Learn Greek

Start at the alphabet

The Greek on-ramp is written by hand, not generated, and it is 191 cards long. Every card is spoken in a recorded Greek voice, and what you get right is scheduled for review rather than shown again at random. This is the shorter, starter size of on-ramp; most languages here have about 480 cards.

• 24letters
• 10digits
• 17pronunciation rules
• 100core words
• 20everyday phrases
• 20sentences

Three of the pronunciation cards, exactly as the on-ramp teaches them:

• μπ — μπ is how Greek writes “b” — “mb” in the middle of a wordμπύρα — beer
• ντ — ντ is how Greek writes “d”ντομάτα — tomato
• γκ γγ — γκ (and γγ inside a word) is how Greek writes a hard “g”γκρι — grey

Your first Greek phrases

The first phrase and sentence cards of the on-ramp, each spoken in a recorded voice:

• Τι κάνεις; tee KA-nees — how are you?
• Πώς σε λένε; pos se LE-ne — what's your name?
• Χαίρω πολύ. KHE-ro po-LEE — nice to meet you.
• Είμαι φοιτητής. EE-me fee-tee-TEES — I am a student.
• Με λένε Ελένη. me LE-ne e-LE-nee — My name is Eleni.

What Greek actually costs a beginner

The combinations are the first real cost: μπ is how Greek writes b, ντ is d, and γκ is g — a learner who does not know that will read μπύρα as mpira rather than beera. The second cost runs the other way. Several letters and pairs, η, ι, υ, ει and οι, all say ee, so hearing a Greek word does not tell you how to spell it, although seeing it always tells you how to say it. And γ before e or i is a soft sound English does not have at all. All three are cards with a recorded Greek voice.