How to create a list with numbering greek letters?

Question

I was wondering if there is a way to create a list in LaTeX (I use TeXstudio) where the numbering are greek letters.

So far I have written this:

\begin{enumerate}
    \item[($\alpha$)]
    \item[($\beta$)] 
    \item[($\gamma$)]
\end{enumerate}

Is this the best way to accomplish a list where the numbering are greek letters?

Do we use math environment $...$ in lists?

Thank you.

Answer 1

With enumitem this is quite 'easy', but it's necessary to establish a new output format with \AddEnumerateCounter.

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{pgffor}
\usepackage{enumitem} 

\usepackage{multicol}
\usepackage{textgreek}
\makeatletter
\newcommand{\greekalpha}[1]{\c@greekalpha{#1}}
\newcommand{\c@greekalpha}[1]{%
  {%
    \ifcase\number\value{#1} %
    \or
    \textalpha
    \or
    \textbeta
    \or
    \textgamma
    \or
    \textdelta
    \or
    \textepsilon
    \or
    \textzeta
    \or
    \texteta
    \or
    \texttheta % or \straighttheta
    \or
    \textiota
    \or
    \textkappa
    \or
    \textlambda
    \or
    \textmu
    \or
    \textnu
    \or
    \textxi
    \or
    \textomikron
    \or
    \textrho
    \or
    \textpi
    \or
    \textsigma
    \or
    \texttau
    \or
    \textupsilon
    \or
    \textphi
    \or
    \textchi
    \or
    \textpsi
    \or
    \textomega
    \fi
  }%
}


\newcommand{\Greekalpha}[1]{\c@Greekalpha{#1}}
\newcommand{\c@Greekalpha}[1]{%
  {%
    \ifcase\number\value{#1} %
    \or
    \textAlpha
    \or
    \textBeta
    \or
    \textGamma
    \or
    \textDelta
    \or
    \textEpsilon
    \or
    \textZeta
    \or
    \textEta
    \or
    \textTheta
    \or
    \textIota
    \or
    \textKappa
    \or
    \textLambda
    \or
    \textMu
    \or
    \textNu
    \or
    \textXi
    \or
    \textOmikron
    \or
    \textRho
    \or
    \textPi
    \or
    \textSigma
    \or
    \textTau
    \or
    \textUpsilon
    \or
    \textPhi
    \or
    \textChi
    \or
    \textPsi
    \or
    \textOmega
    \fi
  }%
}



\AddEnumerateCounter*{\greekalpha}{\c@greekalpha}{5}

\AddEnumerateCounter*{\Greekalpha}{\c@Greekalpha}{5}
\makeatother



\begin{document}


\begin{multicols}{2}
\begin{enumerate}[label={\greekalpha*)}]
\foreach \x in {1,...,24} {
\item \x
}
\end{enumerate}

\begin{enumerate}[label={\Greekalpha*)}]
\foreach \x in {1,...,24} {
\item \x
}
\end{enumerate}

\end{multicols}

\end{document}

Answer 2

A variation of @Christian's answer which uses the fact that the chemgreek package already provides a mapping from integers to Greek letters, both for lowercase and uppercase letters. This also adds a little bit more flexibility: it will work without textgreek using standard italic math Greek letters or with a number of other packages providing upright versions of Greek letters. Another bonus: you don't have to worry if you exceed 24 items:

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{chemgreek,textgreek,enumitem}
\makeatletter
% commands to format a counter value as Greek letter to be used like 
% \arabic or \roman:
\newcommand*\alphgreek[1]{\expandafter\@alphgreek\csname c@#1\endcsname}
\newcommand*\@alphgreek[1]{\csname chemgreek_int_to_greek:n\endcsname{#1}}
\newcommand*\Alphgreek[1]{\expandafter\@Alphgreek\csname c@#1\endcsname}
\newcommand*\@Alphgreek[1]{\csname chemgreek_int_to_Greek:n\endcsname{#1}}

% register new counter formats to enumitem:
\AddEnumerateCounter*{\alphgreek}{\@alphgreek}{\chemalpha}
\AddEnumerateCounter*{\Alphgreek}{\@Alphgreek}{\chemAlpha}
\makeatother

\begin{document}

\twocolumn

\begin{enumerate}[label=(\alphgreek*)]
  \loop\item \arabic{enumi}
  \ifnum\value{enumi}<28
  \repeat
\end{enumerate}

\newpage

\begin{enumerate}[label=(\Alphgreek*)]
  \loop\item \arabic{enumi}
  \ifnum\value{enumi}<28
  \repeat
\end{enumerate}

\end{document}

Answer 3

There is a ready-made LaTeX package for this purpose, called greekctr.sty. It defines new counter styles \greek and \Greek (for lowercase and capital greek letters). It can count up to 24 (in analogy to the counterstyle \alph that counts up to 26).

Answer 4

Well, using actual Greek numerals you could write

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[greek,english]{babel}
\usepackage{enumerate}
\usepackage{multicol}
\begin{document}
\begin{multicols}{5}
  \begin{enumerate}[\begin{otherlanguage}{greek}(A)\end{otherlanguage}]
\loop
\ifnum\value{enumi}<2000
  \item \arabic{enumi}
\repeat
  \end{enumerate}
\end{multicols}
\end{document}

but, well, Greek numerals are not all that popular outside of Greece, and of limited appeal there.