Alice9

So, I always like to know a LITTLE bit of the language before I go to a new country. Greek is a challenge mostly because of the alphabet. I've started working through the BBC Language Greek section (their language sections are a fabulous free resource if you've never used them).

But how important is this going to be? I would assume English is pretty prevalent, but I'm worried about being able to read road signs, restaurant signs etc. I tried searching for this topic but didn't have much luck. Do most of you make an effort to learn to at least READ Greek, and to be able to speak common phrases?

Thanks,
Alice

GeoffHamer

Many people go to Greece without bothering to learn anything of the language and they get by, but I wouldn't want to do it. If you're just staying in a tourist resort, you won't have a problem and nobody will expect you to speak Greek.
It is certainly very useful to know the alphabet, for reading signs or destinations of buses, for example. A few words of the language are very useful if you go off the beaten track: if you get lost, for example, and need to ask someone, you might well find someone who doesn't speak English.

Mimar

Yes, do learn the alphabet. That is most important. Once you translate the sounds, you'll recognize lots of place names. And the names of dishes on the menu.

Robespierre

The alphabet is easy. There is almost a one-to-one correspondence with Roman. Conversation is a little harder, but with the right tools, you can absorb enough to get by and be appreciated for your efforts, however halting. Try this:

https://ww5.pimsleurapproach.com/inc...leur-sp-amazon

travelerjan

Alice, almost all major road signs (outside towns) are in both Greek and English. Signs for "sights" (ancient/modern) are brown w. white letter (also Gr/Eng). In towns/cities STREET signs are mounted on buildings at a corner, and mainly Greek (all caps) with street name following by ODOS (which means street).

Amazing %of Greeks under 50 know english; if communication with an elderly person is difficult, find a Kid! They start English in Grade 1. Here's the thing --Greeks don't need u to know the Greek for "May I book a room?car?ferry ticket?" What they DO deeply appreciate, is (1) when you preface your English-language inquiry with the word Pahra-kah-LO (please) and respond to their help with Ef-Hahr-is-TOH (Thank you!).

In addition, Greeks (like anybody) love when you take the trouble to use a few Greek words or phrases when expressing praise. Most stupid phrase-books don't have these; instead they focus on stuff like "This costs too much!" or Call the Police". Find words like "beautiful" (to praise a baby" or "delicious" to praise a meal or "lovely" to praise a view... your hearer will beam. Appreciation is a universal language.

Alice9

I'm sold. I will definitely learn the alphabet so I can read things, and I have found using even only a few phrases of the language goes a long way. Also, I make a point of finding pictures and translations of traffic signs to bring with us (knowing the symbols for 'exit' is invaluable), as well as traffic rules and regs.

Point taken, travelerjan, about a lot of the translation books - they do seem to focus on being in danger or asking for help (also useful, mind you). And thanks for the link, Robespierre, if I finish the BBC freebie comfortably, I migh check it out.

I think if I give this 5-10 minutes a day, I'll be in good (enough) shape for the trip.

Thanks,
Alice

Odin

Efharisto and parakalo are sufficient along with learning the alphabet. Signomi is useful too. Not all Greeks have the patience to listen to someone struggling to get the pronounciation right but that's no reason not to try and learn some words.

brotherleelove2004

Signomi=excuse me.

It's also nice to be able to greet someone by saying Yassas, or Yasu for the 'familiar,' as well as Good Morning-Kali Mera, Good Day-Kali Spera, and Good Night, Kali Nickta. How Are You?-Ti Kanis? Beautiful-Aurea, Goodbye-Adeeo, My name is-Melene (Lee), What is your name?-Posso Lene? Do you speak English-Milas Angleeka?

yiassas

And if you're stuck, Den Kataleveno = I don't understand!

Carolina

I would concentrate on learning a few polite phrases rather than reading Greek. As has been mentioned, most road signs are in both alphabets. Most Greeks speak English but it goes a long way if you can say hello, please, thank you etc.

sheila

I try every time I go. I speak decent French and can get by in German and Italian and have learned a little Spanish in the go by. But Greek is really difficult.

I bough the "Teach Yourself" book and the next trip, the tapes to go with it. They did say you could use one without the other, but really, you couldn't

flanneruk

Unless you're doing something back of beyondish (like driving on side roads in the Peloponnese or Macedonia/Thrace), it's really a matter of how curious you are. If street signs and a general sense of being able to start reading things are important to you, make sure you're familiar with upper case as well as lower case.

For what it's worth, once you're comfortable with the alphabet, it's not terribly difficult to understand a few basics. Sheila, I suspect, is trying to speak original sentences, and it doesn't help that modern pronunciation is a great deal more distant from what we might recognise than the written version. The word for 'health' is written hygeia (as - surprise, surprise - in hygeine) but pronounced something like eeya.

So getting comfortable means, for many people, reading a lot: even if you start off understanding only 1% you're likely to get to find the script unfrightening very quickly. I try to read a local newspaper every day in Greece - but reading the Greek half of bilingual museum captions, menus, metro tickets and every other possible opportunity - even football pool ads in bars (once you've deciphered Manchester United in upper case you're practically sorted) really builds up that comfort.

NikolettaG

I saw this on one of these forums, and although I think it's hysterically funny, it DOES work, and I think it's the closest to what the Greek really sounds like - the stresses are in the right place. And if you remember nothing else, 'Thank you' will probably get the best response! Just remember the name - F. Harry Stowe. (Ευχαριστώ)

cheryllj

I spent a good deal of time learning the alphabet and some basic Greek phrases before my trip last year, and when I got there, I found that 99% of the tourists knew NO Greek at all (not even the alphabet) and the locals were very surprised when I tried to speak any Greek, especially in the high tourist parts of the islands.

Otoh, I thought that learning the alphabet was very helpful for reading maps and signs, and using some basic phrases endeared me to the Greeks. They would laugh at me for my pronunciation but they were very pleasantly surprised that I made any effort at all b/c so few tourists know anything other than epharisto (if even that).

In two weeks of traveling in Greece, there was only one time where I was at a place where nobody spoke English at all. It was at a service station in Naxos, and at that point, I was glad that I could at least speak a little Greek, although sign language ultimately helped too.

Alice9

I'm figuring Athens and Santorini will be no problem (other than signs), but I wondered about parts of Naxos, and also when we travel around the Peloponnese. I think people DO appreciate the effort (however pathetic!), it's obnoxious to assume that everyone knows English.

Alice

travelerjan

Only place u might find lack of English on Naxos would be in the mountain villages if you went into a small shop that doesn't sell stuff for nongreeks... otherwise, the cafe staffs in these little towns have enough English. In the Pelops? In Argolid, and Olympia, Monemvasia, such places, English understood. Maybe mountain villages. PRINT OUT THOSE BBC PAGES. They are GOLD.

One use for very simple Greek is talking with pre-schoolers! Ask their name, pay a compliment, tell your name...they'll beam. And here's my BEST communications tip -- a purse-size foto folder!!

Put in pix not just of your family, but of your HOUSE, your STREET, the building where you WORK, some sights of your TOWN ...people enjoy a glimpse of how you live. Use little labels in Greek capital letters.. My House .. My Son .. My Street My Job. I've had animated conversations, hands waving, with a granny, a couple of children, 2 old guys who bought me a drink... people on a bus... it's a great ice-breaker!

cheryllj

FYI -- A lot of people find that the audio language guides are too expensive, but I checked out the Pimsleur CDs from the library and listened to them in my car. I spent a few weeks practicing my Greek just during my daily commute and it worked like a charm. Hearing the words pronounced is key imho.

flanneruk

You'll find loads of people in Athens who don't expect to be spoken to in English: I've been speaking bad (and never improving) Greek on Athenian buses, ferries, trains, restaurants and latterly the Metro for 40 years and no-one's ever been surprised, laughed (at least not to my face) or appreciative: they've really got more on their minds than being gratified because a visitor can stammer a few words in a language that's close to one that was churning out great plays, speeches, poems and philosophy two and a half thousand years ago.

Loads of tourists don't speak Greek, loads speak a bit, awfully, and a tiny handful do it properly. Most Greeks regard them all the same: just part of the day's challenge.

There really is nowhere in the world where it's ESSENTIAL to understand the language: people have been getting about on sign language and grunts for thousands of years (how do you think Alexander's Macedonians got about in Persia and India?). Equally, there's nowhere where a visit isn't vastly more illuminating with some grasp of the language.

And that's as true in a backpacker cafe in the Plaka, or buying tickets for the Acropolis, as when you're negotiating for a room on a remote island with a landlady who thinks the Greek Athenians speak is pretty weird

Alice9

travelerjan, GOOD suggestions, I hadn't thought about printing out and bringing the BBC pages - duh! And the idea of taking some pix from home is a good one too, you're right it's probably a great conversation starter.

Alice