Greek Alphabet
Name
Alpha
Beta
Gamma
Delta
Epsilon
Zeta
Eta
Theta
Iota
Kappa
Lambda
Mu
Nu
Xsi
Omicron
Pi
Rho
Sigma
final Sigma5
Tau
Upsilon
Phi
Chi
Psi
Omega
Rough Breather
Smooth Breather
Uncial
A
B
G
Miniscule
a
b
g
D
E
Z
H
Q
I
K
L
M
N
X
O
P
R
S
d
e
z
h
q
i
k
l
m
n
x
o
p
r
s
j
T
U
F
C
Y
W
`
v
t
u
f
c
y
w
`
v
Written
Transliteration1,2
a
b
g
n3
d
e
z
h
th
i
k
l
m
n
x
o
p
r
s
(same)
t
u6
ph
ch
ps
w
h7
none
Pronunciation
a as in father
b as in boy
g as in get
see next page
d as in dog
e as in red
z as in zero
h as in obey
th as in thin
i as in machine4
k as in king
l as in lot
m as in met
n as in nap
xs as in axiom
o as in not
p as in pat
r as in ran
s as in sat
(same)
t as in tin
u as in put
ph as in phone
ch as in loch
ps as in tips
w as in obey
h as in hot
Note that these are italicized, this should be done whenever you transliterate from Greek or Hebrew
Source: “The SBL Handbook of Style,” p. 29.
3 Before g k x c gamma changes pronunciation and transliteration.
4 Iota can also be pronounced long (i as in pit), usually when in a diphthong (two vowels together which
have a different pronunciation), see the next page.
5 When sigma is written at the end of the word, it is written in this form.
6 This is frequently transliterated “y,” especially when not joined with another vowel (e.g. hyper from
u`per), but you may stick with the “u” transliteration.
7 When a rough breather occurs over the first letter of a word, transliterate an “h” before the first letter.
The exception is when that first letter is rho, then the “h” follows the rho: rh.
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