Greek begins: Α, Ε, Ι, Ο, Κ, Μ and Τ

Lesson 1 of Greek Foundations: From the Training Hall to Daily Life. Anyone can read this lesson with no account. Every lesson after this one is for students.

First Greek letters and greetings

Recognize seven Greek letters that look familiar

Greek · Writing

Greek begins: Α, Ε, Ι, Ο, Κ, Μ and Τ

Recognize seven Greek letters that look familiar
Read the tonos as the mark of the stressed syllable
Write lowercase words after tracing capitals

Modern Greek uses an alphabet of 24 letters, and every letter has a capital and a lowercase form. Begin with Α, Ε, Ι, Ο, Κ, Μ and Τ, which look like letters you already know and sound close to what you expect: ah, eh, ee, oh, k, m and t. Their lowercase forms are α, ε, ι, ο, κ, μ and τ. Notice that lowercase ι has no dot and that μ has a tail below the line.

Greek marks the stressed syllable of a word with a small accent called the tonos. In μάτι, eye, the tonos over ά tells you to say MAH-tee. In modern Greek spelling every word of two or more syllables carries one tonos. Most one-syllable words, such as τι, what, carry none. The tonos is part of correct spelling, so copy it every time.

The pronunciation guides in this course are approximate English aids. Capitals in a guide show the stressed syllable, and the Greek audio is the better model. Greek vowels are short and clean: say ο as a plain oh without sliding into oo, and say ε as eh without adding a y sound. Read μάτι, κότα, τότε and τι from their Greek spelling after you listen.

Watch each print model, trace it twice, then write it with the outline hidden. The guides use capitals, while ordinary Greek words are written in lowercase, so copy μάτι and κότα in lowercase on paper and place the tonos above the stressed vowel. Your handwriting can differ a little from the model as long as each letter is clear. A photo of your paper shows the finished letters, but it cannot show your stroke order.

άλφα

Print forms (upper / lower): Α / α

ah, like the a in father. Greek vowels keep the same quality whether the syllable is stressed or not.

Uppercase Greek print practice

Greek print; character 1 of 7

Watch each stroke travel from its beginning to its end. These Greek print models offer one useful sequence, rather than a universal handwriting rule. These guides show the 24 capitals and the seven stressed capitals with the tonos; compare the lowercase references too.

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Loading the character's stroke guide.

All controls work with a keyboard. If you cannot use a pointer, watch the practice sequence and practice on paper below. Drawing is not required to use the lesson or quizzes.

These original guides practice the 24 Greek print capitals and the seven capitals that carry a tonos, rather than cursive. On a capital the tonos sits before the letter, at the top left. Read lowercase references, then write normal-case words and sentences on paper. Lowercase sigma is σ inside a word and ς at the end. Ordinary Greek words use lowercase; sentence beginnings, names, days and months use capitals.

4. Write on paper

Paper practice target

Write Α three times in separate squares. For words and sentences, keep the shown capitalization, lowercase letters, the tonos, the dialytika, final ς and punctuation. Use a dark pen or pencil and photograph the page in good light. Keep all three attempts in view.

Choose Camera to take a photo on a supported phone, or File to upload one from a phone or computer. Your device controls camera permission. If camera access is unavailable, use File.

When you choose Assess photo, your photo is sent for AI assessment. This lesson does not save the photo. Include only the practice page.

The photo coach reviews visible character shape, proportions, and spacing, including the tonos, the dialytika and final ς, normal capitalization and punctuation in words and sentences. A still photo cannot verify stroke order. Practice feedback supports your learning and is not a course grade.

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Listen and say the writing words

Choose any word from this lesson and listen at normal or slower speed. Say it aloud, review your recording and send it for recognized-word feedback.

Choose a Greek phrase

μάτι

Pronunciation and stress guide: MAH-tee

eye

Listen first, then say the whole phrase. Use the pronunciation and stress guide as a temporary aid and listen to the Greek model. Recognized-word feedback can help you compare the text heard with the target; it does not directly grade pronunciation, consonant sounds such as δ, θ and χ, or word stress.

Record, listen back, then review

Recording stops after 20 seconds. Review your recording before choosing Send for word feedback. Audio is sent for speech recognition when you choose Send; it is not added to a media library. Record only your own voice.

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Games and understanding quiz

Practice here or return between lessons for a short review. Games and quizzes save your best scores, XP and earned trophies to your account. Retrying does not reduce your progress.

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Games and quizzes save their scores and Greek trophies after you submit them. Review your practice feedback, then use the lesson-completion button in the classroom when you are ready to mark the lesson complete.

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