Αα

Ββ

Γγ

Δδ

Εε

Ζζ

Ηη

Θθ

Ιι

Κκ

Λλ

Μμ

Νν

Ξξ

Οο

Ππ

Ρρ

Σσ

Ττ

Υυ

Φφ

Χχ

Ψψ

Ωω


Breathings

Consonants

Vowels


Upsilon

Previous | Next

Click on a Greek letter or word to hear it pronounced.

horizontal rule
inscription Y

Υ ῠ

Short close front rounded vowel

Like short French u (as in lune) or German ü = [ÿ]

φῠγή

horizontal rule
 

Long front close rounded vowel

Like long French u (as in ruse) or German ü

ψῡχή

horizontal rule
 

υι

Diphthong combining the rounded vowel [ÿ] with semivocalic i = [j]

 

υἱός

horizontal rule

Note on υ: Upsilon was earlier a close back rounded vowel [u] (= oo), and it retained this value in forming the diphthongs αυ, ευ, ηυ. In classical Attic, the sound [u] was conveyed by ου.

Note on υι: The full pronunciation of the diphthong was [ÿj] or [ÿjj], but in classical Attic the semivocalic iota was weakened to a glide between vowels and sometimes omitted in spelling (as in ὑός for υἱός).