1

2

Upper case Lower case Letter name English equivalent

Α α alpha a

Β β beta b

Γ γ gamma g

Δ δ delta d

Ε ε epsilon e (short e)

Ζ ζ zeta z, sd

Η η eta ē (long e)

Θ θ theta th

Ι ι iota i

Κ κ kappa k, c

Λ λ lambda l

Μ μ mu m

Ν ν nu n

Ξ ξ xi x

Ο ο omicron o (short o)

Π π pi p

Ρ ρ rho r

Σ σ or ς sigma s (σ at beginning or middle of a word; ς at the end of a word)

Τ τ tau t

Υ υ upsilon u, y

Φ φ phi ph

Χ χ chi ch

Ψ ψ psi ps

Ω ω omega o (long ō)

TASK: Now have a go at copying out the Greek letters in both their upper and lower case

forms.

N.B Unlike in English, capital letters are only used for proper nouns and not at the start of

sentences.

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All words that begin with a vowel in Greek have a breathing – either ‘rough’ or ‘smooth’. The type

of breathing affects the way the vowel sounds are pronounced.

Rough breathing

If the symbol appears above a lower case vowel or

diphthong, this indicates the presence of an h sound.

Rough breathings appear in front of capital letters instead of

above them.

For example:

ἡ = hē

Ἡ = Hē (e.g. Ἡρα – Hēra: Greek goddess)

Ἑ = He (e.g. Ἑλλας – Hellas – Greece)

ἁ = ha

Smooth breathing

If the symbol appears above a lower case vowel or diphthong, this indicates the absence of

the h sound. Do not add h!

For example:

ἀ = a

Ἀ = A

ἰ = i

ὀ = o

A diphthong is a combination of

two vowel sounds in a single

syllable.

For example:

αι as in ‘sigh’

αυ as in ‘now’

οι as in ‘boy’

On a diphthong, the breathing

comes on the second vowel, not the

first.

e.g. Αἱ = hai

h

WATCH OUT FOR…

A rough breathing over ρ (rho) turns the ‘r’ sound

into ‘rh’.

CHALLENGE: Can you name these shapes and

write the name in Greek letters? (Hint: You will need

to use the Greek letter ‘ρ’)

h

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Greek word Meaning Word in English letters English derivative Meaning of English word

κινημα movement kinēma cinema place to watch films

ἠλεκτρον amber, shining metal

πρισμα anything cut or sawn (e.g. glass)

ἰσοσκελης with equal legs

κινητικ(ος) moving

θεατρον a building for viewing

TASKS:

a) Write the Greek words down in English letters, using the alphabet chart.

b) Write down an English word that is derived from the Greek.

c) Give the definition of this English word.

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Greek word Meaning Word in English letters English derivative Meaning of English word

θερμη heat

ῥομβος spinning top, figure with 4 equal sides

κεραμεικ(ος) made of clay

διαγραμμα a drawing

τραπεζιον a banker’s table, irregular 4 sided figure

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Greek word Meaning Word in English letters

English derivative Meaning of English word

πλανητης wanderer, wandering object

planētēs planet heavenly body orbiting the sun

madness mania

rib cage, rib, flank, side

pleura

uncut, not possible to split

atom(os)

area in a Greek theatre where the chorus danced

orchestra

TASKS:

a) This time, write out the words in Greek letters using the alphabet chart to help you (use the letters/ forms in brackets).

b) Think of an English derivative from each Greek word.

c) Write down the meaning of the English word.

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Greek word Meaning Word in English letters

English derivative Meaning of English word

action or story told on stage by actors

drama

stage, acting area in theatre

scene (skēnē)

outcome, turning point

crisis (krisis)

step, base, foundation

basis

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The Greek word λογος (‘logos’) means ‘word’ or ‘explanation’. In English, when the

suffix ‘ology’ is added to a word, it means ‘the study of something’.

TASK: Can you work out which English ‘-ology’ words derive from each of the following

Greek words?

ἀρχαιος

ancient

archaios

archaeology

τοπος

place

χρονος

time

παθος

suffering; disease

γενεα

family background

ψυχη

soul, mind

τεχνη

skill

βιος

life

ζῳον

living creature, animal

mythology

muthosstoryμυθος

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μετεωρος

high in the air, lofty

φυσις

nature

ἀστρο

star

(γυνη) γυναικος

woman

θεος

god

(ὀρνις) ὀρνιθος

bird

ἀστρο

star

astro

astronomy

BUT ‘ology’ isn’t the only common suffix derived from

Greek…

The Greek word νομος (=nomos) means ‘law’ or

‘principle’. In English, when the suffix ‘onomy’ is added

to a word, it means ‘the principles of something’.

TASKS:

a) Can you explain the difference between the meanings of the English words ‘astrology’

and ‘astronomy’?

b) Can you think of an English word derived from the Greek οἰκοϛ meaning ‘house’ or

‘home’? Hint: as years went by, the pronunciation of ‘oi’ changed to ‘e’.

c)

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Now decide which of the following explanations fits the words you have made. Write the

correct English ‘ology’ word in the boxes below.

A branch of biology concerned with the study

of animals.

The study of practical skills (with materials)

The study of descent from ancestors

The study of the physical life of plants and animals.

The study of stories often involving fantastical

creatures

The study of the normal functions of natural things.

The study of medical problems specific to

women and girls

The study of religion The study of weather patterns (using things ‘high

in the sky’)

The study of diseases

The study of how the human mind works and

how it influences behaviour

The study of birds

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Below are some Greek words and their meanings. You’ll need to refer to this vocabulary for the next few activities.

πολυς many

ἐνδον inside

ἐξω outside

μερος part, component

(φως) φωτος light

μονος only one

δι- two

τρι- three

τετρα- four

πεντε five

ἑξ six

ἑπτα seven

ὀκτω eight

δεκα ten

δωδεκα twelve

(ε) ἰκοσι twenty

ἑκατον hundred

χιλιοι thousand

δυναμις power

δυναμικος powerful

τηλε far, far off

μικρος small

χρωματα colours

θερμη heat

Words that tend to come at the end of English derivatives:

μετρον -metry, -metre, -meter measure

γραφος -graphy writing

ἑδρα -hedron base, surface

γωνια -gon corner

σκοπη -scope looking at

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Lots of the English words derived from Greek are made up of two or more Greek words.

Greek compounds are especially prominent in the technical language of biology,

medicine, and other scientific disciplines.

Greek words Meanings English transliteration

English derivative

A τηλε + σκοπη far + sight tēleskopē telescope

B μικρο + σκοπη small + sight

C πολυς + γωνια many + a corner

D πολυς + ἑδρα many + bases

E πολυς + μερος many + parts

F φωτος + γραφος light + drawing

G τηλε + φωνη far + voice

H τετρα + ἑδρα

I πεντε + γωνια

J δεκα + μετρον

K χιλιοι + μετρον

L δωδεκα + ἑδρα

M ἐνδον + θερμη

N ἐξω + θερμη

O χρωματα + γραφος

TASKS:

a) Write out the Greek words in English letters (transliteration)

b) Then in the final column, write down the English compound word/s that you

think comes from the Greek. N.B. Sometimes you may need to change some letters

Can you guess who I am? (HINT: I’ve been credited with

several mathematical and scientific discoveries).

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a picture recorded using light (by a camera)

A chemical reaction that gives heat out

A geometrical figure with five sides and corners

An instrument used for looking at very small

objects

A geometrical figure with many sides and corners

A substance made up of many structures (parts)

A chemical reaction that takes heat in(side)

A measure of ten metres A solid shape with four surfaces

A solid shape with twelve surfaces

A solid shape with many surfaces

An instrument for looking at far-off objects

TASK: Now decide which of the explanations fits each of the words you made in the

previous exercise. Write an English word in each box.

e.g. telephone: an instrument used by voices far away from each other

*Hint: the words in bold should help you work out which bits of the explanation are

derived from Greek

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During the first millennium BC, the Ancient Greeks used an acrophonic number system.

‘Acrophonic’ means that the symbols for the numerals mostly (apart from the symbol for

‘one’) come from the first letter of the number’s name.

The number system also worked on an additive principle, in a similar way to the later

Roman numerals – for example, the symbol for 6 was simply made up of the symbol for

five plus the symbol for one. 50 and 500 were represented by the letter with powers of

ten written small in the top right corner: ,

Greek letter name

Symbol Number Greek letter name

Symbol Number

εἱς, μια,

ἑν

1 πεντηκοντα

50

πεντε

5 ἑβδομηκοντα ΔΔ 70

ἑξ 6 ἡκατον Η 100

δεκα Δ 10 πεντακοσιοι

500

εἱκοσι ΔΔ 20 χιλιοι Χ 1000

BONUS: Based on what you know so far about Greek, can you explain why the Greek

symbol for 100 is represented by the symbol H even though the word ἡκατον starts with ‘eta’?

TASK: In the fifth century BC, the city-state of Athens took tribute money from many

other Greek communities around the Aegean Sea. Some of this tax went to the

goddess Athene.

a) Can you work out how much each community had to pay? (N.B All figures are in drakhmai)

b) OPTIONAL: Can you find out where Hephaistia, Halikarnassos, Keramos and

Kamiros were?

from Hephaistia

from Elaiossos

from Dardania

from Halikarnassos

from Keramos

from Kamiros

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Ζευς

Zeus

King of the gods and god of the sky

Symbols: thunderbolt, eagle, bull, oak

Ἀθηνη

Δημητηρ

Ποσειδων

Ἀπολλων

Ἡφαιστος

Αἱδης

Ἀρτεμις

Διονυσος

Ἡρα

Ἀφροδιτη

Ἀρης

TASKS:

a) Practise copying out each name in Greek letters

b) Transliterate each name – i.e. write them out in English letters

c) Find out what each god/goddess rules over and what symbols tend to be

associated with each one

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Ἀθηναι

Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world, having been continuously inhabited for at

least 5000 years.

Legend has it that Athens was built on a hill by a legendary creature called Cecrops –

half-man, half-snake. Cecrops decided to call the city Cecropia. Under his rule, the city

flourished and became an important centre for trade. However, the city soon attracted the

jealousy of the Olympian gods as it never paid any tribute to them. In response the gods

decided to name the city after one of their own – i.e. to establish a patron god for the city.

A) Which two gods were contesting to become guardian of the city?

B) What did King Cecrops decide each god had to do?

C) What did each god give?

D) Which god was chosen and why?

TASK: Research the myth of how Athens got its name and find out the answers to the

questions below.

BONUS: Based on your knowledge of the Greek gods and alphabet, can you explain the

significance of the owl symbol and the Greek letters on the Athenian tetradrachm coin above?

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The mountainous territory of Ancient Greece consisted of many smaller city-states, each

with its own dialect, identity and form of governance. Athens and Sparta were the two

most powerful city-states but they were very different, both politically and culturally.

In the 5th century BC, Athens entered its so-called ‘golden age’ during which time great

thinkers, writers and artists flourished in the city.

TASK: The words below are all associated with life in Classical Athens. Copy out each

word in Greek letters and then find out at least three things about each one.

N.B You may also like to refer to the plan of the Athenian agora on the next page.

polis agora acropolis

Parthenōnboulē

(the Council)

ekklēsia

(the Assembly)

Pythagoras Periklēs Sōkratēs

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1 Square peristyle (colonnaded courtyard)

11 Metroon (archive)

2 Mint 12 Bouleuterion (council house)

3 SE Fountain 13 Temple of Hephaestus

4 South stoa (south colonnade) 14 Temple of Apollo Patroos

5 Heliaia (court house) 15 Stoa of Zeus

6 Strategeion (office of leading politicians)

16 Eschara (altar) & Altar to the twelve gods

7 Kolonos Agoraios (hill) 17 Royal Stoa

8 Tholos (round building) 18 Temple of Aphrodite Urania

9 Boundary stones of agora 19 Stoa of the Herms

10 Eponymous heroes (statues of 10 heroes)

20 Stoa Poikile (painted stoa)

Creative Commons image - User: Madmedea - Own work, CC BY-SA 2.0,

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1734974