MenuThree Ways to Learn the Greek Language
The Greeks gave us democracy, mathematics, philosophy, architecture, the Olympics, and much more. Whatever your reason is for learning their language, job, family, or to read Homer's works in their original form, it will help you understand life in new ways. Yes, the alphabetical characters and their pronunciations are different from most languages, but anything worthwhile has its challenges and rewards.
While the best way to learn Modern Greek would be to move to Greece and immerse yourself in their rich culture for six months or more, that's not practical for everyone. Here are three other options for learning the Greek language.
Option One: Greek School For Kids
Many of the Greek churches in the USA offer language lessons, usually for children on a weekday afternoon. If you watched the movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," you'll remember Toula reminiscing about her Greek School experiences. This is a long-standing tradition that most first-generation Greek-Americans experience, some even as young as one-year-old with the mommy-and-me classes. For your kids, find the churches in your area, then call to see when classes are held. If you're an adult wanting to learn Greek, move on to Options Two and Three below.
Option Two: Register for Online Courses
A few colleges have courses for the Greek Language. If you don't find one near you, try an online course with video and audio lessons (ad). This will give you the opportunity to practice the alphabet, and then, your pronunciations over-and-over again at your own pace. Listening to a native speaker and repeating their words is one of the best ways to pick up the proper accent, so you blend in when you speak with others.
Option Three: CDs, DVDs, eBooks, and Apps
If your commute is long, Audio CDs (ad) can help you pass the time and learn a language while you drive. If your car is young enough to have the CD player replaced by more recent technology, you can transfer your lessons to iTunes or Google Play, after purchasing the CDs.
Do you prefer learning at home or at thebeach with your laptop in tow? DVDs (ad), Kindle (ad), and Apps (ad) will give you more content and a richer experience than Audio CDs.
Feature Comparison Chart
| Features: | Online Courses | CDs, DVD, eBooks, Apps | |
| Portable: | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Audio & Video: | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Repeat Lessons: | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Ask Questions: | ✔ | ☹ | |
| Track Lessons: | ✔ | ☹ | |
| Free Version: | ✔ | ☹ | |
| New Lessons: | ✔ | ☹ | |
| Learn Offline: | ☹ | ✔ | |