You might be aware that learning Greek can be intimidating. Regardless of whether you’re a native English or Latin-based language speaker, you might find it confusing at first. To navigate this challenge effectively, it’s crucial to have trustworthy language resources that can guide you correctly, and give you a strong foundation in the language.
The good news is, we’ve tried and tested numerous Greek language courses and handpicked the best ones available, with courses tailor-made to help you in specific areas and language skills you may want to focus on.
Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
Table of Best Courses to Learn Greek
Links below will send you to the course websites, and the course details are down below.
OVERALL BEST
Well-Structured Audio Lessons for Aural/Verbal Learners: Pimsleur
BEGINNER’S COURSES
Decent Instruction for Beginners: Mango Languages
READING AND LISTENING
Read Your Favorite Content: LingQ
Pricey but Serves a Purpose: Glossika
Best Greek Supplement for Language Practice: GreekPod101
SPEAKING AND WRITING
Ideal for Jump-Starting Conversational Skills: Pimsleur
Good for Intermediate Students Wanting to Practice Speaking: Glossika
VOCABULARY ACQUISITION
Ideal for Beginners on a Budget: Memrise
Phrase-Based Learning With Lots of Grammar Practice: Assimil
TUTORS AND LANGUAGE EXCHANGES
A Huge Platform for Finding a Personal Tutor: italki
Great Way to Find Tutors and Classes: Verbling
Best Way to Find Language Exchange Partners While Taking Its Audio Lessons: HelloTalk
Overall Best Greek Learning Courses
The course below offers quality instruction and features that are worth the money, designed to help you on your journey to learning Greek.
Well-Structured Audio Lessons for Aural/Verbal Learners
IDEAL FOR JUMP-STARTING CONVERSATIONAL SKILLS
Instead of confusing yourself with written Greek, get started learning with Pimsleur. The lessons are audio-based, making the platform easy to manage even as an absolute beginner. I can practically guarantee you’ll pick up the oral language faster with Pimsleur because that’s where they excel.
Lessons include real-life conversational speech, with both male and female voices, and it’s natural and high-quality. A slightly more expensive subscription option does include more reading material, so if you want that as part of your language learning, it is available.
Pros
- You’ll learn quickly with a focus on listening and verbal practice.
- The lessons prompt you to respond—so you start practicing quickly.
- Cultural insight is a key component across each language—which is great if you’re trying to become fluent for travel, especially.
Cons
- You might want another course/book for reading and writing—even with the pricier subscription option.
- Not every lesson is vibrant and totally amazing—some are relatively unengaging.
See our Super-Detailed Pimsleur Review
Best Greek Beginner’s Courses
This section is your ideal starting point if you’re just starting your Greek language journey.
Decent Instruction for Beginners
JUST “OKAY” OPTION FOR BEGINNERS
Mango is often compared to Duolingo, but it’s a paid (and somewhat pricey) alternative. Of course, some libraries offer it for free—in which case it’s worth taking a look at. All languages are available with a single subscription, too.
Grammar and culture are elementary at best (there are “notes”), but for beginners, the Greek instruction is passable. The stat tracker function is fun—a bit like Duolingo—and it’s similarly engaging.
Pros
- You might be able to use it for free at your area library.
- 70+ languages are included in every subscription.
- The interface is engaging, in a gaming format.
Cons
- Expensive for what’s included.
- Only beginner/possible intermediate content.
- Translation features are basic (a Google plugin).
See our Super-Detailed Mango Languages Review
Courses to Learn Greek Reading and Listening
Here are our favorite courses dedicated to honing your Greek reading and listening skills. Immerse yourself in this section to discover the art of Greek expression and storytelling through reading and listening.
Read Your Favorite Content
EXTENSIVE READING MADE EASY
LingQ is a language-learning platform that focuses on extensive reading for over 30 different languages. You can import your own content or choose from the community library of books, articles, podcasts, YouTube videos, and more.
The app highlights unknown words across every lesson and makes them reviewable via different types of SRS flashcards. The more you read, the more accurately you will be able to identify content that is suitable for your level.
Pros
- You can easily import almost any material you want to study.
- You can use SRS flashcards to quiz new words from a specific page.
- Each lesson in the library displays the percentage of known and unknown words based on my reading history.
- There are many dictionaries to choose from for definitions.
Cons
- Reviewing words is chaotic. Every word you look up gets added to a huge queue that quickly becomes unmanageable.
- The extra features are overpriced and can be found other places for cheaper.
- Very little of the content is original. Much of it was uploaded by users from other places.
- The free version is extremely limited.
See our Super-Detailed LingQ Review
Pricey But Serves a Purpose
DECENT GREEK LEARNING WITH A COST
Speaking Greek with Glossika starts out with repetitive audio drills, which aren’t the most engaging. Audio is good for your listening skills, speaking skills, and comprehension, however, and every course follows the same format. If you’re learning multiple languages, it might be worth the high price.
Cultural instruction is basically nonexistent, which is disappointing for the price. Still, if you want to learn Greek plus other languages, it’s a decent option thanks to the consistent instructional format.
Pros
- One subscription gets you all the languages on the platform.
- The repetitive lesson style helps if you’re learning more than one language.
- Audio instruction is balanced with written material, which is kind of rare.
Cons
- You might find some errors in the Greek course.
- The interface isn’t very engaging, especially at this price point.
- Price is just too high for what you get.
Spring Sale! Use code SPRING2024 and get 25% off the Basic Annual Plan or Pro Annual Plan. See details on the website. Offer ends on 4/1/24.
See our Super-Detailed Glossika Review
Best Greek Supplement for Language Practice
BEST GREEK SUPPLEMENT FOR LANGUAGE PRACTICE
GreekPod101 is a podcast-style learning system that relies heavily on audio. But along with the 990 audio/video lessons, there are also tools like flashcards, PDF lesson notes, and online discussion boards. There’s more material for entry-level speakers, so advanced Greek learners might need additional resources for a challenge.
You can choose a monthly subscription that fits your budget—and then cancel it when you’re done or want to take a break. You might find that you want more written material, but for audio, GreekPod101 is where the real meat is at.
Pros
- The podcast format is excellent for jump-starting your verbal and listening skills.
- Starts out accessible for absolute beginners on up.
- The instructors (“hosts”) are entertaining, and you get cultural background, too.
Cons
- A bit limited in terms of advanced Greek offerings—more material for beginners.
- There’s significant English usage, which could hamper your ability to retain the Greek you’re learning.
See our Super-Detailed GreekPod101 Review
Courses With Greek Speaking and Writing Emphasis
This section is dedicated to courses with strong emphasis on developing your speaking and writing skills in Greek.
Ideal for Jump-Starting Conversational Skills
IDEAL FOR JUMP-STARTING CONVERSATIONAL SKILLS
Instead of confusing yourself with written Greek, get started learning with Pimsleur. The lessons are audio-based, making the platform easy to manage even as an absolute beginner. I can practically guarantee you’ll pick up the oral language faster with Pimsleur because that’s where they excel.
Lessons include real-life conversational speech, with both male and female voices, and it’s natural and high-quality. A slightly more expensive subscription option does include more reading material, so if you want that as part of your language learning, it is available.
Pros
- You’ll learn quickly with a focus on listening and verbal practice.
- The lessons prompt you to respond—so you start practicing quickly.
- Cultural insight is a key component across each language—which is great if you’re trying to become fluent for travel, especially.
Cons
- You might want another course/book for reading and writing—even with the pricier subscription option.
- Not every lesson is vibrant and totally amazing—some are relatively unengaging.
See our Super-Detailed Pimsleur Review
Good for Intermediate Students Wanting to Practice Speaking
DECENT GREEK LEARNING WITH A COST
Speaking Greek with Glossika starts out with repetitive audio drills, which aren’t the most engaging. Audio is good for your listening skills, speaking skills, and comprehension, however, and every course follows the same format. If you’re learning multiple languages, it might be worth the high price.
Cultural instruction is basically nonexistent, which is disappointing for the price. Still, if you want to learn Greek plus other languages, it’s a decent option thanks to the consistent instructional format.
Pros
- One subscription gets you all the languages on the platform.
- The repetitive lesson style helps if you’re learning more than one language.
- Audio instruction is balanced with written material, which is kind of rare.
Cons
- You might find some errors in the Greek course.
- The interface isn’t very engaging, especially at this price point.
- Price is just too high for what you get.
Spring Sale! Use code SPRING2024 and get 25% off the Basic Annual Plan or Pro Annual Plan. See details on the website. Offer ends on 4/1/24.
See our Super-Detailed Glossika Review
Learn Greek Vocabulary and Grammar
Whether you want to expand your Greek vocabulary or improve your grammar, these courses will help you progress on your path to Greek language fluency.
Ideal for Beginners on a Budget
IDEAL FOR BEGINNERS ON A BUDGET
Memrise is a great free tool. It’s engaging, introduces you to new Greek vocabulary, and offers a range of topics to study. If you’re a beginner, you’ll learn plenty of conversational words and phrases spanning different categories.
Lessons on history, food, and other specific areas can help you hone skills for a variety of situations. Honestly, the variety is the highlight, because things are always changing and improving.
Pros
- User-created flashcard-type courses span a variety of subjects.
- You can hone your vocabulary in specific categories.
- User-created content is free
Cons
- Mostly material for beginners.
- Little cultural background or context.
See our Super-Detailed Memrise Review
Phrase-Based Learning With Lots of Grammar Practice
TRANSLATION-BASED LEARNING WITH GREAT DIALOGUES
Assimil is a French company that has been selling language-learning resources since 1929. Assimil materials are available as books, CDs, and downloadable e-courses; there are a variety of available course types, and instruction is based on interacting with phrases in the target language. The popular Sans Peine or, With Ease, courses are for absolute or false beginners that would like to reach the B2 level, but we think you’ll need to incorporate some other study materials to make this happen.
Pros
- The audio quality is great.
- The culture notes add a lot of value.
- There are plenty of grammar explanations, but they aren’t a focus.
Cons
- The mobile app isn’t super intuitive.
- The pronunciation feedback method could be better.
- The exercises aren’t especially engaging.
See our Super-Detailed Assimil Review
Tutors and Greek Language Exchange
These courses offer access to tutors and language exchange partners that can help you get tailored Greek lessons, and practice your conversational skills with native speakers.
A Huge Platform for Finding a Personal Tutor
A HUGE PLATFORM FOR FINDING A PERSONAL TUTOR
If you want a one-on-one instructor for learning Greek, italki is the place to be. It’s not a course, but a platform where you can connect with a range of instructors. There are two categories—professional teacher and community tutor—and each offers a unique background in the language.
Teachers have either a degree, certificate, or past teaching experience. Tutors are often native speakers, but they can also be advanced Greek speakers. You can search for a teacher or tutor who matches your learning style, so if you want a casual interaction, a tutor is preferable. If you want a more classroom-style session, choosing a professional teacher is probably smart.
Pros
- Plenty of instructors to select from (and you schedule appointments at your convenience).
- You can get free language help—usually via trade—on the Language Partners board.
- There’s a cheaper trial lesson option you can use to see if an instructor is a good fit.
Cons
- You must pay for instruction in “credits,” so the payment structure can be confusing—and possibly more expensive than what the up-front cost states.
- Scheduling can be complicated, and you usually need advance notice for lessons.
See our Super-Detailed italki Review
Great Way to Find Tutors and Classes
ONLINE CLASSES WITH HELPFUL REVISION TOOLS
Verbling is an online language-class marketplace where you can take lessons with teachers of your choice. It has some student-friendly extra features, including a built-in online classroom, flashcards, homework calendar, and a filing system for lesson materials. There are also useful but disorganized forums where you can discuss languages, share writing for critique, and do free language drills and exercises.
The lessons are generally high quality and well structured, plus the filters make it easy to find teachers who specialize in everything from accent reduction to interview preparation.
Pros
- You’ll quickly find great teachers.
- The platform’s extra features, such as teacher-made, personalized flashcards, help you review the material learned in each lesson.
- It seems focused on long-term progression as well as immediate student satisfaction.
- You don’t have to give out your contact details, thanks to the classroom technology.
Cons
- Some teachers don’t use the platform’s flashcards and materials system.
- There are fewer languages available than on italki.
- You can only pay in US dollars, plus there’s a hidden fee.
- The forums need more moderation.
See our Super-Detailed Verbling Review
Best Way to Find Language Exchange Partners While Taking Its Audio Lessons
MAKE FRIENDS & PRACTICE LANGUAGES
HelloTalk is a mobile app for language learners interested in language exchange. It facilitates communication between native speakers and those learning their language with the use of built-in language tools. It also offers audio lessons in 10 languages as part of a separate subscription.
Pros
- It’s exciting to practice communicating with real people
- The built-in language tools are helpful
- It’s easy to pick up and put down whenever you like
Cons
- It’s too easy to rely on google translate
- It can be hard to find good partners
- The paid audio lessons probably aren’t worth it
See our Super-Detailed HelloTalk Review
Maybe Try These Greek Learning Courses
While these courses may not be our top picks, that doesn’t mean they couldn’t be yours. Here are other Greek courses that still have a lot to offer and are definitely worth considering.
Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone is one of the most well-known resources for learning languages. It takes an immersive approach to teaching and is widely used by corporations and individuals alike. High levels of repetition and an absence of translations or explanations are hallmarks of the course. Rosetta Stone course could be most suitable for learners that don’t mind repetitive exercises and prefer to learn from pictures and context rather than translations and explanations. It’s probably not a good option for anyone wanting to significantly improve their speaking or writing skills, or those looking for an engaging course.
ALR Readers Exclusive Holiday Deal!! Get the Lifetime Subscription for 25 languages for $179 (everywhere else it’s $199 right now!). See details on the website.
See our Super-Detailed Rosetta Stone Review
Assimil
Assimil is a French company that has been selling language-learning resources since 1929. Assimil materials are available as books, CDs, and downloadable e-courses; there are a variety of available course types, and instruction is based on interacting with phrases in the target language. The popular Sans Peine or, With Ease, courses are for absolute or false beginners that would like to reach the B2 level, but we think you’ll need to incorporate some other study materials to make this happen.
See our Super-Detailed Assimil Review
Udemy
A learning platform where you can receive instruction in just about anything, Udemy is popular for all types of language learners. Courses range between 30 minutes and six hours, and you can choose from tons of different instructors and even categories. If you need specific Greek skills for, say, business, you can find that on Udemy.
You pay for each course separately, so you should choose wisely. That said, Udemy has a money-back guarantee, so you have that to fall back on. Nearly every course comes with written material, too, but the highlight is the video-based instruction.
Greek-LOL
We haven’t tried Greek-LOL, and unfortunately, there’s not much info online about it. Classes come in group, private, and semi-private formats, and you must submit homework. Basically, it’s formal instruction online, right down to the PDF book you need to study with.
What’s nice about Greek-LOL, from what we’ve read, is that it offers courses from A1 to C2 levels. It’s also for kids, which might be useful for families. Still, you could use a textbook and just hire a tutor on italki for less money.
Michel Thomas Method
One of the most famous language teaching courses out there, Michel Thomas is a household name. The platform advertises itself as “The method that works with your brain” and boasts a teaching method “with no books, exercises, memorizing or homework” in several of its course descriptions. It’s available in 18 languages with courses that have material suitable for absolute beginners. I tried out the French foundation course and found it to be severely lacking and as such cannot recommend it at all. You may, however, have more luck with the other language courses that they offer.
See our Super-Detailed Michel Thomas Method Review
Transparent Language
Transparent Language markets itself as “the most complete language-learning system for independent learners.” While there are lots of different exercises for you to work through in their Essentials Course, I thought that the material wasn’t all that helpful and that it got very repetitive. Although the courses might not be all that useful or in-depth, with over a hundred languages on offer it might be worth checking out if you want to learn the very basics of a more obscure language such as Buriat, Kazakh or Turkmen.
See our Super-Detailed Transparent Language Review
Best Free(mium) Courses for Learning Greek
On a budget? Explore these free and affordable Greek courses to help you kickstart your Greek language journey without breaking the bank.
A Valuable (and Free) Greek Introduction
A VALUABLE (AND FREE) GREEK INTRODUCTION
What’s so great about Language Transfer is the methodology. Well, that, and the price. Mihalis, the creator, consulted with native speakers to ensure his audio is top-quality. It’s a fairly basic interface, but that means it’s easy to remember where you left off in your studies.
On the Language Transfer methodology: Mihalis uses a similar format to Michel Thomas and affiliated courses in that you listen to an instructor teaching a student. Over the course of 120 lessons, you’ll learn how the Greek language actually works and be able to use it.
Pros
- A huge range of lessons is available for Greek.
- It’s totally free, and you can access eight other languages, too.
- The format requires engagement and true learning
Cons
- The lessons sometimes feel a bit out of order, as you don’t necessarily start with the “basics” of the language.
- Native speakers don’t record the courses—they only audit the material for correctness.
See our Super-Detailed Language Transfer Review
Most Useful Free Flashcard Vocab Builder
THE GO-TO SRS FLASHCARD APP
It is the go-to app for free (except on iOS) Spaced Repetition System (SRS) flashcards. It has a simple user interface with various features that more hard-core users can dive into if they choose. Your flashcards will appear according to your natural forgetting curve; the app will test you in increasingly spaced out intervals, with more difficult cards appearing more than once in a session, while easier cards spacing out over weeks — or even months and years.
An SRS system is the most effective way to drive information into your long-term memory. The cards can sync between the web, desktop app, and mobile versions to keep your flashcards updated and with you at all times. You can add images and audio clips to your cards and change the text formatting (if you use it on your computer).
One feature unique to Anki, as opposed to other SRS flashcard apps, is the “Cloze deletion” function, which allows you to block out parts of your card and create a “fill-in-the-blanks” type card format. If you want a resource for how to make effective flashcards, check out the book, FluentForever. The author leaves a whole section dedicated to understanding how to use your Anki deck to advance your skills quickly.
Pros
- Offers a wide range of features.
- Allows synching across multiple devices.
Cons
- Anki’s interface may be a bit intimidating for beginners.
- The aesthetic isn’t very appealing.
See our Super-Detailed Anki Review
Casual Practice for Beginners on Up
CASUAL PRACTICE FOR BEGINNERS ON UP
You may not be able to use Duolingo as a standalone course That said, it delivers excellent quality and is free to use. A working knowledge of the Greek alphabet—and basic pronunciation—is helpful, but beyond that, Duolingo mostly caters to beginners.
There’s not a lot of in-depth learning, but if you want to get started with Greek, this option is a safe bet. Game-like lessons are engaging and earning the “rewards” is a fun part of learning any language on Duolingo.
Pros
- Simple instruction with exercise-based learning.
- Ideal for practicing/brushing up skills.
- Free and accessible on a variety of platforms.
Cons
- Not much instruction in the alphabet/pronunciation.
See our Super-Detailed Duolingo Review
A Well-Rounded, Free Resource for Beginners
A WELL-ROUNDED, FREE RESOURCE FOR BEGINNERS
FSI offers three volumes of Greek instruction—all “Basic”—and you can either read online or download the entire file package. Each volume contains an e-book of 200 pages or more and around 30 audio files. In total, you’ll have about 23 hours of material to work through.
You’ll start with introductory dialogue and useful words in the first volume, but there is limited range as far as offerings for intermediate/advanced Greek speakers. It is nice to have a PDF book paired with the audio, and you’ll notice the two line up nicely.
Pros
- Free and easy to access/download/use.
- The format is friendly to beginners—beginning with common phrases/the basics.
- You can print the e-book and study anywhere (IE without Wi-Fi).
Cons
- The material is pretty old.
- You’re on your own working through the material—no tutor support or automatic correction/feedback.
So, What is the Best Course for YOU to Learn Greek?
Each learner is distinct with their own goals, motivations, and learning style. A lot of the courses mentioned above are really helpful but are more effective when used in conjunction with other learning methods. In case you’re looking for more resources, you may also want to check out our list of the best podcasts for learning Greek.
That said, with the variety of options we have provided, you should have no trouble taking advantage of using more than one resource to give you leverage on your journey to learning the Greek language.