters

Examples: π (pi), Σ (sum), Δ (change), λ (wavelength), μ (mean)

This idiom means something is completely incomprehensible or confusing. Origin:

• First recorded in Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" (1599)
• Medieval scribes wrote "Graecum est; non legitur" (It's Greek; it cannot be read)
• Greek alphabet looked foreign to those who only knew Latin
• Similar expressions exist in many languages

The tradition started with Phi Beta Kappa in 1776:

• Greek was the language of higher learning
• Letters concealed secret mottos (ΦΒΚ = Φιλοσοφία Βίου Κυβερνήτης)
• Created unique organizational identity
• Symbolized intellectual pursuits

Learn more on our Greek alphabet in culture page.

Several methods:

• Copy and paste: Use our copy-paste tool
• Alt codes (Windows): Alt + 945 = α, Alt + 946 = β
• Greek keyboard: Add Greek language to your OS
• Unicode: Type Unicode values (U+03B1 for α)
• Special software: Math editors, Greek typing tools

See our keyboard guide for detailed instructions.

Tips for handwriting Greek letters:

• Start with printed (non-cursive) forms
• Pay attention to stroke order
• Note differences from similar English letters
• Practice on lined paper for consistent size

See our complete writing guide with stroke-by-stroke instructions.

Sigma has two lowercase forms:

• σ (regular sigma): Used at the beginning or middle of words
• ς (final sigma): Used only at the end of words
• Similar to English long s (ſ) used historically
• Example: κόσμος (cosmos) - note the ς at the end

The Greek alphabet is approximately 2,800 years old:

• Developed around 800 BCE
• Adapted from Phoenician script
• First alphabet to include vowels
• Standardized in Athens in 403 BCE

Read more about Greek alphabet history.

Yes, the Greeks adapted the Phoenician alphabet around 800 BCE:

• Phoenician had only consonants
• Greeks innovated by adding vowels
• Some Phoenician letters became Greek vowels
• Greeks added new letters (Φ, Χ, Ψ, Ω)
• Writing direction changed from right-to-left to left-to-right

The Greek alphabet influenced many writing systems:

• Latin alphabet: Used for English and most European languages
• Cyrillic alphabet: Used for Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian
• Coptic alphabet: Used for Egyptian Christian texts
• Gothic alphabet: Created for Germanic tribes
• Armenian alphabet: Influenced by Greek structure

With regular practice:

• Recognition: 1-2 weeks (15-30 minutes daily)
• Writing: 2-4 weeks to write fluently
• Mastery: 1-2 months for full confidence
• Speed varies: Depends on prior language experience

Start with our beginner's guide.

Effective techniques include:

• Group similar letters: Learn A, B, E, I, K, M, N, O, T first
• Use mnemonics: Delta = triangle, Omega = horseshoe
• Practice daily: 10-15 minutes is better than long sessions
• Write by hand: Muscle memory helps retention
• Find them in use: Look for Greek letters in math/science

See our learning resources for tools and exercises.

Yes, absolutely! For ancient Greek you'll also need:

• Breathing marks (rough ῾ and smooth ᾿)
• Three accent types (acute ΄, grave `, circumflex ῀)
• Iota subscript (ᾳ ῃ ῳ)
• Understanding of archaic letters

See ancient vs modern Greek for details.

Greek letters in Unicode:

• Uppercase: U+0391 to U+03A9 (Α to Ω)
• Lowercase: U+03B1 to U+03C9 (α to ω)
• Example: α = U+03B1, π = U+03C0

See our complete Unicode reference.

It depends on the language:

• Python 3+: Yes, as variable names (π = 3.14159)
• Julia: Extensively supports Greek letters
• JavaScript: Technically yes, but not recommended
• C/C++: Generally no (ASCII only)
• LaTeX: Yes, with commands like \alpha, \beta