Coptic alphabet
ⲡⲓⲥⲁϩ ⲛⲣⲉⲙⲛ̀ⲭⲏⲙⲓ
The Coptic alphabet is the writing system of the last stage of the ancient Egyptian language, used by the Copts — native Egyptian Christians — from roughly the 2nd century CE to the present. It combines twenty-four Greek letters with seven additional signs borrowed from Demotic Egyptian for sounds Greek could not express.
All 31 Letters
About
The Coptic alphabet combines 24 Greek letters with 7 letters from Demotic Egyptian, creating a unique script used to write the last stage of the ancient Egyptian language. Used by Egyptian Christians (Copts) from the 2nd century CE, Coptic is still the liturgical language of the Coptic Orthodox Church today.
Unlike Greek or Arabic, Coptic includes unique letters for sounds specific to Egyptian: Ϣ (sh), Ϥ (f), Ϧ (kh), Ϩ (h), Ϫ (j), Ϭ (ch), and Ϯ (ti). These Demotic-derived letters represent sounds that Greek could not express. Copts still use this alphabet in their religious services.
History
Coptic emerged when Egyptian Christians needed to write their language using the Greek alphabet—but Greek lacked sounds for Egyptian words. They adapted 7 letters from Demotic Egyptian, the script of pharaonic Egypt, to fill the gaps. This created a hybrid script that lasted from the 2nd century CE through the medieval period.
Today, Coptic survives only in religious contexts—the Coptic Orthodox Church uses Coptic in liturgy, with Greek and Arabic. The alphabet hasn't changed in 1,700 years, preserving a direct link to ancient Egyptian Christian texts.
Things You Might Not Know
- •The word 'Copt' comes from the Greek word for 'Egyptian'
- •Coptic uses both Greek and Demotic letters in one script
- •Still used today in Coptic Orthodox Church liturgy
- •Ϣ (shei) represents the sh sound in 'shop'
Frequently Asked Questions
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What's the difference between Coptic and Greek?
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