The list of things you may need to consider when visiting Kilada, Greece to buy property, look at apartments or check out the real estate market in general, probably requires a little more thought and consideration than if, for example, you were just visiting for a short holiday.

Language is one area where a little bit of preparation might help.  This is the first of three short articles on the topic of Greek language. In this one we look at the background to the language, in parts 2 and 3 we will look at specific phrases you might find helpful in everyday life when travelling around Greece.

Arriving in Greece

On the to-do list: Dust off your camera to capture the awe-inspiring ruins and dazzling cliffside sunsets, find the perfect island-hopping outfits for stylish Instagram snaps in front of white-washed houses draped with bougainvillea, and prepare yourself to come back a few pounds heavier from all the feta and haloumi doused in olive oil that will surely be eaten at many a quaint taverna.

Lower on the list of priorities may be picking up a few basic Greek phrases to converse with locals while you’re there. Even though Greece is a popular tourist destination, few people consider trying to learn Greek as part of their travels.

The Greek Alphabet

The culprit is likely the Greek alphabet. If you’re unfamiliar, think of the angular shapes used by college fraternities and sororities everywhere. Unlike the Latin alphabet of romance languages, Greek letters are indecipherable for English speakers, making the language more difficult to learn than Romance languages such as Spanish, Italian, and French.

But don’t let that stop you from trying to pick up some Greek, especially before you leave for your trip. Michaela Kron of the popular language learning mobile app Duolingo, told Travel + Leisure of a survey they did of their users: “One interesting finding… was that many make the mistake of not learning a language ahead of an international trip, but in hindsight wish they had done it. We actually found that many of our users pick up Duolingo after a trip, likely because they are inspired by their travels to pick up a new language.”

English as a Second Language

While you’ll find that almost everyone speaks a basic level of English in the most popular tourist destinations, Greeks are a very friendly and social people, and they will love if you can trade a bit of banter with them in their own language — even if they poke fun at you for trying. When they treat you to a free slice of halva cake or a shot of ouzo at the end of your meal, you’ll know you scored points for trying.

Get ahead of the curve and try to learn some common phrases (and even a little Greek slang) before you go. We assure you that attempting (and even butchering) the most basic of phrases with locals will make the trip more memorable — and perhaps even lead to a lasting friendship.

In parts two and three, you’ll find phrases written first in Greek and the phonetic pronunciation following in parentheses, with emphasis placed on the syllables in capital letters. Use Google Translate to play an audio of how these phrases are pronounced.

Part Two – Language Basics

Part Three – More Social Language (Coming Soon)