There are a few sounds in Greek that do not exist in English, but for the most part, the Greek sounds may consist of combinations of sounds common with English, but which English speakers would not normally combine in speech.
For instance, my name, Smaragda. This is the closest English spelling for it, but it is still not accurate. The 'g' is actually pronounced more like the 'w' in 'wire' but without the 'ou' sound following it. Phonetically, that would be 'ɣ', a fricative, velar consonant.
The 'd' would be pronounced more like the 'th' in 'then'. Phonetically that is the 'ð' dental, fricative consonant.
Even though both of these sounds exist exactly or approximately in the English phonetic inventory, and therefore English speakers are able to make them, they are not found in any words together, which makes it hard for English speakers to make those sounds.
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