The unique heritage · Coptic Academy

Goal: learn 2 new consonants and their rules, and how to tell Coptic words from Greek ones. After this lesson you know 29 letters.

Coptic or Greek?

The origin of a word decides how it is said, and some letters give it away:

Seven letters are “real Egyptian” and are only found in Coptic words: ϣ ϥ ϧ ϩ ϫ ϭ ϯ.
Five letters were borrowed from Greek and are only found in Greek words: ⲅ ⲇ ⲍ ⲝ ⲯ. Except the word ⲁⲛⲍⲏⲃ (school), which is Coptic.
Epsilon rule 4: if ⲩ is said “i”, the word is always Greek.
Beginnings: Greek words often begin with ⲡⲣⲟ-, ⲁⲡⲟ-, ⲟⲙⲟ-, ⲡⲁⲣⲁ-, ⲇⲓⲁ- or ⲁⲣⲭⲏ-.
Endings: Greek words often end in -ⲁⲛ -ⲟⲛ -ⲏⲛ -ⲱⲙⲉⲛ -ⲁⲥ -ⲟⲥ -ⲏⲥ -ⲓⲁ -ⲏⲣ -ⲥⲑⲉ.

ActivityMedium

Is each word Coptic or Greek in origin?

Letter	Name	Sound
Ϫ ϫ	Janja	"j" before ⲉ ⲓ ⲏ, otherwise "g"
Ⲑ ⲑ	Theta	"t" after ϣ, ⲥ or ⲧ, otherwise "th" as in "throw"

Janja (ϫ) is said “j” before ⲉ, ⲓ or ⲏ: ϫⲉ = je, ϫⲓ = ji, ϫⲏ = jii. Otherwise “g”.

Theta (ⲑ) is said “t” after ϣ, ⲥ or ⲧ: ϣⲑⲉ = shte, ⲥⲑⲉ = ste, ⲧⲑⲉ = te. Otherwise “th”, as in the English “throw”.

ActivityMedium

How is the letter in brackets said in each word?

Watch the vowel: ⲥⲱⲛⲓ “Soani” is a sister, but ⲥⲟⲛⲓ “Sonni” is a thief.

ActivityEasy

Match each word with its meaning.