Greek Alphabet in Order: Complete List of 24 Letters

If you’ve ever tried to decipher a physics formula or wondered what those strange symbols in a sorority house name stand for, you’ve already brushed up against the Greek alphabet. It’s a 24-letter system that has shaped language, science, and culture for millennia. This guide walks through every letter from Alpha to Omega, with pronunciation tips, English equivalents, and tricks to lock them in memory.

Number of letters: 24 ·
First letter: Alpha (Α, α) ·
Last letter: Omega (Ω, ω) ·
Origin: 8th century BC (adapted from Phoenician)

Here is a quick-reference table for the Greek alphabet’s basic statistics.

What are the 24 Greek letters in order?

The Greek alphabet consists of 24 letters in a fixed sequence from Alpha to Omega, each with an uppercase and lowercase form. Pronunciation and equivalents are drawn from four authoritative sources:
Preply for letters 1–6 (Alpha–Zeta),
MIT for 7–12 (Eta–Mu),
LinguaTools for 13–18 (Nu–Pi), and
Lets Learn Greek for 19–24 (Rho–Omega).

Uppercase and lowercase letters

• Each Greek letter appears in a capital (uppercase) and small (lowercase) form. The lowercase sigma (σ) changes to a final form (ς) when it ends a word (Lets Learn Greek).
• The modern letter shapes are based on the classical Greek script, standardized over centuries (Unicode).

English names and equivalents

• Most English names for Greek letters are direct borrowings, though some have variations — for example, “epsilon” is also called “e psilon” (Preply).
• Transliteration into English uses consistent rules: φ → ph, χ → ch, ψ → ps (MIT).

Pronunciation guide

• Modern Greek pronunciation differs markedly from the Erasmian (classical) system taught in many English classrooms (MIT).
• Online audio resources help bridge the gap; listening to native speakers is the fastest way to internalize the sounds.

The implication: learners should prioritize mastering the modern pronunciation shown in the table, then adapt for classical contexts if needed.

What are the Greek letters called in English?

The English names for most Greek letters are adapted from the original Greek with minor changes. Here is the breakdown.

Common English names

• Alpha (Α, α) — retains its ancient name unchanged.
• Beta (Β, β) — same as Greek “Βήτα”.
• Gamma (Γ, γ) — pronounced “gam-ah” in English.
• Delta (Δ, δ) — “del-ta”.
• Epsilon (Ε, ε) — “ep-si-lon”.
• Zeta (Ζ, ζ) — “zee-ta” (US) or “zeh-ta” (UK).
• Eta (Η, η) — “ee-ta”.
• Theta (Θ, θ) — “thee-ta”.
• Iota (Ι, ι) — “eye-oh-ta”.
• Kappa (Κ, κ) — “kap-ah”.
• Lambda (Λ, λ) — “lam-da”.
• Mu (Μ, μ) — “myoo”.
• Nu (Ν, ν) — “nyoo”.
• Xi (Ξ, ξ) — “zeye” or “ksee”.
• Omicron (Ο, ο) — “oh-mik-ron”.
• Pi (Π, π) — “pie”.
• Rho (Ρ, ρ) — “roe”.
• Sigma (Σ, σ, ς) — “sig-mah”.
• Tau (Τ, τ) — “taw”.
• Upsilon (Υ, υ) — “up-si-lon”.
• Phi (Φ, φ) — “fye”.
• Chi (Χ, χ) — “kye”.
• Psi (Ψ, ψ) — “sye”.
• Omega (Ω, ω) — “oh-meg-ah”.

These names are nearly universal in English-language classrooms (Preply).

Transliteration rules

• Greek consonants are typically mapped one-to-one with English: β→b, γ→g, δ→d, θ→th, etc. (MIT).
• Vowel transliteration can be tricky: η, ι, υ, ει, οι all map to “ee” in Modern Greek, but classical rules differentiate them.

Differences from classical Greek pronunciation

• Classical (Erasmian) pronunciation treats β as “b”, δ as “d”, γ as “g”, and φ as “pʰ”, while Modern Greek uses “v”, “th”, “y” (before front vowels), and “f” (Wikipedia).
• Many English textbooks adopt a hybrid system, leading to confusion about the “correct” pronunciation.

The pattern: English names are straightforward, but the transliteration rules diverge between modern and classical systems — always check which one a source uses.

Are there 24 or 27 Greek letters?

The modern Greek alphabet has exactly 24 letters — no more, no less. The confusion arises from archaic letters that were used in ancient times.

The standard 24-letter alphabet

• The 24 letters we use today were standardized by the 5th century BC in Athens and later adopted throughout the Greek-speaking world (Wikipedia).
• They are divided into 7 vowels (Α, Ε, Η, Ι, Ο, Υ, Ω) and 17 consonants.

Archaic letters (digamma, qoppa, sampi)

• Old Greek scripts included digamma (Ϝ, ϝ) for the “w” sound, qoppa (Ϙ, ϙ) for a “q”-like sound, and sampi (Ͳ, ͳ) for a “ss” sound (Wikipedia).
• These fell out of use by the classical period but are sometimes counted in historical lists, making it appear there were 27 letters.

What this means: when studying ancient texts you might encounter archaic letters, but for everyday learning stick to the 24-letter standard.

How to remember the Greek alphabet?

Memorizing 24 letters in order takes practice, but a few techniques dramatically speed up the process.

Mnemonic devices

• Create a story or phrase that links the letters: “Always Bring Great Delight; Every Zephyr Has Theta’s Ideals, etc.” Adjust as you go (Preply).
• Associate each letter with a familiar object: Pi (π) looks like a gate, Delta (Δ) like a triangle.

Alphabet songs

• The Greek alphabet has its own melody, similar to the English ABC song. Singing along helps lock the sequence in auditory memory.
• YouTube offers dozens of versions for both modern and classical pronunciations.

Visual associations

• Flashcards with the letter on one side and the English equivalent on the other. Use spaced repetition apps like Anki.
• Write each letter by hand — uppercase and lowercase — ten times each. The physical act strengthens recall (Lets Learn Greek).

Practice tips

• Read Greek restaurant menus, fraternity names, or scientific symbols in the wild. Real‑world exposure cements recognition.
• Take a free online quiz that tests letter order and pronunciation. Immediate feedback accelerates learning.

The implication: combine mnemonic phrases, songs, and handwriting practice for fastest retention; real‑world application reinforces the sequence.

What is the 13th Greek letter?

The 13th letter in the Greek alphabet is Nu (uppercase Ν, lowercase ν).

List of Greek letters by position

• 1 Alpha, 2 Beta, 3 Gamma, 4 Delta, 5 Epsilon, 6 Zeta, 7 Eta, 8 Theta, 9 Iota, 10 Kappa, 11 Lambda, 12 Mu, 13 Nu, 14 Xi, 15 Omicron, 16 Pi, 17 Rho, 18 Sigma, 19 Tau, 20 Upsilon, 21 Phi, 22 Chi, 23 Psi, 24 Omega (Preply).

Nu (Ν ν) details

• Nu is pronounced like the English “n” in “no” (Preply).
• It appears in many scientific terms: neutrino (ν), neutron star, and as the symbol for frequency in physics (MIT).

The catch: Nu is simple to pronounce but important in science — remember it as the 13th letter to keep the sequence straight.

“The Greek alphabet has been used to write the Greek language since the late 9th or early 8th century BCE.”

Wikipedia

“Learning the Greek alphabet is the first step to understanding Greek culture and science.”

Preply blog

For anyone studying Greek or encountering Greek letters in STEM, knowing the alphabet order is essential. The 24 letters from Alpha to Omega form a bridge between ancient and modern knowledge. For a learner, the choice is clear: invest 30 minutes in the letter order and pronunciation, or risk being lost the next time you see a Σ or Ω in a formula.