Greek is one of the oldest and most beautiful languages in Europe. It’s the language of ancient myths, philosophy, and hundreds of historical texts — and modern Greek still sounds as melodic as it did thousands of years ago.
Many people want to learn Greek but don’t know where to start: a different alphabet, unusual pronunciation, unfamiliar grammar.
In reality, Modern Greek is quite friendly: logical, relatively simple phonetically, and very “alive.”

Where to Start: First Steps

Understand which Greek you needToday, there are two main versions of the Greek language:

• Modern Greek (Νέα Ελληνικά) — the language spoken in Greece and Cyprus. This is what 99% of learners study.
• Ancient Greek — the language of classical texts. It is more complex and used in academia, philology, and theology.

For communication and everyday use, Modern Greek is the right choice — and that’s what we’ll focus on.
The Alphabet: Not as Scary as It SeemsThe Greek alphabet consists of 24 letters. Many of them look familiar: α, β, δ, λ — you’ve seen them in math, physics, and scientific formulas.
The best ways to learn the alphabet:

• with flashcards,
• by writing the letters by hand,
• together with the sounds, not in isolation.

Important: Greek uses written accent marks — this makes life MUCH easier for beginners and helps you read correctly from day one.
How to Learn Greek PronunciationGreek pronunciation is clean and logical:

• every letter has a stable sound,
• almost no “silent” letters,
• stress is always marked.

To sound more natural:

• listen to native speakers (radio, YouTube, music),
• repeat short phrases aloud,
• practice the melody of the language — Greek is very musical.

Tip: If you want to reduce your accent faster, record yourself and compare your speech to native audio.
How to Structure Your Self-Study 1. Start with Basic VocabularyLearn 200–300 essential words:

• greetings,
• numbers,
• food,
• everyday expressions,
• basic verbs.

Greeks are expressive and use a lot of short, lively phrases — this makes it much easier to begin speaking quickly.
Learn Verbs the Simple WayGreek verbs seem intimidating, but they’re actually logical. Start with the most common ones:

• είμαι — to be
• έχω — to have
• θέλω — to want
• πηγαίνω — to go
• κάνω — to do / to make

Immerse Yourself in Modern Greek

Modern Greek is emotional, conversational, and full of everyday expressions. Great learning sources include:

• Greek TV series,
• interviews and podcasts,
• music (e.g., Anna Vissi, Melissa),
• short TikTok and Instagram videos from native speakers.

Use Parallel Texts

Short Greek stories with translations help you quickly understand sentence structure and see how vocabulary is used in real situations.

Speak as Much as Possible

Greeks are talkative, open, and friendly.
Regular short conversations with native speakers have an effect no textbook can match.

Useful Resources for Learning Greek

Textbooks

• Communicate in Greek (Frosso Mariou, Cathy Anastasiou)
• Greek Now! 1+1
• Ellinika gia Xenous

Websites

• Duolingo (for basic foundations)
• AppsTinycards / Anki — flashcards
• Forvo — pronunciation
• Reverso — phrases in real contexts

Typical Mistakes Beginners Make

• Spending too long learning the alphabet
• Memorizing grammar without practice
• Being afraid to speak until they feel “ready”
• Ignoring the accent mark when reading
• Not listening to enough real speech

Tip: Greek is a language that loves emotion and conversation. The sooner you start listening and speaking, the faster your progress will be.

Want to Start Speaking Greek Faster?

Self-study is a great foundation, but real breakthroughs happen only through live communication with a native speaker.
Book a free trial lesson with a Greek native speaker at Native Speakers Courses — and you’ll see that learning Greek can be easy, enjoyable, and effective.

During the lesson you will:

• start speaking from the very first minutes,
• work through difficult sounds,
• learn how to memorize words and phrases faster,
• receive a personalized study plan.

Ready to improve your Greek skills?

Book your free lesson at Native Speakers Courses and start your journey today!