How to Write Alternate Greek Symbols in LaTeX

In LaTeX, the common “alternate Greek symbols” are variant glyph forms of lowercase Greek letters. For example, \epsilon and \varepsilon produce two different epsilon shapes. These commands work in math mode, and you do not need an extra package to use them.

The shape is a typographic choice unless your field or document defines a more specific meaning. The list below covers the standard variants most people mean by alternate Greek symbols.

The standard alternate Greek commands

Each pair consists of a regular form and its variant. The exact appearance can change slightly with the math font, but the commands are standard in LaTeX.

Regular form	Variant form	Common LaTeX commands
$\epsilon$	$\varepsilon$	\epsilon, \varepsilon
$\theta$	$\vartheta$	\theta, \vartheta
$\pi$	$\varpi$	\pi, \varpi
$\rho$	$\varrho$	\rho, \varrho
$\sigma$	$\varsigma$	\sigma, \varsigma
$\phi$	$\varphi$	\phi, \varphi

The names are not a reliable guide to which shape will look more familiar: compare the rendered symbols in your document’s font. In particular, do not assume that \phi is the variant and \varphi the regular form. The table gives the conventional LaTeX pairings.

A complete example

This minimal document uses only the standard article class. No additional package is required for these commands.

\documentclass{article}

\begin{document}

The two epsilon forms are $\epsilon$ and $\varepsilon$.

\begin{equation}
\epsilon \ne \varepsilon,\quad
\theta \ne \vartheta,\quad
\pi \ne \varpi,\quad
\rho \ne \varrho,\quad
\sigma \ne \varsigma,\quad
\phi \ne \varphi
\end{equation}

\end{document}

The dollar signs put the first pair in inline math mode. The equation environment creates a numbered display equation, and \quad adds horizontal space between pairs. The \ne command prints the not-equal sign. To use a variant in a formula, replace the regular command with its variant command—for example, use \varphi instead of \phi.

Choosing which form to use

Use the form required by your notation or style guide. In many contexts, the two forms of a letter are interchangeable glyph choices. In others, authors use both forms to distinguish two quantities. For instance, one document might use \epsilon for one parameter and \varepsilon for another. That distinction is not imposed by LaTeX; define it clearly and use it consistently.

If you are matching an existing textbook, paper, or set of lecture notes, compare the printed glyphs rather than relying only on the command names. Fonts can make the difference between two forms more or less noticeable. A math-font package may alter the shapes, so check the compiled output if you change fonts.

These commands are intended for mathematical notation. If you need Greek letters in ordinary text, use an approach suited to your document’s language and engine rather than putting math commands directly into text. For an occasional symbol, inline math may be sufficient; for extended Greek text, consider a text font and appropriate language support.

Common mistakes

• Using a command outside math mode. Commands such as \varepsilon are math symbols. Put them inside $...$, \(...\), or a math environment such as equation.
• Assuming var means a universal mathematical distinction. It requests a different glyph; it does not assign a separate definition or meaning. Explain any distinction you intend readers to observe.
• Reversing the conventional pairings. LaTeX’s \phi and \varphi, for example, are both valid forms, but the command names do not indicate which one your source uses as its preferred shape. Check the output.
• Inventing uppercase variants. The usual lowercase variant commands do not imply commands such as \varTheta or \varGamma are available in standard LaTeX. If you need a different uppercase glyph, check the documentation for the font or symbol package you are using.
• Loading a package unnecessarily. The six pairs in the table are available in standard LaTeX math mode. A package is needed only if you want additional symbols or a different font, not for these basic variants.