Vowel Combinations in Greek: The Ultimate Guide for Beginners
Welcome to another exciting lesson in our Greek Grammar series. This time, we'll tackle a topic that's essential for anyone serious about mastering the Greek language—vowel combinations.
Understanding Greek Vowels and Their Combinations
In Modern Greek, each of the 24 letters mainly represents a single sound but can also depict multiple sounds when combined with others.
For example, the sound [a] as in 'apricot' is denoted by the letter Α-α, whereas [e] as in 'echo' can be represented by either Ε-ε or the combination Αι-αι.
Note
The existence of these vowel combinations stems from the historical evolution of the language, where multiple ways to express the same sound emerged. Though they differ in writing, these representations are phonetically identical and only distinguishable in written form.
Vowel Combinations and Pronunciation
Let's take a look at some common vowel combinations in Greek and how they're pronounced:
- ε + ι = pronounced 'ee' as in 'see'
- ο + ι = pronounced 'ee' as in 'see'
- α + ι = pronounced 'e' as in 'echo'
Table: Greek Vowel Combinations
| Vowel Combination | Pronunciation | Example | Transliteration | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ου | [ou] | ουρά | ourá | tail / queue |
| αι | [e] | αίμα | aíma | blood |
| ει | [i] | είσοδος | eísodos | entrance |
| οι | [i] | οικία | oikía | house |
| υι | [i] | υιός | yiós | son |
| αυ | [av] | αυλή | avlí | yard |
| αυ | [af] | αυθάδεια | afthádeia | insolence |
| ευ | [ev] | ευγένεια | evyéneia | nobility |
| ευ | [ef] | ευθυμία | efthymía | mirth |
Special Cases: αυ and ευ
The combination 'αυ' and 'ευ' are pronounced differently depending on the letters that follow them. They can be pronounced as [af/ef] or [av/ev] based on the conditions outlined below:
Rules for α + υ and ε + υ Pronunciation
- It's pronounced as 'av/ev' when it is before consonants β, γ, δ, ζ, λ, ρ, μ, ν.
- It's pronounced as 'af/ef' before κ, π, τ, χ, φ, θ, σ, ξ, ψ.
Table: Pronunciation of αυ and ευ
| Condition | αυ Pronunciation | ευ Pronunciation | Example | Transliteration | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| β, γ, δ, ζ, λ, ρ, μ, ν | [av] | [ev] | αυλή | avlí | yard |
| κ, π, τ, χ, φ, θ, σ, ξ, ψ | [af] | [ef] | αυτόνομος | autonomos | autonomous |
Table: αυ and ευ vowel combinations as [af], [ef], [av], [ev]
| Greek Word | Transliteration | English Meaning | Pronunciation Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Αυτοκίνητο | Aftokínito | Car | [af] |
| Αυθεντία | Afthentía | Authority | [af] |
| Ευφυΐα | Efyía | Intelligence | [ef] |
| Ευθύνη | Efthýni | Responsibility | [ef] |
| Αυλή | Avlí | Yard | [av] |
| Αυγό | Avgo | Egg | [av] |
| Ευλογία | Evloyía | Blessing | [ev] |
| Ευρώ | Evró | Euro | [ev] |
Usage Examples
Το αυτοκίνητό μου κόστισε 15000 ευρώ (To aftokínitó mou kóstise 15000 evró) - My car cost 30000 euros Η αυθεντία της είναι αναμφισβήτητη (I afthentía tis eínai anamfisvítiti) Her authority is unquestionable Η αυλή είναι γεμάτη λουλούδια (I avlí eínai yiemáti louloúdia) - The yard is full of flowers
Table: words with ει and οι vowel combinations
| Greek Word | Transliteration | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Δείχνω | Deixno | Verb to show |
| Εισιτήριο | Eisitirio | Ticket |
| Οικογένεια | Oikoyieneia | Family |
Usage Examples with ει and οι
Είμαι καλά (Eímai kalá) - I am fine Οι φίλοι μου είναι εδώ (Oi fíloi mou eínai edó) - My friends are here Είναι καταπληκτικό! (Eínai katapliktikó!) - It's amazing!
Table: words with 'αι' vowel combination
| Greek Word | Transliteration | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Παιδί | Paidí | Child |
| Αίσθηση | Aísthisi | Sensation |
| Αίολος | Aiolos | Aeolus |
Usage Examples with αι
Το παιδί παίζει ποδόσφαιρο. (To paidí paízei podosfairo) - The child is playing football. Έχω μια αίσθηση ότι (Écho mia aísthisi óti...) - I have a sensation / feeling that... Αυτή είναι η αιτία που δούλεψε τόσο πολύ (Afti eínai i aitía pou doúlepse tóso polý) - This is the reason that she worked so much.
Note
In Greek mythology, Aeolus was the ruler of the winds 💨 encountered by Odysseus in Homer's Odyssey. Aeolus was the king of the island of Aeolia 🏝️ where he lived with his wife, six sons and six daughters. To ensure safe passage home for Odysseus and his men, Aeolus gave Odysseus a bag containing all the winds, except the gentle west wind.
Happy learning! Looking forward to seeing you in our next lesson.