Struggling to get started or keep your learning mo-jo?
We have all been there and know what it feels like. Try one or all of our tips for to get started and inspire you to keep going and reach your goal.
Enroll in our online Greek Course with a specialist Tutor.
Ditch those apps with fancy-eye catching ads, selling you the daydream of becoming fluent in 30 mins before you hop off the plain in Athens.
These apps thrive on users downloading and using the limited free trial before paying to remove annoying ads or unlocking a few lessons - their end goal is to climb to the #1 spot in the app store and boast 1 million downloads. Funny how the app info never tells you how many users delete it after they got bored, frustrated or tired of constantly paying to remove ads.
A tutor that specialises in teaching adults Greek as a foreign/second language is the best option if you want to succeed.
Tutors deliver a structured and carefully created course that is adaptable to a student's individual learning abilities. Apps can't do that no matter how much programming code or AI is jammed into it (after they jam it with Ads that you need to pay to remove).
Read our no-AI statement to understand more about why a real human tutor is far more superior to a Bot or ad-bloated app.
Master the Greek Alphabet.
It may sound a bit silly, like we are going back to kindergarten, but with all honesty this works.
The Greek alphabet is different to the English alphabet, not just because we use funny symbols but the pronunciation of each of the letters is extremely important.
Mastering the Greek alphabet in both written and spoken form, will drastically improve your fluency. You will notice your reading and comprehension skills will also improve faster if you build your foundations correctly from the get-go.
Speak Greek whenever and wherever you can.
Practicing your oral skills whenever and wherever will help with building your confidence and how to present yourself in real-life conversational Greek.
Don't be shy to attend the next Greek festival near you and order your lunch at the counter using only Greek. How about ordering tea or coffee at the local Greek taverna (coffee shop) by only using Greek dialogue? Call that Greek cousin or friend of yours and converse only in Greek. Visit your yiayia or papou and spend the day with them only speaking in Greek.
Never ever be shy or embarrassed to speak Greek.
Read Greek books and other texts.
When we read something, our brain slows down to commit it to our mind and build the neural pathways needed to remember thing easily.
Try and get your hands on any text that you like to read, but in Greek. By reading something that you enjoy and doing it in Greek you will not find learning a chore.
What can you read in Greek?
Books and ebooks
Webpages/websites - don't choose the translate page into English option when it pops up, leave the site in its native Greek language.
Newspapers or magazines
History books, museum pamphlets or travel guides
Childrens books - great for kid's bedtime routine and your reading, all in one!
Cookbooks and recipes - again this is a 2-for-1, reading and eating... yummy!
... [fill in the blank] ... you got this!
Turn on Greek subtitles.
No really turn on the subtitles in Greek next time you watch a movie or tv show. This works even better when watching a Greek movie or tv show as you get to hear the words in Greek and read how they are written. It also builds up your skills in speed reading.
Watch Greek movies and tv shows.
Did we mention that this helps with your listening skills too? There are many movies and tv shows you can access via streaming platforms.
These include news and current affairs shows, latest movies, indie films, history and culture programs, drama and tv novellas, all streamed from Greece directly or their authorised streaming partners.
Listen (and sing along) to Greek music.
Who doesn't love to sing and dance? Great for exercise but also great for practicing your Greek.
Singing in Greek works in the same way as reading in Greek. The action causes our brain to build and strengthen the neural pathways in a fun way. Singing slower songs also allows you time to manipulate your tongue or mouth in the shape required for proper pronunciation. Fun and learning all at the same time.
... so now that you have been inspired on how easy it is to learn Greek, what are you waiting for?
Enroll in our courses today and start your learning journey to learn Greek fluently before your cousin in Greece asks Θέλω να πάω να πάρω έναν καφέ μαζί μου? and you are left scratching your head.