Goal: learn 3 new consonants (Cima, Key and Gamma) and the rules for Tav, Cima, Key and Gamma, which depend on whether a word is Coptic or Greek. Use the clues from lesson 1.3. After this lesson you know all 32 letters.
| Letter | Name | Sound |
|---|---|---|
| Ⲥ ⲥ | Cima | "s"; "z" before ⲙ in Greek words |
| Ⲭ ⲭ | Key | "k" in Coptic words; in Greek words "sh" before ⲉ ⲓ ⲏ ⲩ, otherwise "kh" |
| Ⲅ ⲅ | Gamma | "g" before ⲉ ⲓ ⲏ ⲩ; "n" before ⲅ ⲕ ⲭ ⲝ; otherwise "gh" |
Tav (ⲧ)
In a Greek word, ⲧ after ⲛ is said “d”: ⲛⲧ = nd. Otherwise always “t”.
ActivityMedium
Tav (ⲧ)
How is the letter in brackets said in each word?
ⲁⲛⲧⲓⲇⲱⲣⲟⲛ (ⲧ)
A Greek word with ⲛ before ⲧ: "d" (ⲛⲧ = nd).
ⲧⲁⲓⲟ (ⲧ)
No ⲛ before ⲧ, so it is "t".
ⲡⲁⲛⲧⲟⲕⲣⲁⲧⲱⲣ (ⲛⲧ)
A Greek word with ⲛ before ⲧ: "d" (ⲛⲧ = nd).
ⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (ⲧ)
No ⲛ before ⲧ, so it is "t".
ⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ (ⲧ)
No ⲛ before ⲧ, so it is "t".
Cima (ⲥ)
In a Greek word, ⲥ followed by ⲙ is said “z”: ⲥⲙ = zm, as in ⲕⲟⲥⲙⲟⲥ “Kozmos”. Otherwise always “s”.
ActivityMedium
Cima (ⲥ)
How is the letter in brackets said in each word?
ⲕⲟⲥⲙⲟⲥ (ⲥ)
A Greek word with ⲙ after ⲥ: "z".
ⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ (ⲥ)
No ⲙ after ⲥ, so it is "s".
ⲃⲁⲡⲧⲓⲥⲙⲁ (ⲥ)
A Greek word with ⲙ after ⲥ: "z".
ⲥⲟⲛ (ⲥ)
No ⲙ after ⲥ, so it is "s".
ⲥ̀ⲙⲟⲩ (ⲥ)
ⲥ̀ⲙⲟⲩ (praise) is a Coptic word, so ⲥ stays "s" even before ⲙ.
Key (ⲭ)
- In Coptic (Egyptian) words, ⲭ is said “k”: Ⲭⲏⲙⲓ “Kiimi” (Egypt).
- In Greek words, before ⲉ ⲓ ⲏ ⲩ it is said “sh”: ⲭⲉ = she, ⲭⲓ = shi, ⲭⲏ = shii, ⲭⲩ = shi.
- Otherwise, in Greek words, “kh”: ⲭⲁ = kha, ⲭⲟ = kho, ⲭⲱ = khoa.
ActivityHard
Key (ⲭ)
How is the letter in brackets said in each word?
Ⲭⲏⲙⲓ (Ⲭ)
A Coptic word, so ⲭ is "k".
ⲭⲉⲣⲉ (ⲭ)
A Greek word with ⲉ ⲓ ⲏ or ⲩ after ⲭ: "sh".
ⲉⲩⲭⲏ (ⲭ)
A Greek word with ⲉ ⲓ ⲏ or ⲩ after ⲭ: "sh".
ⲭⲓⲙⲱⲛ (ⲭ)
A Greek word with ⲉ ⲓ ⲏ or ⲩ after ⲭ: "sh".
ⲭⲟⲣⲟⲥ (ⲭ)
A Greek word with no ⲉ ⲓ ⲏ ⲩ after ⲭ: "kh".
Ⲡⲓⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ (ⲭ)
A Greek word with no ⲉ ⲓ ⲏ ⲩ after ⲭ: "kh".
Gamma (ⲅ)
- Before ⲉ ⲓ ⲏ ⲩ it is said “g”: ⲅⲉ = ge, ⲅⲓ = gi, ⲅⲏ = gii, ⲅⲩ = gi.
- Before ⲅ ⲕ ⲭ ⲝ it is said “n”: ⲅⲅ = ng, ⲅⲕ = nk, ⲅⲭ = nkh/nsh, ⲅⲝ = nx.
- Otherwise always “gh” (Arabic غ).
ActivityHard
Gamma (ⲅ)
How is the letter in brackets said in each word?
ⲅⲉⲛⲉⲁ (ⲅ)
ⲅ before ⲉ ⲓ ⲏ ⲩ is "g".
ⲅⲣⲁⲫⲏ (ⲅ)
Neither ⲉ ⲓ ⲏ ⲩ nor ⲅ ⲕ ⲭ ⲝ after ⲅ, so it is "gh".
ⲗⲟⲅⲭⲏ (ⲅ)
ⲅ before ⲅ ⲕ ⲭ ⲝ is "n".
ⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ (ⲅ)
ⲅ before ⲉ ⲓ ⲏ ⲩ is "g".
ⲗⲟⲅⲟⲥ (ⲅ)
Neither ⲉ ⲓ ⲏ ⲩ nor ⲅ ⲕ ⲭ ⲝ after ⲅ, so it is "gh".
ⲁⲛⲁⲅⲕⲏ (ⲅ)
ⲅ before ⲅ ⲕ ⲭ ⲝ is "n".
Reading practice
| Coptic | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ⲧⲁⲓⲟ | honour · said "Tajo" |
| ⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ | listen, hear · said "Soatem" |
| Ⲭⲏⲙⲓ | Egypt · said "Kiimi" |
| ⲅⲣⲁⲫⲏ | scripture · said "Ghrafii" |
| ⲉⲩⲭⲏ | prayer · said "Evshi" |
| ⲁⲅⲅⲉⲗⲟⲥ | angel · said "Angelos" |
| ⲃⲁⲡⲧⲓⲥⲙⲁ | baptism · said "Vaptizma" |
| ⲁⲛⲧⲓⲇⲱⲣⲟⲛ | blessed bread · said "Andi-thoaronn" |
| ⲕⲟⲥⲙⲟⲥ | world · said "Kozmos" |
| ⲭⲉⲣⲉ | peace, hail · said "Shere" |
| ⲅⲉⲛⲉⲁ | generation · said "Genea" |
The seasons
| Coptic | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ϣⲱⲙ | summer · said "Shoam" |
| ⲭⲓⲙⲱⲛ | winter · said "Shimoan" |
| ⲫⲑⲓⲛⲟⲡⲱⲣⲟⲛ | autumn · said "Fthin-opoaron" |
| ⲫⲣⲱ | spring · said "Froa" |
ActivityEasy
The seasons
Match each word with its meaning.
Choose an answer for every row first.
“Coptic” in Coptic
The Coptic word for the Coptic language is built from four parts: ⲙⲉⲧ- (“the quality of”), ⲣⲉⲙ- (short for ⲣⲱⲙⲓ, “person”), ̀ⲛ- (“of”) and ⲭⲏⲙⲓ, the native name of Egypt (from the ancient Egyptian Kemet).
| Coptic | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ⲣⲉⲙ̀ⲛⲭⲏⲙⲓ | "person of Egypt": an Egyptian |
| ⲙⲉⲧⲣⲉⲙ̀ⲛⲭⲏⲙⲓ | "what belongs to the people of Egypt": Coptic |