Καλό μήνα! Looking for stories at the B1/ B2 plus level?
Try Enchanted Ελληνικά on Substack. Enchanted stories in Modern Greek, ideal for mature language learners. https://enchantedellinika.substack.com
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Want to learn Greek now that you’ve seen the Odyssey? Hooray!
Here are just a few suggestions for getting started with learning Modern Greek (which, by the way, is different than Ancient Greek!). I’ve tried most of these and the others I heard about from friends.
Try out different things until you find what works for you!
Apps/ Programs
Podcasts / YouTube
- Super Easy Greek – YouTube
- Super Easy Greek – Podcast
- Unlocking Greek Potential
- Language Transfer
Books for Learning Greek
- Klik Sta Ellinika A1
- Ελληνικά A – Patakis Publishing
- GreekPod101 – 16 workbooks for beginners
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In the book «Η Μόμο» by Michael Ende, the main character Momo is friends with a street sweeper. The street sweeper doesn’t talk a lot, but when he does it is with a very philosophical tone.
He says
Ξέρεις, Μόμο…τα πράγματα είναι έτσι: έχεις καμιά φορά μπροστά σου έναν πολύ μεγάλο δρόμο. Σκέφτεσαι τι μακρύς που είναι, σκέφτεσαι πως ποτέ σου δε θα τα καταφέρεις.
Later, he adds
Δεν κάνει να σκέφτεσαι ολόκληρο τον δρόμο, κατάλαβες; Πρέπει να σκέφτεσαι μονάχα το επόμενο βήμα, την επόμενη ανάσα, την επόμενη σκουπισιά.
Finally,
Read More: Step by StepΚαι ξαφνικά βλέπεις πως βήμα βήμα έχεις σκουπίσει ολόκληρο τον δρόμο.
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It’s the last week of July which means it is time for the Ελληνομάθεια results to come out. No matter what your results are, you should feel proud – taking the Ελληνομάθεια is an achievement in itself.
Last year, the center where I took the B2 test sent out an email announcing the availability of results. If yours doesn’t do that you can find them by logging into the website of the Center for Greek Language here.
Because I’m curious about such things, I looked for statistics about previous years’ results. I found statistics for 2025 and 2022. One thing that surprised me was the increase in the number of test takers between 2022 and 2025.
I wish there were statistics for more years – I’d love to see the trends over time.
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I’m reading Michael Ende’s book, «Η Μόμο» (translated to Greek from the original German). Although I’ve only read the first third of the book, so far I think it is great! I recommend it if you are at a B2+ reading level.
Here’s why:
- Thought provoking themes for an adult reader, although the book is written for children (ages 12+)
- Rich vocabulary and sentence structures
- Interesting Greek phrases
- Good story pacing and development
One note: There is one section that has a good bit of nautical vocabulary. I needed to look up lots of words to be able to fully understand that section, but it was well worth the effort.
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«Φτάσαμε» is my favorite program on ERTFLIX!
Jerome Kaluta, the travel show’s host, visits a wide array of locations in Greece. Planning your next trip to Greece? Perhaps there’s an episode on the place you hope to visit.
With three seasons, not only is it a great way to learn more about Greece, but also to practice listening to the Greek language.
Why is it great for Greek language learners? Lots of reasons! You can:
- Learn about Greek culture – art, crafts, music, food, festivals, local customs, traditions and more
- Learn about Greek geography. With the stunning videography, you get a real sense of the variety of Greece’s geographical regions
- Listen to real dialogues in Greek. The host, Jerome, talks to lots of different people in his travels. He has an easy manner of speaking that’s not too technical
- Use the English subtitles that are available
- Enjoy a great show!
Check it out today!
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Waiting is hard! Waiting for good things is hard. Waiting for bad things is hard. Waiting for the results of the Ελληνομάθεια to come out at the end of July can seem endless!!
Here’s a suggestion to take your mind off of waiting
Check out ERTFLIX.
ERTFLIX, available as website or app, has tons of Greek content to watch! Greek series, news, movies, cooking, kid’s content and more! It is a great place to find content to practice listening to the language.
Check it out!
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I didn’t expect to learn the Greek words for tweezers and Betadine on a recent trip to the island of Chios.
The scene: the village of Volissos in northern Chios. Walking along the road, I turned my head to look at a beautiful macrame artwork hanging in front of a house.
Unfortunately, I didn’t notice that the road dipped at the side. I stepped into the dip and fell down hard. My trouser leg tore and I skinned my knee. A small rock managed to get lodged in my thumb.
As I was washing my knee at the nearby cafe, an employee noticed me. Did you fall?, she asked. Yes, I said. Do you need Betadine? Yes, please.
She brought an antiseptic spray and the Betadine. After cleaning my knee, I discovered the rock stuck in my thumb. I didn’t know the word for tweezers, so I showed her my thumb and asked if she had something to pull the rock out. Yes, she did! (tweezers – το τσιμπιδάκι).
The take-away from the experience:
- Surprise that the cafe was so well stocked with first aid items
- Gratitude for the help she offered
- Appreciation for newly acquired vocabulary
- Pride that the entire interaction occurred in Greek!
Almost a week later, the scar is still visible on my knee. But even after the scar fades, I’ll remember her kindness and willingness to help a tourist in need.
Have you had a similar experience while traveling in Greece?
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Getting ready for the Ελληνομάθεια? Here are some ideas for extra prep you can do before the exam
Take some practice tests
Follow the time limits for each section so you get a sense of the flow of the test- The Center for Greek Language has two full tests for each level
- You can also buy books with tests from 2015 – 2018 from the Center for Greek Language
Practice leveled reading and listening
Here are just a few suggestions of the many options that are available- The Center for Greek Language has two different collections of leveled texts
- NeoHel Publications has a playlist of A1 level texts for listening
- 1HLanguage Greek on YouTube has a variety of test prep videos and examples
- Learn Greek with GreekPod101.com on YouTube has playlists for both listening and reading (beginner and advanced)
- Podcast: Easy Greek Stories for Intermediate Learners from Omilo
- Greek listening B1 Level by Learn Greek by Ioanna on YouTube
Study vocab words and phrases
- Make paper flashcards and study them every day (choose words that you don’t know from whatever resource you are using to study)
- Try Anki flashcard maker
- Practice verb conjugation. Pay attention to irregular verbs
- Practice writing something everyday in pen. Writing in pen is required on the exam
- Practice editing your writing. Look for mistakes in spelling, subject – verb agreement, and grammar
What are your favorite test prep strategies or resources?
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Can I complain for a minute? Ironically, I want to complain about having to express my complaints!
I really like the Greek workbook series I use. But, it seems like a lot of the writing exercises are about expressing complaints. They are often of the form “Write a letter to the mayor/ director/ manager expressing your complaints about…” .
Honestly, one time I wrote a paragraph (in Greek) for my tutor complaining that I was tired of expressing my complaints! Yea.
So, why are we asked to express so many complaints?
Read More: Complaining
Modern Greek Learning Journey 