Learning Greek as an English speaker can be both fun and challenging. While some things are surprisingly familiar, others can trip you up — especially when English “logic” doesn’t quite match how Greek works.
Let’s break down the most common mistakes English speakers make when learning Greek, and how to avoid them.
1. Saying “Ναι” and thinking it means “No”
- Mistake: Many beginners assume "ναι" (neh) means “no” because of the sound.
- Fix: Remember:
- ✅ Ναι = Yes
- ❌ Όχι = No
Tip: Think "Ναι = Yes, like a nod."
2. Forgetting the gender of nouns
- Mistake: Using the wrong article (ο, η, το) because English doesn’t have grammatical gender.
- Fix: Learn nouns with their article:
- Ο σκύλος (the dog – masculine)
- Η γάτα (the cat – feminine)
- Το παιδί (the child – neuter)
This helps you with adjectives and verb agreement later on.
3. Using the wrong level of formality
- Mistake: Always saying “γειά σου” or speaking too casually.
- Fix: Know when to use informal (σου) vs formal (σας):
- Γειά σου – to friends, kids
- Γειά σας – to strangers, elders, or in polite situations
4. Direct translations from English
- Mistake: Saying things like “έχω 25 χρόνια” (I have 25 years).
- Fix: In Greek, age uses the verb “είμαι” (to be):
- ✅ Είμαι 25 χρονών (I am 25 years old)
5. Mixing up similar-sounding words
- Mistake: Confusing “είμαι” (I am) with “έχει” (he/she has), or “όχι” (no) with “όχι ακόμα” (not yet).
- Fix: Practice listening and pronunciation early on. Greek has many small differences that change meaning.
6. Dropping the accents
- Mistake: Writing Greek without accent marks (´), which can completely change meaning.
- Fix: Always write the correct accent on stressed syllables:
- μάτι (eye) vs ματί (not a word)
- πόνος (pain) vs πονος (can be misunderstood or misread)
7. Struggling with Greek word order
- Mistake: Using English word order in Greek sentences.
-
Fix: While Greek is flexible, common word order is:
Subject – Verb – Object
Example: Ο Νίκος τρώει μήλο (Nikos eats an apple), not τρώει Νίκος μήλο unless you're emphasizing something.
8. Ignoring the Greek sounds not found in English
- Mistake: Mispronouncing Greek letters like:
- Χ (chi) → sounds like a breathy h or kh
- Θ (theta) → soft th as in think
- Fix: Practice with audio or a native speaker. These sounds matter more than you think!
✅ Quick Fixes to Improve Fast
- Learn nouns with their articles
- Practice listening daily (songs, podcasts, dialogues)
- Speak early — mistakes are part of learning!
- Use Greeklish only for practice, not as a replacement for real Greek writing
💬 Have you made any of these mistakes?
