The Coptic language is the last true Egyptian language.  It descends from Hieroglyphics; it is the language of the children of the Pharaohs.

Presently, the two most common dialects of Coptic are Bohairic and Sahidic.  Most ancient manuscripts are Sahidic, while the liturgical texts of the Coptic Orthodox Church are Bohairic - almost without exception.  So, choosing which dialect to learn depends on whether you want to study the writings of 5th century abbots or learn a Coptic hymn.  In these lessons, we will teach the Bohairic dialect because our aim is to learn, understand and ultimately benefit from the language used in worship.

Arabic, Egyptian or... Coptic?

If you speak the Egyptian dialect of Arabic, you will notice that many words are familiar to you.  In fact, you probably already speak Coptic without knowing it.  Look for side notes that point this out and pay attention to words that are used and you may spot a few.

Although certainly not extinct, the Coptic language is considered a "dead language."  That means it's not spoken fluently by a large group of people or country.  Currently, there are many enthusiastic efforts trying to revive Coptic once again.¹ 

Having a total of 32 letters, the Coptic alphabet derives the first 25 from Greek and the last 7 are a modification of the Demotic² (Hieroglyphic) letters.

Learning how to read Coptic is as easy as 1, 2, 3!

Lesson 1 covers Coptic letters that look like English letters; some of them sound the same while a few differ.

Lesson 2 covers Coptic letters that don't look like English.

Lesson 3 will go over rules for pronouncing some letters.
 

Huh?  What did you say?

After each lesson, you will be given some simple words which you will be able to read.  To make sure you're pronouncing them correctly, you can click and hear what the word sounds like.

You might be asking yourself, 'If Coptic is a dead language and isn't spoken fluently, then how do we know how it was pronounced?'  Even though most Copts don't speak Coptic, the language was preserved by a few families (yes, just a few families!) who spoke it in their homes.³  Also, the hymns and liturgical prayers of the Coptic Orthodox Church have been passed down from generation to generation.  So, the pronunciation taught in these lessons is how the modern-day Pharaohs pronounce their once-native language.

There are several Coptic fonts available to download and use for free.  Some look like the fonts found in Bohairic texts like Coptic Orthodox liturgical books; others resemble the Sahidic texts found in manuscripts; a few are decorative.

For our purposes, we will be using the "Avva Shenouda" font for lessons.  You will need to download and install it on your computer in order to view the Coptic text on this site.

How to install the Avva Shenouda Coptic font

Right click on this link and a screen should open asking you if you want to save the file or open it. Make sure that "Save this file to disk" is selected and click "OK."  Then a "Save As" window will open. In order to install any font, it needs to be saved in your Fonts folder.  So, navigate to your Fonts folder and save the file there. NOTE:  The Fonts folder is usually located in your windows directory: Windows 2000 - c:/WINNT/Fonts Windows 98/ME - c:/windows/Fonts If you're Operating System is not listed above, you can locate your Fonts folder by searching for it, consulting with the Help program or ask your system administrator for help.   Click your browser's Refresh or Reload button. If the font was correctly installed on your computer, you should be able to see the Coptic text below.

Another way to install the Avva Shenouda Coptic font

Follow the first 2 steps above. Save the file anywhere you like, but remember where you saved it. Navigate to the Fonts folder in your Operating System's Control Panel (NOTE: This is not the same Fonts folder mentioned above.) Windows 2000/ME/98 - Start -> Settings -> Control Panel If you're Operating System is not listed above, you can locate Fonts folder in your Control Panel by searching for it, consulting with the Help program or ask your system administrator for help.   Once in the Fonts folder, go File -> Install New Font... An "Add Fonts" window will open. Navigate to the location of where you saved Avva_Shenouda.ttf and it should appear in the "List of fonts" field. NOTE:  It will appear as "Avva_Shenouda Normal (TrueType)" Click the OK button. Click your browser's Refresh or Reload button. If the font was correctly installed on your computer, you should be able to see the Coptic text below.

 

Did it work?  I want to see the Coptic text now!

If the Avva Shenouda font was installed properly, then you should be able to see the text below. `K`cmarwovt Below is a picture of what the text should look like.  If the above text is not exactly like the picture (i.e. it appears as "`K`cmarwovt"), then the font was not installed correctly.  (Make sure you refreshed/reloaded this web page after installing the font.)  If, after attempting to install the font again - using each method - you still cannot read the text, then email george@andraws.com for support. Congratulations!  You've just installed your very first Coptic text.  Now that you've tackled this step, you're ready to move on.  Onward Coptic Soldier!

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Lesson 1

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References

1. For more information visit Remenkimi.com.
2. "The Coptic Language: Introduction," Adeeb Bassili Makar. Des Moines, Iowa.
3. There are a number of families and persons who can speak and understand Coptic fluently.  You can join a mailing list and receive and send emails in Coptic to a group interested in learning and preserving this language.  Find out more at Remenkimi.com.