Wiktionary:Ancient Greek transliteration

These are the rules concerning transliteration in Ancient Greek entries.

This page is an extension of Wiktionary:About Ancient Greek. See also Category:Ancient Greek IPA templates. There is also a page Modern Greek romanization.

The prescribed Romanization is the scientific transliteration; note that digraphs only affect pronunciation, not Romanization.

The prescribed pronunciation systems here reflect the main prestige dialects during the three ancient Greek development periods.

Classical Greek pronunciation reflects the conservative standard of the Attic-speaking regions of Attica, the northern Cyclades, Euboea and Chalcidice, and their colonies.
Koine Greek pronunciation reflects the majority mixed dialect of Alexander's empire, especially that of Alexandria, the principal philosophical and literary center of the Hellenistic Greeks, and where Judeo-Christian scripture was translated into Greek.
Byzantine Greek pronunciation reflects the habits of Constantinople and its close transitional dialects. Though it spanned almost all of Late Antiquity, it also spanned well into the Middle Ages until the 15th century (approximately 1200 years), as the Byzantine Roman world largely escaped the Dark Ages.
Contemporary Greek pronunciation reflects how people in modern Greece and Cyprus pronounce classical words today. The standard is based on the polished speech register of Demotic Greek, including additional polished Cypriot articulations (in parentheses) where these do not exist in Athens.

Letters

Letter	Rom.	Class. IPA	Koine IPA	Byzan. IPA	Cont. IPA	before αあるふぁιいおた εいぷしろん εいぷしろんιいおた εいぷしろんυうぷしろん ηいーた ῃ ηいーたυうぷしろん ιいおた οおみくろんιいおた υうぷしろん υうぷしろんιいおた	Notes
Αあるふぁ αあるふぁ	`A Ā a ā`	[a], [aː]	[a], [aː]	[a]	[a]		In Classical polytonic, the length distinction of ᾰ ([a]) and ᾱ ([aː]) is not usually indicated in writing or transcription. However, if ᾱ needs to be transcribed, `ā` suffices.
Βべーた βべーた	`B b`	[b]	[b]	[βべーた]	[v]
Γがんま γがんま	`G g`	[ɡ]	[ɡ]	[ɣ]	[ɣ]	[ʝ]
Δでるた δでるた	`D d`	[d]	[d]	[ð]	[ð]
Εいぷしろん εいぷしろん	`E e`	[e]	[ɛ]	[e]	[e]
Ϝ ϝ	`W w`	[w]	N\A				Not native to Attic-Ionic (lost in pre-classical times). If pronounced [w], Classical Attic kept it silent and Koine adapted it as οおみくろんυうぷしろん. If pronounced [βべーた~v], both Classical Attic and Koine adapted it as βべーた.
Ζぜーた ζぜーた	`Z z`	[zd]	[z], [zz]	[z], [zz]	[z], [(z)z]		Was metrically considered an interchangeably single or double consonant in Koine (typically double between vowels).
Ηいーた ηいーた	`Ē ē`	[ɛː]	[eː]	[i]	[i]		Finishes merging with ιいおた/ϊ in Byzantine.
Θしーた θしーた	`Th th`	[tʰ]	[tʰ]	[θしーた]	[θしーた]
Ιいおた ιいおた ϊ	`I Ī i ī ï`	[i], [iː]	[i], [iː]	[i]	[i]		In Classical polytonic, the length distinction of ῐ ([i]) and ῑ ([iː]) is not usually indicated in writing or transcription. However, if ῑ needs to be transcribed, `ī` suffices.
Κかっぱ κかっぱ	`K k`	[k]	[k]	[k]	[k]	[c]
Λらむだ λらむだ	`L l`	[l]	[l]	[l]	[l]
Μみゅー μみゅー	`M m`	[m]	[m]	[m]	[m]
Νにゅー νにゅー	`N n`	[n]	[n]	[n]	[n]
Ξくしー ξくしー	`Ks ks`	[kʰs]	[kʰs]	[ks]	[ks]		See digraph exceptions further down.
Οおみくろん οおみくろん	`O o`	[o]	[o]	[o]	[o]
Πぱい πぱい	`P p`	[p]	[p]	[p]	[p]
Ρろー ρろー	`Rh rh r`	[hr], [r]	[(h)r], [r]	[r]	[ɾ]		Normal ρろー is [r] and transcribed `r`. In Classical, ῥ is voiceless [r̥] and transcribed `rh`, and ρろーρろー or ῤῥ is voiceless [rr̥] and transcribed `rrh`. Koine ῥ is [r̥] or [r], and ῤῥ is [rr̥] or [rr]. All are voiced [r] in Byzantine onward, except in Atticist writings.
Σしぐま σしぐま ς	`S s`	[s]	[s]	[s]	[s]		See digraph exceptions further down.
Τたう τたう	`T t`	[t]	[t]	[t]	[t]		See diagraph exceptions further down.
Υうぷしろん υうぷしろん ϋ	`Hu Hū hu hū u ū ü`	[ʉ], [ʉː]	[y], [yː]	[y]	[i]		In Classical polytonic, the length distinction of ῠ ([y]) and ῡ ([yː]) is not usually indicated in writing or transcription. However, if ᾱ needs to be transcribed, `ā` suffices. Originally a back vowel [u uː], the influential Attic dialect shifted it to front [y yː] early on. Merges with ιいおた in 10th century Byzantine Greek, but merges with οおみくろんυうぷしろん in the Old Athenian dialect until it becomes extinct in the 20th century.
Φふぁい φふぁい	`Ph ph`	[pʰ]	[pʰ]	[ɸ]	[f]
Χかい χかい	`Kh kh`	[kʰ]	[kʰ]	[x]	[x]	[ç]
Ψぷさい ψぷさい	`Ps ps`	[pʰs]	[pʰs]	[ps]	[ps]		See digraph exceptions further down.
Ωおめが ωおめが	`Ō ō`	[ɔː]	[oː]	[o]	[o]		Merges with οおみくろん late in Koine.

Vowel digraphs

Spelling	Rom.	Class. IPA	Koine IPA	Byzan. IPA	Cont. IPA	Notes
Αあるふぁιいおた αあるふぁιいおた	`Ai ai`	[ai̯]	[ɛː]	[e]	[e]	Merges with εいぷしろん in late Koine among the Hellenists and in Alexandria, and treated as an allophone of it from then on.
ᾼ ᾳ	`Āi āi`	[aːi̯]	[aː]	[a]	[a]	Classically spelt ΑあるふぁΙいおた. In Koine, becomes collated simply as αあるふぁ as they merge.
Αあるふぁυうぷしろん αあるふぁυうぷしろん	`Au Āu au āu`	[au̯], [aːu̯]	[aw], [aːw]	[av]	[av]	See αあるふぁυうぷしろん/εいぷしろんυうぷしろん/ηいーたυうぷしろん exceptions further down.
Εいぷしろんιいおた εいぷしろんιいおた	`Ei ei`	[eː]	[iː]	[i]	[i]	The Archaic Greek diphthong [ei̯] was monophthongized to [eː] in Attic, and merged with original long [eː] (the "spurious diphthong") from compensatory lengthening or contraction, except before vowels. In the learned Koine pronunciation of the foreign Romans, εいぷしろんιいおた was typically an allophone of ηいーた immediately before other vowels, and an allophone of ιいおた everywhere else. Alexandrians treated it as an allophone of ῑ in all circumstances, a trend that would become standard in Byzantine.
Εいぷしろんυうぷしろん εいぷしろんυうぷしろん	`Eu eu`	[eu̯]	[ɛw]	[ev]	[ev]	See αあるふぁυうぷしろん/εいぷしろんυうぷしろん/ηいーたυうぷしろん exceptions further down.
ῌ ῃ	`Ēi ēi`	[ɛːi̯]	[eː]	[i]	[i]	Classically spelt ΗいーたΙいおた. In Koine, becomes collated simply as ηいーた as they merge.
Ηいーたυうぷしろん ηいーたυうぷしろん	`Ēu ēu`	[ɛːu̯]	[eːw]	[iv]	[iv]	See αあるふぁυうぷしろん/εいぷしろんυうぷしろん/ηいーたυうぷしろん exceptions further down.
Οおみくろんιいおた οおみくろんιいおた	`Oi oi`	[oi̯]	[yː]	[y]	[i]	Merges together with ῡ and υうぷしろんιいおた in Koine, even earlier in Athens.
Οおみくろんυうぷしろん οおみくろんυうぷしろん	`Ou ou`	[oː]	[uː]	[u]	[u]	The Archaic Greek diphthong [ou̯] was monophthongized to [oː] in Attic, and merged with original long [oː] (the "spurious diphthong") from compensatory lengthening or contraction. [oː] was raised to [uː] early on in Athens, remaining an allophone of [oː] until ωおめが fills that pronunciation.
Υうぷしろんιいおた υうぷしろんιいおた υϊ	`Hui hui ui uï`	[yː]	[yː]	[y]	[i]	Merges with ῡ in Koine, and earlier on in Athens.
ῼ ῳ	`Ōi ōi`	[ɔːi̯]	[oː]	[o]	[o]	Classically spelt ΩおめがΙいおた. In Koine, becomes collated simply as ωおめが as they merge.
Ωおめがυうぷしろん ωおめがυうぷしろん	`Ōu ōu`	[ɔː.y]	[oː.y]	[oy]	[oi]	Ionic Greek diphthong (originally pronounced [ɔːu̯]), separated into two separate vowels, ωϋ, when loaned into Classical Attic onward.

Consonant digraphs and exceptions

Spelling	Rom.	Class. IPA	Koine IPA	Byzan. IPA	Cont. IPA	before αあるふぁιいおた εいぷしろん εいぷしろんιいおた εいぷしろんυうぷしろん ηいーた ῃ ηいーたυうぷしろん ιいおた οおみくろんιいおた υうぷしろん υうぷしろんιいおた	Notes
βべーたβべーた	`bb`	[bb]	[bb]	[βべーたβべーた]	[(v)v]
γがんまγがんま	`ng`	[ŋɡ]	[ŋɡ]	[ŋɡ]	[ŋɡ]	[ɲɟ]	In Contemporary pronunciation, in numerous irregular cases, is pronounced [ŋɣ] and [ɲʝ] respectively. Please consult (and preferably cite) a reputable Modern Greek pronunciation source for each word concerned.
γがんまκかっぱ	`nk`	[ŋk]	[ŋk]	[ŋk]	[ŋɡ]	[ɲɟ]
γがんまκかっぱτたう	`nkt`	[ŋkt]	[ŋkt]	[ŋkt]	[ŋkt]
γがんまμみゅー	`gm`	[ŋm]	[ŋm], [m], [ɡm]	[ɣm]	[ɣm]
γがんまξくしー	`nks`	[ŋkʰs]	[ŋkʰs]	[ŋks]	[ŋks]
γがんまχかい	`nkh`	[ŋkʰ]	[ŋkʰ]	[◌̃x]	[ŋx]	[ɲç]	In Byzantine pronunciation, this consonant cluster becomes seriously endangered and merges with χかい in common speech, later reintroduced under influence from Katharevousa.
δでるたδでるた	`dd`	[dd]	[dd]	[ðð]	[(ð)ð]
κかっぱβべーた	`kb`	[ɡb]	[ɡb]	[ɡβべーた]	[ɡv]
κかっぱγがんま	`kg`	[ɡɡ]	[ɡɡ]	[ɡɣ]	[ɡɣ]	[ɟʝ]
κかっぱδでるた	`kd`	[ɡd]	[ɡd]	[ɡð]	[ɡð]
κかっぱζぜーた	`kz`	[ɡʱzd]	[ɡʱz]	[ɡz]	[ɡz]
κかっぱθしーた	`kth`	[kʰtʰ]	[kʰtʰ]	[kθしーた]	[kθしーた]
κかっぱκかっぱ	`kk`	[kk]	[kk]	[kk]	[k(ʰ)]	[c(ʰ)]
κかっぱξくしー	`kks`	[kkʰs]	[kkʰs]	[kks]	[k(ʰ)s]
κかっぱσしぐま	`ks`	[kʰs]	[kʰs]	[ks]	[ks]
κかっぱσしぐまμみゅー	`ksm`	[ɡʱzm]	[ɡʱzm]	[ɡzm]	[ɡzm]
κかっぱφふぁい	`kph`	[kʰpʰ]	[kʰpʰ]	[kɸ]	[kf]
κかっぱχかい	`kkh`	[kkʰ]	[kkʰ]	[kx]	[kx]	[cç]
κかっぱψぷさい	`kps`	[kʰpʰs]	[kʰpʰs]	[kps]	[kps]
λらむだλらむだ	`ll`	[ll]	[ll]	[ll]	[(l)l]
μみゅーβべーた	`mb`	[mb]	[mb]	[mb]	[ɱv]
μみゅーμみゅー	`mm`	[mm]	[mm]	[mm]	[(m)m]
μみゅーπぱい	`mp`	[mp]	[mp]	[mp]	[mb]
μみゅーπぱいτたう	`mpt`	[mpt]	[mpt]	[mpt]	[mpt]
μみゅーφふぁい	`mph`	[mpʰ]	[mpʰ]	[◌̃ɸ]	[ɱf]		In Byzantine pronunciation, this consonant cluster becomes seriously endangered and merges with φふぁい in common speech, later reintroduced under influence from Katharevousa.
μみゅーψぷさい	`mps`	[mpʰs]	[mpʰs]	[mps]	[mps]
νにゅーδでるた	`nd`	[nd]	[nd]	[nd]	[nð]
νにゅーζぜーた	`nz`	[ːzd]	[nz]	[ndz]	[nz]		Not viable in Classical Attic, where the spelling is rare, and the νにゅー is silent and audibly lengthens the preceding vowel instead.
νにゅーθしーた	`nth`	[ntʰ]	[ntʰ]	[◌̃θしーた]	[nθしーた]		In Byzantine pronunciation, this consonant cluster becomes seriously endangered and merges with θしーた in common speech, later reintroduced under influence from Katharevousa.
νにゅーνにゅー	`nn`	[nn]	[nn]	[nn]	[(n)n]
νにゅーσしぐま νς	`ns`	[ːs]	[ns]	[◌̃s]	[ns]		Not viable in Classical Attic, where the spelling is rare, and the νにゅー is silent and audibly lengthens the preceding vowel instead. In Byzantine pronunciation, this consonant cluster becomes seriously endangered and merges with σしぐま again in common speech, later reintroduced under influence from Katharevousa.
νにゅーτたう	`nt`	[nt]	[nt]	[nt]	[nd]
νにゅーτたうζぜーた	`ntz`	[ːzd]	[ndz]	[ndz]	[ndz]		Not viable in Classical Attic, where the spelling is rare, and the νにゅーτたう is silent and audibly lengthens the preceding vowel instead.
νにゅーτたうσしぐま ντς	`nts`	[ːs]	[nts]	[nts]	[nts]		Not viable in Classical Attic, where the spelling is rare, and the νにゅーτたう is silent and audibly lengthens the preceding vowel instead.
ξくしーβべーた	`ksb`	[ɡʱzb]	[ɡʱzb]	[ɡzβべーた]	[ɡzv]
ξくしーγがんま	`ksg`	[ɡʱzɡ]	[ɡʱzɡ]	[ɡzɣ]	[ɡzɣ]	[ɡzʝ]
ξくしーδでるた	`ksd`	[ɡʱzd]	[ɡʱzd]	[ɡzð]	[ɡzð]
ξくしーζぜーた	`ksz`	[ɡʱzzd]	[ɡʱzz]	[ɡzz]	[ɡ(z)z]
ξくしーμみゅー	`ksm`	[ɡʱzm]	[ɡʱzm]	[ɡzm]	[ɡzm]
πぱいπぱい	`pp`	[pp]	[pp]	[pp]	[p(ʰ)]
πぱいφふぁい	`pph`	[ppʰ]	[ppʰ]	[pɸ]	[pf]
ρろーρろー ῤῥ	`rrh`	[rhr]	[r(h)r]	[rr]	[(r)ɾ]
σしぐまβべーた	`sb`	[zb]	[zb]	[zβべーた]	[zv]
σしぐまγがんま	`sg`	[zɡ]	[zɡ]	[zɣ]	[zɣ]	[zʝ]
σしぐまδでるた	`sd`	[zd]	[zd]	[zð]	[zð]
σしぐまζぜーた	`sz`	[zzd]	[zz]	[zz]	[(z)z]
Σしぐまμみゅー σしぐまμみゅー	`sm`	[zm]	[zm]	[zm]	[zm]
σしぐまσしぐま	`ss`	[ss]	[ss]	[ss]	[(s)s]
Τたうζぜーた τたうζぜーた	`tz`	[zd]	[dz]	[dz]	[dz]		Not viable in Classical Attic, where the spelling is rare, and is pronounced as ζぜーた, not audibly lengthening the preceding vowel as νにゅーζぜーた does.
τたうθしーた	`tth`	[ttʰ]	[ttʰ]	[tθしーた]	[tθしーた]
Τたうσしぐま τたうσしぐま τς	`ts`	[s]	[ts]	[ts]	[ts]		Not viable in Classical Attic, where the spelling is rare, and is pronounced as σしぐま, not audibly lengthening the preceding vowel as νにゅーσしぐま does.
τたうτたう	`tt`	[tt]	[tt]	[tt]	[t(ʰ)]
ψぷさいβべーた	`psb`	[bʱzb]	[bʱzb]	[bzβべーた]	[bzv]
ψぷさいγがんま	`psg`	[bʱzɡ]	[bʱzɡ]	[bzɣ]	[bzɣ]	[bzʝ]
ψぷさいδでるた	`psd`	[bʱzd]	[bʱzd]	[bzð]	[bzð]
ψぷさいζぜーた	`psz`	[bʱzzd]	[bʱzz]	[bzz]	[b(z)z]
ψぷさいμみゅー	`psm`	[bʱzm]	[bʱzm]	[bzm]	[bzm]

αあるふぁυうぷしろん/εいぷしろんυうぷしろん/ηいーたυうぷしろん exceptions

This table uses εいぷしろんυうぷしろん as an example, but the same principles apply to αあるふぁυうぷしろん and ηいーたυうぷしろん, with αあるふぁ and ηいーた instead of εいぷしろん.

Spelling	Rom.	Class. IPA	Koine IPA	Byzan. IPA	Cont. IPA	before αあるふぁιいおた εいぷしろん εいぷしろんιいおた εいぷしろんυうぷしろん ηいーた ῃ ηいーたυうぷしろん ιいおた οおみくろんιいおた υうぷしろん υうぷしろんιいおた	Notes
εいぷしろんυうぷしろんβべーた	`eub`	[eʊb]	[ɛwb]	[eβべーたβべーた]	[e(v)v]
εいぷしろんυうぷしろんθしーた	`euth`	[eʊtʰ]	[ɛʍtʰ]	[eɸθしーた]	[efθしーた]
εいぷしろんυうぷしろんκかっぱ	`euk`	[eʊk]	[ɛʍk]	[eɸk]	[efk]	[efc]
εいぷしろんυうぷしろんξくしー	`euks`	[eʊkʰs]	[ɛʍkʰs]	[eɸks]	[efks]
εいぷしろんυうぷしろんπぱい	`eup`	[eʊp]	[ɛʍp]	[eɸp]	[efp]
εいぷしろんυうぷしろんσしぐま ευς	`eus`	[eʊs]	[ɛʍs]	[eɸs]	[efs]
εいぷしろんυうぷしろんσしぐまβべーた	`eusb`	[eʊzb]	[ɛwzb]	[eβべーたzβべーた]	[evzv]
εいぷしろんυうぷしろんσしぐまγがんま	`eusg`	[eʊzɡ]	[ɛwzɡ]	[eβべーたzɣ]	[evzɣ]	[evzʝ]
εいぷしろんυうぷしろんσしぐまδでるた	`eusd`	[eʊzd]	[ɛwzd]	[eβべーたzð]	[evzð]
εいぷしろんυうぷしろんσしぐまμみゅー	`eusm`	[eʊzm]	[ɛwzm]	[eβべーたzm]	[evzm]
εいぷしろんυうぷしろんτたう	`eut`	[eʊt]	[ɛʍt]	[eɸt]	[eft]
εいぷしろんυうぷしろんτたうζぜーた	`eutz`	[eʊzd]	[ɛwdz]	[eβべーたdz]	[evdz]
εいぷしろんυうぷしろんφふぁい	`euph`	[eʊpʰ]	[ɛʍpʰ]	[eɸɸ]	[e(f)f]
εいぷしろんυうぷしろんχかい	`eukh`	[eʊkʰ]	[ɛʍkʰ]	[eɸx]	[efx]	[efç]
εいぷしろんυうぷしろんψぷさい	`eups`	[eʊpʰs]	[ɛʍpʰs]	[eɸps]	[efps]
εいぷしろんυうぷしろん	`eu`	[eʊ]	[ɛʍ]	[eɸ]	[ef]		Specifically in the word-final position.

Consonant-ιいおた exceptions

Even today, most words of learned Ancient Greek origin have ιいおた pronounced as [i], always a full vowel in its own syllable. However, where ιいおた is understood to have come from [j], a [j]-derived pronunciation may reasonably apply. [j] does not enter the spoken language until the Byzantine period, and some words (such as Ἰούλιος (Ioúlios)) do not today have retroactive [j] pronunciations. But when [j] does contextually apply, this is how.

Spelling	Rom.	Byzan. IPA	Cont. IPA
ιいおた ϊ	`i`	[j]	[ʝ]
γがんまιいおた	`gi`	[ɣj]	[ʝ]
γがんまγがんまιいおた	`ngi`	[ŋɡj]	[ɲɟ]
γがんまκかっぱιいおた	`nki`	[ŋkj]	[ɲɟ]
γがんまχかいιいおた	`nkhi`	[ ̃xj]	[ɲç]
θしーたιいおた	`thi`	[θしーたj]	[θしーたç]
κかっぱιいおた	`ki`	[kj]	[c]
κかっぱγがんまιいおた	`kgi`	[ɡɣj]	[ɟʝ]
κかっぱκかっぱιいおた	`kki`	[kkj]	[(c)c]
κかっぱχかいιいおた	`kkhi`	[kxj]	[cç]
λらむだιいおた	`li`	[lj]	[ʎ]
λらむだλらむだιいおた	`lli`	[llj]	[(ʎ)ʎ]
νにゅーιいおた	`ni`	[nj]	[ɲ]
νにゅーνにゅーιいおた	`nni`	[nnj]	[(ɲ)ɲ]
ξくしーιいおた	`ksi`	[ksj]	[ksç]
πぱいιいおた	`pi`	[pj]	[pç]
σしぐまιいおた	`si`	[sj]	[sç]
τたうιいおた	`ti`	[tj]	[tç]
φふぁいιいおた	`phi`	[ɸj]	[fç]
χかいιいおた	`khi`	[xj]	[ç]
ψぷさいιいおた	`psi`	[psj]	[psç]

Additional notes

A rough breathing mark (dasy pneuma) is designated by an h at the front of the word (both in IPA and Romanization). A smooth breathing mark (psilon pneuma) requires no notation. In Koine IPA, the rough breathing mark is marked as [(h)] because it's already a mostly dead phoneme. In Byzantine IPA onward, it is totally gone. When the rough breathing mark is on vowels or diphthongs, they should be preceded with h in romanization. Over ρろー, the consonant is romanized rh. The mark is always on (or implied to be on) word-initial Ρろー ρろー Υうぷしろん υうぷしろん Υうぷしろんιいおた υうぷしろんιいおた, which are always romanized Rh rh Hu hu Hui hui. ρろーρろー/ῤῥ is always romanized rrh.
Iota subscripts are romanized, but not pronounced for Koine. In Classical pronunciation an iota subscript is designated by a /j/ following the vowel.
A diaeresis should be noted in a Romanization with the umlaut set found in the Latin/Roman script set (at the bottom of the editing window).
In Classical IPA, acute accent is noted by ́ on vowel, circumflex with ̂ . In Koine, both are represented with ˈ at the beginning of corresponding syllable.
Macrons should be designated in IPA by the long vowel symbol ː. Long vowels (ᾱ, ῑ, ῡ) are denoted in the displayed forms of words, as well as romanizations, with a macron. The macron is omitted in combination with a circumflex accent, as a circumflex accent is already implicitly long.