Δίφθογγος συλλαβή
A diphthong is a combination of two vowel sounds in a single syllable. Unlike two-letter vowels, which are two vowels (letters) that make a single vowel sound, diphthongs are two sounds, as seen in the IPA transcription.
A diphthong is usually written with an umlaut (διαλυτικά) on the second vowel:
| IPA | ~ English equivalent | |||
| ΑI | αϊ | [ai] | ai in aisle | |
| ΑΥ | αϋ | [ai] | " | |
| ΕI | εϊ | [ei] | ei in eight | |
| ΕΥ | εϋ | [ei] | " | |
| ΟI | οϊ | [oi] | oi in oil | |
| ΟΥ | οϋ | [oi] | " |
When the word stress falls on the diphthong, an acute accent
is placed on the first vowel.
| IPA | ~ English equivalent | |||
| ΑI | άι | [ai] | ai in aisle | |
| ΑΥ | άυ | [ai] | " | |
| ΕI | έι | [ei] | ei in eight | |
| ΕΥ | έυ | [ei] | " | |
| ΟI | όι | [oi] | oi in oil | |
| ΟΥ | όυ | [oi] | " |
In the relatively few words where the second vowel in the diphthong is the
stressed vowel in the word, both the acute accent and the umlaut are used on the
same vowel.
- ευφυΐα – wit, intelligence