Is Greek hard to learn? What is hard, what is easy and how long it takes

Is Greek a hard language?

The short answer: Greek is considered fairly hard, but not one of the hardest in the world. The US Foreign Service Institute (FSI) ranks languages by how long it takes an English speaker to reach professional proficiency. Greek is in Category III of IV, at about 44 weeks, or about 1,012 class hours. For comparison, Spanish and French are in Category I at 24–30 weeks, and Arabic, Chinese and Japanese in Category IV at 88 weeks.

That ranking is for English speakers. Hebrew speakers have some advantages, and some difficulties of their own.

What makes Greek hard?

• The alphabet: Greek has its own alphabet of 24 letters. Some look like Latin letters but sound different, which is confusing at first.
• Grammar: Greek has three genders (masculine, feminine and neuter), and nouns, adjectives and articles change according to their role in the sentence, through a case system. Hebrew has nothing like it, so this is the hardest part for most learners.
• Verbs: each verb has many forms, by person, tense and aspect (ongoing or one-off action).
• Stress: every word carries a mark showing which syllable is stressed. Moving the stress can change the meaning.

What makes Greek easier?

• Pronunciation: once you know the letters and letter pairs, Greek is read almost exactly as it is written. There are no surprises as in English.
• Familiar words: many Hebrew and English words come from Greek, such as telephone, academy, theatre and geography. Words like these stick quickly.
• Sounds: most Greek sounds also exist in Hebrew, including the guttural 'ch', so Israelis find it easy to sound natural.
• The question mark: in Greek it looks like a semicolon. That only confuses you once.

How long does it take to learn Greek?

It depends on your goal:

• For a holiday: greetings, numbers, 'thank you', 'how much is it' and ordering in a restaurant. You can learn these in a few days. Start with our Greek–Hebrew phrasebook.
• For basic conversation: a few months of regular study, a few hours a week.
• For work or living in Greece: by the FSI ranking, about 44 weeks of intensive study, for English speakers.

How to start learning Greek

1. Learn the alphabet first. It takes a few days, and unlocks everything else: signs, menus and street names.
2. Start with useful phrases, not grammar tables.
3. An app and a course: an app is good for daily practice, and a course with a teacher helps with the grammar.
4. Listen to Greek: music, series and podcasts train your ear.
5. Talk to locals. Greeks really appreciate visitors who try, even with a few words.

Do you need Greek to travel in Greece?

No. In Athens, Thessaloniki and the tourist islands, most people working in tourism speak English. A few words of Greek help in villages, markets and taxis, and earn a smile. If you move to Greece you will feel the difference quickly: bureaucracy, doctors and neighbours are another matter.

More on the language: the Greek language: history and status. And if you are planning a move: the cost of living in Greece.

FAQ

Is Greek hard to learn? Relatively, yes. FSI ranks it in Category III of IV, at about 44 weeks of study for an English speaker. The grammar is the hardest part.

How many letters are in the Greek alphabet? 24, each with a capital and a lower-case form.

What is hardest about Greek for a Hebrew speaker? The case system: nouns, adjectives and articles that change according to their role in the sentence. Hebrew has nothing like it.

Can you get by in Greece without Greek? Yes. In tourist areas most people speak English. A few basic words help and are warmly received.