Greek Consonant Clusters: μπ, ντ, γκ, τσ and τζ
How Greek writes the sounds b, d, g, ts and dz using letter pairs, when they change sound, and the tricky pronunciation of γ, δ, θ and χ.
Ancient Greek letters β, δ and γ no longer stand for the hard sounds b, d and g in Modern Greek. To write those sounds, Greek uses pairs of letters. Learning them early saves a lot of confusion.
The letter pairs
| Letters | Sound | Example |
|---|---|---|
| μπ | b at the start of a word, mb in the middle | μπάνιο (bath, swim), καμπάνα (bell) |
| ντ | d at the start, nd in the middle | ντομάτα (tomato), πέντε (five) |
| γκ | g at the start, ng in the middle | γκαράζ (garage), αγκάθι (thorn) |
| γγ | ng | αγγλικά (English), άγγελος (angel) |
| τσ | ts | τσάι (tea), τσάντα (bag) |
| τζ | dz | τζάκι (fireplace), τζατζίκι (tzatziki) |
Notice that μπ, ντ and γκ at the beginning of a word give a plain b, d or g. In the middle of a word, they may add a nasal sound, though many speakers pronounce them lightly.
Single consonants that surprise
- β sounds like v: βιβλίο (vee-VLEE-o, book).
- γ before e or i sounds like y in "yes": γεια (yah, hello), γη (yee, earth). Elsewhere it's a soft rasping sound made in the throat, like a gargled g: γάτα (cat).
- δ sounds like the th in "this": δρόμος (DHRO-mos, road).
- θ sounds like the th in "think": θάλασσα (THAH-lah-sah, sea).
- χ before e or i sounds like a soft h in "huge": χέρι (hand); before other vowels it's the rougher ch of Scottish "loch": χώρα (country).
- ζ sounds like z.
- ξ is ks, ψ is ps.
- ρ is tapped or lightly rolled.
- σ (and final ς) is s, becoming z before some voiced consonants.
Double letters
Doubled consonants are pronounced as a single sound: θάλασσα, καλλιτέχνης, Ελλάδα ("eh-LAH-dha").
Names in Greek script
Foreign names are spelled with these combinations: Μπόμπ (Bob), Ντέιβιντ (David), Τζον (John), Γκρέις (Grace), Τσαρλς (Charles). It's a fun exercise to write your name.
Reading tips
- Treat pairs as single letters when reading.
- Watch the position of μπ, ντ and γκ.
- Practise δ and θ. English speakers often mix them up, but they're different sounds.
- Listen to native audio for γ and χ.
Common mistakes
- Reading μπ as m + p ("mp") at the start of a word.
- Saying δ as d.
- Saying γ as a hard g before e and i.
Dictionary tip
In a dictionary, words starting with μπ, ντ and γκ are listed under μ, ν and γ, even though they sound like b, d and g. If you can't find a word under b, look under μπ.
Search Greek words by spelling with English Greek Dictionary →
English Greek Dictionary
Offline English–Greek dictionary with meanings in proper Greek script
More about English Greek Dictionary
Greek Days, Months and Dates
The Greek names for days and months, why the genitive is used in dates, and phrases for saying when things happen.
Read article →Greek Numbers: Counting, Genders and Prices in Euros
The Greek numbers from one to a million, the genders of one, three and four, spoken prices and phone numbers, and how to ask 'how much?'.
Read article →Greek Stress and the Accent Mark (Tonos): Why It Matters
How Modern Greek marks stress with a single accent, the last-three-syllables rule, words distinguished only by accent, and how stress moves in inflected forms.
Read article →Greek Vowel Digraphs: Why Six Spellings Sound Like 'ee'
How Modern Greek vowel letters and pairs such as ει, οι, υ, αι and ου are pronounced, why spelling looks unphonetic, and how to read words confidently.
Read article →