French pronunciation of Greek letters

```
 Α   α   alpha   
```
```
 Β   β   bêta    
```
```
 Γ   γ   gamma   
```
```
 Δ   δ   delta   
```
```
 Ε   ε   epsilon 
```
```
 Ζ   ζ   zêta    
```
```
 Η   η   êta     
```
```
 Θ   θ   thêta   
```
```
 Ι   ι   iota    
```
```
Κ   κ   kappa   
```
```
Λ   λ   lambda  
```
```
Μ   μ   mu
```
```
Ν   ν   nu
```
```
Ξ   ξ   ksi/xi  
```
```
Ο   ο   omicron 
```
```
Π   π   pi
```
```
Ρ   ρ   rhô     
```
```
Σ   σ   sigma   
```
```
Τ   τ   tau     
```
```
Υ   υ   upsilon
```
```
Φ   φ/ϕ phi     
```
```
Χ   χ   khi/chi 
```
```
Ψ   ψ   psi     
```
```
Ω   ω   oméga   
```

Most are pronounced "like they are written", i.e. using the French default usage. The ê can be pronounced either /e/ or /ɛ/.

Thêta is pronounced /tɛta/ or /teta/, phi and khi are pronounced /fi/ and /ki/.

Only zêta, epsilon and upsilon might be pronounced partially or totally as foreign words, z is often realized as /dz/, "-on" is almost never the nasalisation /ɔ̃/ and u is often pronounced /œ/: /d͡zɛta/ or /zɛta/, /ɛpsilon/ & /œpsilon/ or /ypsilon/.

Lambda is generally pronounced /lãbda/ in France but the alternative /lam(b)da/ can also be heard, depending on the region.

Psi is not special but simply pronounced like the beginning of psychologue.

Note that omicron is always pronounced the French way, with a nasalisation: /omikrɔ̃/, likely because micron is already a French world.

Leave a commentCancel reply

Leave a comment
Cancel reply