Alphabet Stone with Reflection

Diphthongs and Digraphs

In this 2019 revision I have provided pronunciation suggestions for diphthongs and digraphs. A diphthong is a combination of two vowel sounds, gliding from one to the other, as the oy in boy. A digraph is a single sound represented by two letters like the th in think.

Alpha Iota

ΑΙ αι

Alpha Iota

  • Modern

    e as in set, like ε

  • Hellenistic Koiné

    e as in set, like ε

  • Classical

    i as in high

Alpha Iota

ΕΙ ει

Epsilon Iota

  • Modern

    ee /i/ as in meet

  • Hellenistic Koiné

    ee /i/ as in meet

  • Classical

    ai /eɪ/ as in braid

Alpha Iota

ΟΙ οι

Omicron Iota

  • Modern

    ee /i/ as in meet

  • Hellenistic Koiné

    Similar to German ü, like υ

  • Classical

    oi as in boil

Alpha Iota

ΟΥ ου

Omicron Upsilon

  • Modern

    oo as in boot

  • Hellenistic Koiné

    oo as in boot

  • Classical

    oo as in boot

Alpha Iota

ΥΙ υι

Upsilon Iota

  • Modern

    ui as in suite

  • Hellenistic Koiné

    ui as in suite


  • Classical

    ui as in quit or
    ui as in suite

Alpha Iota

ΑΥ αυ

Alpha Upsilon

  • Modern

    av as in have before voiced consonants
    af as in after before unvoiced consonants (π, τ, κ, φ, θ, χ)

  • Hellenistic Koiné

    av as in have before voiced consonants or any vowel
    af as in after before unvoiced consonants (π, τ, κ, φ, θ, χ)

  • Classical

    ow as in how

Alpha Iota

ΕΥ ευ

Epsilon Upsilon

  • Modern

    ev as in every before voiced consonants or any vowel
    ef as in effort before unvoiced consonants (π, τ, κ, φ, θ, χ)

  • Hellenistic Koiné

    ev as in every before voiced consonants or any vowel
    ef as in effort before unvoiced consonants (π, τ, κ, φ, θ, χ)

  • Classical

    ε + υ pronounced as a single syllable

Alpha Iota

ΗΥ ηυ

Eta Upsilon

  • Modern

    ev as in evening before voiced consonants or any vowel, but eef as in beef before unvoiced consonants (π, τ, κ, φ, θ, χ)

  • Hellenistic Koiné

    av as in behave before voiced consonants or any vowel, but af as in safe before unvoiced consonants (π, τ, κ, φ, θ, χ)

  • Classical

    η + υ pronounced as a single syllable

Mu Pi

ΜΠ μπ

Mu Pi

  • Modern

    b as in back,
    or sometmes mb

  • Hellenistic Koiné

    b as in back,
    or sometmes mb

  • Classical

    μ + π pronounced as a consonant blend maintaining the unvoiced sound of π.

Nu Tau

ΝΤ ντ

Nu Tau

  • Modern

    d as in dog,
    or sometimes nd

  • Hellenistic Koiné

    d as in dog,
    or sometimes nd

  • Classical

    ν + τ pronounced as a cosonant blend maintianing the unvoiced sound of τ.