So, you have decided that you want to learn Greek. You’re excited but you also
feel threatened by this new challenge. You’ve heard that Greek is not an easy
language to learn and now you’re starting to feel intimidated? It’s time to relax.
Though, I’m not going to sugar coat it for you by telling you that Greek is super
easy to learn, I’m going to tell you that it’s not so difficult either. As every other
language, it needs persistence and dedication. And the key to success is practice
and consistency. But apart from that, I’m gonna share with you 10 clever tips to
make your journey with Greek a little bit easier.
Shall we get started?
1. Learn the right phrases for you
Every language has tons of vocabulary. But think about it. Do you need to learn
phrases or words that you hardly gonna use? The answer is no. Learning things
that are not really useful for you – at least at the beginning – is gonna make
your road harder to walk through. Don’t waste energy in things that you are
not really going to use. It will confuse you and probably will make difficult to
remember things that you should. So, start with phrases that you frequently
use. Stick with them, memorize them, use them and then move on to the
next level. You can achieve two things with this method. It will give you
confidence and fluency in Greek more quickly and also it will keep you
motivated to move on.
2. Learn cognates
Did you know that you already can speak Greek? According to the British council,
over 150,000 English words are derived from the Greek language. This is a huge
number and I’m pretty sure you have been using Greek without even knowing it!
But this is good for you because now you can make a list – a huge one – with
Greek words that you already know. I will write a separate post about the
connection between English and Greek and I intend to give a lot of examples.
For now, you can watch the video I have made which include many English words
of Greek origin.
3. Set small goals
Why do you want to learn Greek? This is an important question you need to ask
yourself before even start learning the language because it will help you
understand what is important for you to learn and how to learn it.
For instance, do you want to learn Greek because you’re planning to take a trip to
Greece and now you’re overwhelmed because you need to know all Greek
related to greetings, traveling, booking, how to shop, how to order etc? Don’t rush
to learn everything at once because chances are you will end up remembering
nothing in the end. Set small goals. For instance, start learn greetings first. Once
you’ve learned them then move on to your next goal. Setting small goals will help
you boost your confidence with the language but also will help you complete
them easily and quicker. This also applies in life in general. Setting big goals can
bring you anxiety and the sentiment of disappointment if you fail to complete it.
Separating a big goal into smaller ones that you can easily complete it will help
you reach smoother to your biggest goal.
4. Use Greek as often as possible
Or better say read, watch, listen in Greek.
You have started learning Greek. You study grammar, vocabulary and you’re even
doing exercises but you have the feeling that this isn’t enough and you’re
probably right. In order to “feel” the Greek – or any other language – you need to
use it frequently. And how can you do that? As I stated above, by reading,
watching and listening in Greek. But let’s analyze this a bit.
Read in Greek
Ok, I’m not going to say, start reading Greek literature, but you can start by
reading smaller things like fairy tales. You can start with classic fairy tales
which you’re already familiar with, but this time try to read it in Greek. If you
already know the story then you will be able to understand better the new
words you’re going to see. Then you can move on to Greek fairy tales.
Aesop’s fables will be a good start.
Read Greek comics. Comics with images and little Greek phrases in the
bulletins is perfect for a relax reading as a beginner.
Read articles in Greek. Luckily with the internet, you can find any kind of article.
Do you like cooking? There are plenty of recipes in Greek. Do you like sports?
Then start reading sport news in Greek!
Watch in Greek
You’re relaxed at home and you plan to watch a movie. Why don’t you practice
some Greek at the same time? How? By adding Greek subtitles to the movie.
You can also watch Greek movies with subtitles in your native language and
once you get familiar with this technique or as you getting advanced in Greek,
you can also start watching Greek movies with Greek subtitles or no subtitles at
all. This is a great and a fun way to build up your vocabulary.
Listen in Greek
You have just woken up. You’re getting out of the shower and you’re about to
make coffee. You turn on the radio to listen to your favorite music as you drink
your coffee. But wait a minute. You’re also learning Greek. Why don’t you stream
instead a Greek radio station or search YouTube for some Greek music? Not a
bad idea you think and suddenly your mornings have a Greek flavor. This applies
to all hours during a day. No problem!
5. Try to speak Greek often
I know this is the most hard part when learning a language but it is essential to
do it if you really want to learn Greek. If you have Greek friends or even better,
a Greek partner this will help you a lot to start practicing your Greek. But what
if not? No worries, there are ways to make it happen.
Practice in front of your mirror
Don’t mock it! This is something that can help you a lot and also you can
overcome your fear of making mistakes. You are alone, nobody listens you.
Make up dialogues and ask and answer questions. The more you practice
speaking it, the quicker you will acquire fluency.
Join Fb groups
If you have Facebook, you can search for groups dedicated to Greek languages.
In fact I will make your life easier and I will give you the link to the Fb group I run
which is called – surprise, surprise – Learning Greek. You can find natives
there that they can help you practice your Greek.
6. Sticky notes can be your friend
Write Greek phrases or words on sticky notes and put them in places that you
use or you view them frequently, like your refrigerator, your mirror or your
cupboard. You can even be as much creative as you want and even paint them
in paper or use flashcards. The more often you see them the better you will
remember them. Once you feel confident that you have learned them, you can
create new ones. Don’t throw away the old ones. Keep them for revision. *winks*
7. Make a clever schedule
It’s better to study Greek for 20-30 minutes a day, than to study for two or more
hours in one session. A little study each day is far more effective because it keeps
everything fresh and prevents you from unnecessary revisions. It also helps you
to be consistent with your studies. And consistency is the key when learning a
language. Let’s face it, it is easier to find 20 mins a day and stick with that
schedule than to try to find 3 hours per session. If you make a realistic schedule
from the beginning, it’s more likely that you will be able to follow it.
8. Do it like a Greek
Search for Greek shops in your area and get familiar with food and tastes and
anything Greek. Spend a night at a Greek restaurant and not only taste the
delicious Greek food but also try to speak with natives and practice your
Greek. It’s a win-win situation. Greeks are very pleased to hear a foreigner
speak their language so don’t hesitate to speak Greek in any Greek shop you
can find.
9. Embrace your mistakes
Always remember that it is ok to make mistakes. Don’t let the fear of making
mistakes prevents you for speaking Greek. Nobody expects you to speak
perfect especially when you are learning a new language. In fact, you can
learn from your mistakes and try to avoid it next time. And even if you can’t
avoid it, it is still ok. Keep practicing and you will find the right answers.
I promise you!
10. Reward yourself
Once you’ve completed your little goals, don’t forget to reward yourself. You have
achieved something great and you need to be proud about that. Always focus on
what you have learned and don’t get intimidated by the things you don’t “own”
yet. Be proud for your accomplishment, no matter how small you think it is, and
give yourself a treat. By visiting the Greek restaurant I mentioned before?
Well, it’s up to you… 😉
Bottom line
Learning something new, Greek in our case, is not an easy task. With the above
tips, I hope I will make your journey a bit more fun and productive.
And if you’re looking to add a bit of creativity to your learning process,
check out my article on fun tools and crafts to learn the Greek alphabet.
It’s packed with hands-on activities and ideas that can help make learning
the alphabet enjoyable and engaging. Give it a try and let the fun begin!
Take care 🙂
