Learn Greek (Modern)

When you learn Greek, you will learn one of the most rich and vibrant languages of the world. Greece is a small country but its people have travelled far and wide, spreading the Greek language to the four corners of the globe. Wherever you are there always seems to be a Greek-speaking community somewhere nearby.

Greek is an ancient language related to English and most other European languages. Because Ancient Greek literature was so influential, many words in English (and many other languages) come from Ancient Greek so there is some vocabulary in common with modern Greek. Many words of an academic and technological nature in particular come from Ancient Greek, and you will notice similarities with its modern vocabulary as well.

Modern Greek is not the same as the Ancient Greek we know from the Iliad, the Odyssey and other classic works of literature and philosophy. The grammar of the modern variety of Greek is not as complex as the ancient, and of course other changes have taken place in the 2500 years since then.

One of the things that makes learning Greek interesting is its alphabet. Most of it is easily recognizable and yet it still has an exotic feel for native English speakers.

Like other less commonly studied languages, there are few published methods to learn Greek. But unlike many others, there are a few very exciting possibilities to learn Greek on the internet for free.

Internet/Free www.kypros.org/LearnGreek/
This site has text, an online dictionary and extensive audio. It rivals the content of many commercial language products, and surpasses most for learning Greek. Registration is required but it's free.

Internet/Free www.xanthi.ilsp.gr/filog/
A good site to learn Greek from. Tutorials, lessons, exercises, grammar and audio. Everything you need to get started.

Internet/Free fsi-language-courses.com/Greek.aspx
This site has many of the old FSI programs available for download. Fortunately, Greek was one of the first made available. Even though the FSI courses are old and out-of-date, they are very comprehensive and best of all - it's free!

Internet/Free Transparent Language offers a free vocabulary trainer to get started learning Greek - Free Before You Know It™ download

Book/Audio Combo/Inexpensive Teach Yourself Greek
Teach Yourself makes an extensive line of language products, particularly for less commonly spoken languages like Greek. They come with audio cd's, cover a lot of ground, they're inexpensive and easy to find. For a more grammar oriented book, look for one of the old Teach Yourself Greek books used at ABE Book Exchange.

Audio Only
Pimsleur Greek Comprehensive
The Pimsleur all-audio format is so easy to use it is hard to believe you are actually learning a language. With Pimsleur Greek you will get a better accent, pronunciation and conversation ability than with any other method. With 30 half-hour lessons in comprehensive level 1 and an additional level 2 to be released later this year, getting a good foundation in spoken Greek is nearly effortless with Pimsleur Greek Comprehensive. Read my more indepth review of Pimsleur, or listen to the first lesson of Pimsleur Greek free below!