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Coptic Alphabet
Coptic Script
Coptic is the final stage of the Ancient Egyptian language, written using a modified Greek alphabet plus 6 letters derived from Demotic Egyptian. It has 32 letters. Coptic is no longer spoken as a daily language but is still used liturgically by the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. It is the key to understanding Ancient Egyptian grammar.
Greek-Derived Letters
| Character | Name | Romanization | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ⲁ ⲁ | Alpha | a | like 'a' in 'father' |
| Ⲃ ⲃ | Beta | b / v | like 'b' in 'book' or 'v' in 'van' |
| Ⲅ ⲅ | Gamma | g | like 'g' in 'go' |
| Ⲇ ⲇ | Delta | d | like 'd' in 'dog' |
| Ⲉ ⲉ | Ei | e | like 'e' in 'they' |
| Ⲍ ⲍ | Zēta | z | like 'z' in 'zebra' |
| Ⲏ ⲏ | Ēta | ē | like 'a' in 'cake' (long) |
| Ⲑ ⲑ | Thēta | th | like 'th' in 'thin' |
| Ⲓ ⲓ | Iōta | i / y | like 'ee' in 'meet' |
| Ⲕ ⲕ | Kappa | k | like 'k' in 'key' |
| Ⲗ ⲗ | Lambda | l | like 'l' in 'lamp' |
| Ⲙ ⲙ | Mē | m | like 'm' in 'moon' |
| Ⲛ ⲛ | Nē | n | like 'n' in 'night' |
| Ⲝ ⲝ | Ksi | ks | like 'x' in 'box' |
| Ⲟ ⲟ | Ou | o | like 'o' in 'on' |
| Ⲡ ⲡ | Pi | p | like 'p' in 'pen' |
| Ⲣ ⲣ | Rō | r | like 'r' in 'run' |
| Ⲥ ⲥ | Sēma | s | like 's' in 'sun' |
| Ⲧ ⲧ | Tau | t | like 't' in 'top' |
| Ⲩ ⲩ | He | u / y | like 'oo' in 'moon' |
| Ⲫ ⲫ | Phi | ph / f | like 'f' in 'fan' |
| Ⲭ ⲭ | Khi | kh / ch | like 'ch' in 'loch' |
| Ⲯ ⲯ | Psi | ps | like 'ps' in 'lapse' |
| Ⲱ ⲱ | Ōu | ō | like 'o' in 'go' (long) |
Coptic-Only Letters (from Demotic)
| Character | Name | Romanization | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ϣ ϣ | Shai | sh | like 'sh' in 'shoe' |
| Ϥ ϥ | Fai | f | like 'f' in 'fan' |
| Ϧ ϧ | Khai | kh | a Coptic 'kh' sound |
| Ϩ ϩ | Hori | h | like 'h' in 'house' |
| Ϫ ϫ | Janja | j / dj | like 'j' in 'jam' |
| Ϭ ϭ | Tchaima | ch / tch | like 'ch' in 'cheese' |
| Ϯ ϯ | Ti | ti / de | like 'tee' or 'de' |