If you really want to learn a language, then you will learn a language. If you truly want to learn Greek then, you will certainly learn it. What you need is motivation, therefore you need to identify the reason you want to learn the language. You should aim at something; otherwise your eagerness to learn will slowly fade.
The best thing that could happen to you if you want to learn Greek is to be around Greeks. Try to focus on listening what they are saying and as time passes by, you will realize that you are able to understand more and more. Expose your kids to Greek and they will soon start talking! Kids learn a language much more freely, while adults focus on every piece of the learning process.
Useful information to learn Greek for Free:
- If you want to learn some words and be able to say simple phrases, then you can use online dictionaries, or even Google translate, where you can listen to the pronunciation as well. You may visit the BBC page for Greek lessons; they have done a very good job! Another option is Youtube, where many teachers have uploaded basic Greek lessons.
- If you wish to practice your reading, listening, and speaking skills, and enrich your vocabulary, you may watch the “We Love Greece” series by Greek Lessons OnLine. This is a series of small videos where you listen to the teacher reading out loud the Greek text with an English translation underneath. Finishing the video you can take a quiz and play games about the content of the text!
- Watch Greek movies with English subtitles and in a more advanced level do the opposite, watch English movies with Greek subtitles. Movies help so much! Especially if you like the plot, you can gain so much knowledge! There are a lot of repeating elements in movies and repetition helps very much in the learning process! Watch Politiki Kouzina!
- Listen to Greek radio and Greek songs on Youtube. You can find so many Greek stations to listen to online! There are many programs that include interviews or speeches, which make them a great source to listen Greek. There is also a website with all Greek songs’ lyrics, so you can read the lyrics while listening to the song! Feel the song, sing out loud, dance with it!
- Make your phone interface in Greek. You know where most of the applications and settings are, so having them in Greek would help you learn basic words by just using your phone!
- Become a member in Facebook groups where people want to learn Greek. There are groups with people that are really excited to learn and teachers that are passionate to share knowledge.
- Find a partner. Find someone, who also wants to learn Greek, and start learning together. Share all this experience with a friend and you can motivate each other!
- Speak Greek as much as you can. When you listen to a video lesson, repeat the words. When you watch “We Love Greece” videos, read out loud along with the teacher. When you use your dictionary, read the words out loud. Start listening to yourself speaking Greek more and more!
- Leave your comfort zone. It is absolutely ok to make mistakes. Do not feel embarrassed to say something when you are not 100% sure. Only if you try, you will manage to master the language and like any other achievement, it takes effort to learn a new language.
- Watch people carefully while they talk, so you start noticing the position of the lips, the throat and the tongue in some sounds. For example, it takes a lot of effort to pronounce rolled “R” in Greek. Watching someone doing it, helps!
- Start buying Greek products and read the labels in Greek. There are so many online stores where you can order traditional Greek goods. Just search the Internet for “buy Greek products online”.
- Have fun with it! Find the most enjoyable way for you to learn. Play the hangman, fill out crosswords, play online games, record yourself speaking, play role games in Greek with your friends, sing and do anything you like in Greek!
