So! How to learn Greek? Learning a foreign language is not always so easy. But when you are stubborn and stick to it, you can do it. Especially when you finally manage to have a conversation with a native, the joy and the satisfaction you feel are indescribable. I often hear the following questions from my students: “How can I remember all these words? What can I do to help myself remember them? ” Below, I will present you with some clever tricks, which you can be sure will help you remember more words and further develop your vocabulary if you put them into practice in your everyday life.
How to learn Greek – 10 clever tips
1. Repeat the word
Repeat the same word many times until you learn it well. Try to use it when you talk until its meaning is assimilated.
2. Learning by writing
Write out some sentences with the new words you learn, in order to remember them better. The next time you try to remember a specific word, it will be easier for you to come up with the sentence in which you had included it.
3. Subtitles in Greek
Watch Greek movies with Greek subtitles, or watch movies in your native language with Greek subtitles. Your eye will constantly pick out the Greek words, so you can spot words you already know or listen to new ones you want to learn.
4. Speak Greek
If you have Greek or Cypriot relatives or friends, don’t hesitate to talk to them every time you see them, and don’t worry if you make mistakes. Your mistakes will charm the natives and will be taken as a sign that you are eager to learn and improve and the locals will see that you are still engaged in learning. They will be glad to correct you and you will remember it better, even more so than corrections that come from your Greek courses tutor.
5. Colorful decorations
Print out Greek words or short phrases on small colorful pieces of paper or stick-it notes and stick them on the refrigerator, on your bathroom mirror and put them in places you’ll be able to see often during the day. The more often you see new words the better you remember them. Repetition is key. Once you’ve got all these words and phrases down pat, collect the little pieces of paper and put them in an envelope, and then write out some new ones. After a few weeks, open the old envelope and read all the words you wrote out to see how well you remember them. Any words you’ve forgotten, put in a prominent place in your house where you’ll frequently see them. A good spot is the wardrobe in your bedroom, where you’ll see them every day when you get dressed.
6. Let’s be children again
Read classic fairy tales, but now read them in Greek, not in English. Yes, I’m not joking. This kind of reading will help you immensely when you’re learning a foreign language–you already know the stories, and the only thing you’ll have to do is to understand the new Greek words you’ll meet for the first time in reading an old familiar story. So we learn the new Greek names for our old beloved heroes and hear the old familiar sentences spoken in a new language, and relive these old familiar fairy tales from our childhood in a new Greek garb.
7. Update in Greek
You can enrich your vocabulary by watching Greek news on TV or listening to it on the radio. The TV will help you more, as there is a picture and you will understand more easily what is reported in the news. Or you can learn Greek on Youtube at our very own channel. It does not matter if you do not understand all the words because at least you will begin by understanding the basic meaning until you are able to understand more. Read Greek articles on our blog in magazines or newspapers on topics that interest you, such as fashion, nightlife, health, or whatever, to give you a little extra incentive to learn.
8. Have a little discussion with yourself in Greek
Talk to yourself in Greek. Makeup dialogues for yourself, ask yourself questions in Greek, and give yourself answers as you cook, as you drive, or as you tidy up the house. Don’t laugh… I’m not joking! It really works!
9. How to learn Greek with an evening out, Greek-style
If there are some Greek restaurants or tavernas in your area, you should really pay them a visit. First of all, you’ll have delicious food and second of all, you’ll have the chance to practice your Greek and probably be meeting people from Greece or Cyprus.
10. Have fun in Greek
Let’s listen to some wonderful Greek music! Apart from their very special melodies and the good cheer they bring, these songs will always bring to your mind the words and phrases you already know, and they will also inspire you with the curiosity to find out what the new ones mean. You can download and save Greek songs on a USB flash drive and you can listen to them in the car or even at work if your workspace allows it. In addition to Greek songs, you can also visit e-Radio Cyprus and e-Radio Greece and listen to live Greek radio, with the broadcasters commenting on various events in Greek and Cypriot showbiz, in political and social life, and of course, you will hear many advertisements that you’ll find very easy to understand. Don’t worry if they speak quickly, find a channel that sounds about right for your level and enjoy what you’re listening to!
Follow all these tips and I’ll guarantee you excellent results!
Joanna Christou
The Online Greek Tutor
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Ευχαριστώ, καλα ιδέες.