The Alphabet
The Greek alphabet has twenty-four letters. Many of them look and sound like English letters, which makes them easier to learn. The New Testament was written in Koine Greek, the common language of the first century. Learning these letters opens the door to reading Scripture in its original words. Tap any letter card to hear its name and see example words.
Welcome to Biblical Greek!
The Greek alphabet has 24 letters. Many are similar to English letters, making them easy to learn. The New Testament was written in Koine (common) Greek, and learning these letters opens up the original words of Scripture.
Diphthongs (Two Vowels Combined)
Sounds
Greek has seven vowels: alpha, epsilon, eta, iota, omicron, upsilon, and omega. The rest of the letters are consonants. Some sound just like English, while a few, like theta, chi, and phi, make sounds English spells with two letters. Tap any letter to hear how it sounds, and read the pronunciation tips below.
Pronunciation Guide
Vowels (φωνήεντα)
Greek has 7 vowels. Alpha, iota, and upsilon can be either short or long.
Consonants Similar to English
Consonants Different from English
💡 Pronunciation Tips
- Gamma (γ) before another gamma, kappa, chi, or xi sounds like "ng" — e.g., ἄγγελος (angelos)
- Final sigma (ς) is only used at the end of a word
- Breathing marks: Words starting with a vowel have either smooth (᾽) or rough (῾) breathing. Rough breathing adds an "h" sound.
- Accents indicate stress: acute (´), grave (`), circumflex (῀)
Exercises
These exercises help you practice what you have learned. Match each letter to its name, find a letter by its name, switch between capital and small forms, choose a letter by its sound, or read real New Testament words. Pick a practice mode above, then choose your answer. Your score is shown at the top.
What is the name of this letter?
📝 Practice Tips
- Start with "Letter → Name" to learn recognition
- Progress to "Name → Letter" for recall practice
- The "Word Reading" exercise uses real NT vocabulary!
- Aim for 90% accuracy before moving to the next exercise type
New Testament Words
Here are some of the most common words in the Greek New Testament. Each card shows the Greek word, how to say it, its meaning, where it appears, and how often it is used. Tap any word to hear it spoken aloud.
Common New Testament Words
Learn essential Greek vocabulary from the Textus Receptus. These words appear frequently throughout the New Testament. Tap any word to hear it pronounced aloud by George.
Reading Practice
Now you can read real verses from the Greek New Testament. Each passage shows the Greek text, how to pronounce it, and the English meaning. Tap a verse to hear it read aloud, and hover over any word to see what it means. Begin with John chapter one, verse one.
Read the New Testament in Greek!
Practice reading actual verses from the Textus Receptus. Hover over words to see their meanings. Start with John 1:1 — one of the most famous verses in Scripture.
Quiz
See if you can name each letter — no pressure, just practice.
Now let's see what you remember. I'll show you a letter, and you choose its name. There's no pressure — wrong answers just mean another listen. Tap the name you think is right.
Tap the name of this letter
🏆 You learned the whole Greek alphabet!
You can name every Greek letter. Make a certificate to keep — or print it.
Interactive Practice
No test — just practice. Say it out loud, hear it, then show yourself you can read Greek.
This is your practice studio — there's no test. Pick a station: the letters, words from the New Testament, endless real words from Scripture, or a real verse. For each card, say it out loud first, then press Hear it to check yourself, and mark how it went. Next just means more practice.
Say it aloud first. Tap “Hear it” to compare, then mark how it went — moving on is not a wrong answer, it’s just more practice.
Teach Talia
The best way to learn a letter is to teach it. Teach Talia — and you'll learn it together.
The best way to learn something is to teach it. This is my daughter, Talia — she's just beginning to learn the Greek alphabet, like you. For each letter, Talia will ask you what it is. Say its name and its sound out loud, teach it to her, then let her try. When you can teach a letter, you truly know it — and you and Talia learn it together.
Hear George, teach Talia, and catch her mistakes — that's how you'll both learn it.
What Talia has learned — from you:
George shows you- you teach Talia
- Talia learns it
Hear George, then teach Talia this letter — its name and its sound.
Its name is…
…and it sounds like…
Now teach her out loud — say its name and its sound.
Did Talia repeat it right?