This Learning Greek Page is from the Completely Crete Moving to Crete Section.

Trying to learn Greek is very difficult. Despite living in Crete, taking Greek language lessons, and trying to learn through books and Greek language websites we continue to struggle with anything more that just the basics.

Frustratingly, when we attempt to converse with the locals here in Crete in their mother tongue - they insist on practising their English on us!

Many of the Cretans speak English to some degree or other and almost all Cretan children have private English lessons on top of their school lessons.

We’re lucky in that we don’t need to learn to speak Greek fluently and can get by with our limited vocabulary.

This would not be the case, however for anyone wanting to find employment here or set up a business. Other than tourism related summer jobs where Greek is not demanded, most jobs would require you to read and write Greek and speak it fluently.

The Greek language is probably the oldest in Europe and has been spoken for some 4,000 years, and must be one of the most difficult to learn!

Back to Moving to Crete Page
Home Page