Diphthongs & Letter Combinations

Frequently asked questions

When is Δίφθογγοι και Συνδυασμοί used?

Greek uses letter pairs to represent sounds that have no single letter:

How is Δίφθογγοι και Συνδυασμοί formed?

Rule for αυ/ευ: Pronounce as av/ev before vowels and voiced consonants (β,γ,δ,ζ,λ,μ,ν,ρ). Pronounce as af/ef before voiceless consonants (κ,π,τ,χ,φ,θ,σ,ξ,ψ) and at end of word.

What are common mistakes with Δίφθογγοι και Συνδυασμοί?

🇬🇧 English: Don't read μπ as 'mp' — it's just 'b'. Same for ντ ('d', not 'nt') and γκ ('g', not 'nk'). The αυ/ευ voicing rule is unique to Greek. 🇷🇺 Russian: μπ=б, ντ=д, γκ=г — straightforward. But αυ/ευ switching between ав/аф is unfamiliar — practice the voicing rule. 🇨🇿 Czech: τσ is like Czech c, τζ is like Czech dž. But μπ/ντ/γκ have no Czech parallel — just memorize: μπ=b, ντ=d, γκ=g.