Capitalization Rules in Greek for English Speakers

Understanding Capitalization in Greek

Capitalization in Greek differs significantly from English. While English capitalizes many types of words, Greek has more specific rules that learners should understand to write correctly.

When to Capitalize in Greek

In Greek, capitalization is primarily used for the first word of a sentence and for proper nouns such as names of people, places, and organizations. Unlike English, days of the week, months, and languages are not capitalized.

Proper Nouns and Titles

Proper nouns in Greek are capitalized just like in English. This includes names of people (e.g., Γιώργος), cities (e.g., Αθήνα), and countries (e.g., Ελλάδα). Titles of books, movies, and other works typically capitalize only the first word and any proper nouns within the title.

Days, Months, and Languages

Unlike English, Greek does not capitalize the names of days of the week, months, or languages. For example, Δευτέρα (Monday), Ιανουάριος (January), and ελληνικά (Greek language) are written in lowercase.

The First Word of a Sentence

As in English, the first word of every sentence in Greek is capitalized. This is a universal rule that helps readers identify the beginning of new sentences.

Capitalization in Acronyms and Abbreviations

Acronyms and abbreviations in Greek are usually written in uppercase letters, similar to English. For example, Ε.Ε. stands for Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση (European Union).

Summary of Greek Capitalization Rules

• Capitalize the first word of a sentence.
• Capitalize proper nouns (names of people, places, organizations).
• Do not capitalize days of the week, months, or languages.
• Capitalize acronyms and abbreviations.
• Titles capitalize only the first word and proper nouns.