# BBG Chapter 3 — The Alphabet and Pronunciation

## Files

### Exercises

Exercise | Description
--- | ---
exercises/ch3-alphabet-drill/ | 24-item letter identification drill — recognize letter name and sound from written form

Basics of Biblical Greek Grammar, Mounce, 4th Edition

## 1. The Greek Alphabet (BBG §3.1–3.2)

The Greek alphabet has 24 letters. Greek uses its own script — you must memorize both uppercase and lowercase forms, since manuscripts and modern editions use both.

# | Name | Uppercase | Lowercase | Transliteration | Pronunciation
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
1 | Alpha | Α | α | a | "father" (long) or "along" (short)
2 | Beta | Β | β | b | "Bible"
3 | Gamma | Γ | γ | g | "gone" (hard g); before γ, κ, χ, ξ = nasal "ng"
4 | Delta | Δ | δ | d | "dog"
5 | Epsilon | Ε | ε | e | "met" (short e)
6 | Zeta | Ζ | ζ | z | "daze" (originally "sd"; now "z")
7 | Eta | Η | η | ē | "they" (long e)
8 | Theta | Θ | θ | th | "thin"
9 | Iota | Ι | ι | i | "intrigue" (long) or "in" (short)
10 | Kappa | Κ | κ | k | "kitchen"
11 | Lambda | Λ | λ | l | "law"
12 | Mu | Μ | μ | m | "mother"
13 | Nu | Ν | ν | n | "new"
14 | Xi | Ξ | ξ | x | "axiom"
15 | Omicron | Ο | ο | o | "off" (short o)
16 | Pi | Π | π | p | "peach"
17 | Rho | Ρ | ρ | r | "rod" (slightly trilled)
18 | Sigma | Σ | σ/ς | s | "sun"
19 | Tau | Τ | τ | t | "talk"
20 | Upsilon | Υ | υ | u/y | French "tu" or German "über"
21 | Phi | Φ | φ | ph | "phone"
22 | Chi | Χ | χ | ch | German "Bach" (breathy k)
23 | Psi | Ψ | ψ | ps | "lips"
24 | Omega | Ω | ω | ō | "tone" (long o)

> Note on sigma: Sigma has two lowercase forms. The standard form σ is used at the beginning or in the middle of a word. The final sigma ς is used only at the end of a word. Example: in σάρξ, the σ is initial; in σώζω, both positions are medial.

> Note on gamma nasal: When γ appears before γ, κ, χ, or ξ, it is pronounced like the nasal "ng" in "sing." So ἄγγελος (angel) = "ang-ge-los," not "ag-ge-los."

## 2. Vowels and Consonants (BBG §3.3)

### Vowels

Greek has seven vowel letters: α, ε, η, ι, ο, υ, ω.

Vowel | Length
--- | ---
ε | Always short
ο | Always short
η | Always long
ω | Always long
α | Either short or long
ι | Either short or long
υ | Either short or long

### Consonants Classified

Category | Letters | Description
--- | --- | ---
Labials (lip sounds) | π, β, φ | Made at the lips
Velars (back of throat) | κ, γ, χ | Made at the velum (back palate)
Dentals (tooth sounds) | τ, δ, θ | Made at the teeth/alveolar ridge
Liquids | λ, ρ | Smooth, flowing sounds
Nasals | μ, ν | Nasal resonance
Sibilant | σ/ς | Hissing sound
Double consonants | ζ, ξ, ψ | Each represents two consonant sounds

> Why this matters: Labials, velars, and dentals each behave predictably when they encounter certain suffixes (especially σ). These patterns recur constantly in verb and noun morphology.

## 3. Diphthongs (BBG §3.4)

A diphthong is a combination of two vowels pronounced as a single syllable. Greek has several.

### Proper Diphthongs

Diphthong | Pronunciation | Example | Gloss
--- | --- | --- | ---
αι | "aisle" | αἰών | age, eternity
ει | "eight" | εἰρήνη | peace
οι | "oil" | οἶκος | house
αυ | "out" | αὐτός | he / same
ευ | "feud" | εὐαγγέλιον | gospel
ου | "food" | οὐρανός | heaven
υι | "suite" | υἱός | son

> Note: The diphthong ου is the most common in the NT. It appears constantly in verb and noun endings — "ου" as a standalone genitive singular ending, in pronouns (οὗ, οὗτος), and in the vocabulary (οὐ = "not").

### Improper Diphthongs (Iota Subscript)

When a long vowel (α, η, ω) combines historically with an iota that became silent, the iota is written below the long vowel. This is called the iota subscript.

Form | Description | Example
--- | --- | ---
ᾳ | alpha with subscript | ᾠδή (song, in dat. sg. context)
ῃ | eta with subscript | λύῃ (pres. subj. 3sg.)
ῳ | omega with subscript | λόγῳ (dative singular)

The iota subscript is not pronounced separately in Erasmian pronunciation, but it is historically significant and changes grammatical form. Always write it — omitting it changes the word.

## 4. Breathing Marks (BBG §3.5)

Every Greek word beginning with a vowel carries a breathing mark over the first vowel (or over the second vowel of an initial diphthong).

Mark | Name | Effect
--- | --- | ---
᾿ (like reversed comma) | Smooth breathing | No added sound — vowel pronounced alone
᾽ (like comma) | Rough breathing | Add an "h" sound before the vowel

Examples:

Greek | Breathing | Pronunciation | Gloss
--- | --- | --- | ---
ἀγάπη | smooth over α | "agapē" | love
ἁμαρτία | rough over α | "hamartia" | sin
εὐαγγέλιον | smooth over initial ευ | "euangelion" | gospel
ὑπέρ | rough over υ | "hyper" | above, over

Rules:
- Rho (ρ) at the beginning of a word always takes a rough breathing: ῥήμα → "rhēma."
- Initial diphthongs carry the breathing over the second vowel of the pair: αἴρω, εὐλογέω.
- Uppercase initial vowels carry the breathing mark to the left: Ἀβραάμ, Ἕλλην.

## 5. Accents: Introduction (BBG §3.6)

Greek words carry one of three accent marks. Full accent rules are covered in Ch4; for now, recognize the three types and know that accented syllables carry stress.

Accent | Name | Symbol | Where It Appears
--- | --- | --- | ---
´ | Acute | ά | Any of the last three syllables
` | Grave | ὰ | Only on the ultima, when another word follows immediately
͂ | Circumflex | ᾶ | Only on long syllables; only on the last two syllables

> For now: Pronounce accented syllables with a slight stress. The systematic accent rules (BBG Ch4) govern which accent appears and where.

## 6. The Moveable Nu (BBG §3.7)

Certain Greek words optionally add ν at the end when the next word begins with a vowel. This prevents an awkward vowel-vowel clash between adjacent words.

- Its presence or absence never changes meaning.
- It appears most often on 3rd person singular verb endings and certain dative plural forms.
- The most common carrier you will see: ἐστίν ("he/she/it is") before a vowel; ἐστί before a consonant.

## 7. Writing Practice Guide

When learning the alphabet, follow this sequence for each letter:

1. Trace the letter shape — attend to direction of strokes
2. Write the lowercase form 5× without looking
3. Write the uppercase form 5× without looking
4. Write the letter's name aloud
5. Say the sound aloud as you write

### Letters Most Often Confused by New Students

Pair | Why Confused | How to Distinguish
--- | --- | ---
ν / υ | Similar shape | ν is narrower and pointed at the top; υ has a rounded bottom
η / n (English) | Look similar | η is Greek eta = long e; remember "ēta = long E"
ρ / p (English) | Look the same | ρ is Greek rho = "r" sound
χ / x (English) | Identical shape | χ is Greek chi = breathy "ch" (Bach), not "x"
ω / w (English) | Look similar | ω is Greek omega = long "o"; Greek has no w
ξ / ε | Easily mixed for beginners | ξ = "ks" (double consonant); ε = short "e"