Greek spelling alphabet

Summary

The Greek spelling alphabet is a spelling alphabet (or "phonetic alphabet") for Greek, i.e. an accepted set of easily differentiated names given to the letters of the alphabet for the purpose of spelling out words. It is used mostly on radio voice channels by the Greek army, the navy and the police. The names for some Greek letters are easily confused in noisy conditions.

Similar sounding Greek letters:

  • víta (β), zíta (ζ), íta (η), thíta (θ)
  • épsilon (ε), ýpsilon (υ)
  • mi (μ), ni (ν)
  • xi (ξ), pi (π), fi (φ), chi (χ), psi (ψ)

The spelling alphabet edit

Letter Greek name English name spelling name transliteration and translation
Α, α álfa alpha αστήρ astír ('star')
Β, β víta beta Βύρων Víron ('Byron')
Γ, γ gámma gamma γαλή galí ('cat')
Δ, δ délta delta δόξα dóxa ('glory')
Ε, ε épsilon epsilon Ερμής Ermís ('Hermes')
Ζ, ζ zíta zeta Ζευς[1] Zefs ('Zeus')
Η, η íta eta Ηρώ Iró ('Hero')
Θ, θ thíta theta θεά theá ('goddess')
Ι, ι ióta iota ίσκιος ískios ('shadow')
Κ, κ káppa kappa κενόν kenón ('blank')
Λ, λ lámbda lambda λάμα láma ('blade')
Μ, μ mi mu μέλι méli ('honey')
Ν, ν ni nu ναός naós ('church')
Ξ, ξ xi xi Ξέρξης Xérxis ('Xerxes')
Ο, ο ómikron omicron οσμή osmí ('smell')
Π, π pi pi Πέτρος Pétros ('Peter')
Ρ, ρ ro rho ρήγας rígas ('king')
Σ, σ, -ς sígma sigma σοφός sofós ('wise')
Τ, τ taf tau τίγρης tígris ('tiger')
Υ, υ ípsilon upsilon ύμνος ímnos ('hymn')
Φ, φ fi phi Φωφώ Fofó (female diminutive name)
Χ, χ chi chi χαρά chará ('joy')
Ψ, ψ psi psi ψυχή psichí ('soul')
Ω, ω oméga omega ωμέγα oméga

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Alternative Police variant "Ζωή" (Zoí)

Further reading edit

  • Efimeris tis kiverniseos tis Ellados (Greek National Gazette), 18 December 2002. (Specifies a phonetic alphabet recommended for use by the amateur radio service, although in practice it is never used.)