GreekPod101.com Blog
Learn Greek with Free Daily
Audio and Video Lessons!
Start Your Free Trial 6 FREE Features

Archive for the 'Greek Language' Category

Protomagia: Labor Day in Greece

May Day (otherwise known as Labor Day, or Labor Day weekend in some places) has its roots in antiquity. Back then, the Greeks, as well as many other people of Europe, celebrated the final victory of spring against winter, something that would bring fertility and life to nature and, by extension, to humans. The word "May" itself is believed to have originated from the Roman goddess Maia, who took her name from Maia, one of the Pleiades. The word maia back then meant wet nurse and mother. The celebrations of antiquity were, of course, altered over time, but they survive today as simple folk traditions. Taking this historical context and examining it in light of more recent events and current traditions, you’ll uncover so much... Show more

How to Find a Job in Greece: Tips & Everything You Need to Know

230 days of sunshine, more than 200 scenic, inhabited islands, welcoming faces of people, and a relaxed lifestyle. Sounds great, right? Well, you’ll be able to experience all of these and even more if you decide to find a job in Greece and stay for an extended period of time. Although Greece has gone through a vast economic recession, now it’s time for the country to flourish again. The government aims to encourage private investments and the demand for specialized employees has increased due to brain drain. In this article, GreekPod101.com will share with you everything you need to know about finding a job in Greece. Here are some useful tips and inside information, in order to get you ready for an amazing life experience. Once... Show more

Tsiknopempti: How to Celebrate Greek Fat Thursday

Fat Thursday is one of many Greek holidays where heavy feasting takes place. This religious Greece holiday, also called Tsiknopempti, is important for you to get to know so that you can better understand Greek culture. Here at GreekPod101.com, it’s our goal to help you delve deep into the Greek culture and language, both efficiently and in a fun manner. So, let’s go ahead and start learning about what Fat Thursday in Greece really looks like. 1. What is Fat Thursday in Greece? Fat Thursday, or Τσικνοπέμπτη (Tsiknopémpti), is traditionally a day where grilled meat is consumed in large quantities. If you find yourself in Greece on Fat Thursday, you won’t be able to mistake what day it is, because the smell of burning fat being... Show more

How to Say I Love You in Greek – Romantic Word List

Do you often feel lonely and sad? Do you long for romance and are willing to do whatever it takes to meet that special person? Speaking another language could revolutionize your love life! So, why wait? Learning how to say ‘love’ in Greek could be just what you need to find it. Or perhaps you were lucky, and have found your Greek partner already. Fantastic! Yet, a cross-cultural relationship comes with unique challenges. Learning how to speak your lover’s language will greatly improve your communication and enhance the relationship. At GreekPod101, our team will teach you all the words, quotes and phrases you need to woo your Greek lover with excellence! Our tutors provide personal assistance, with plenty of extra material available to... Show more

How to Celebrate April Fools’ Day in Greek

Most everyone is familiar with this day, as it is celebrated nearly everywhere the world. Yet, when exactly is April Fools’ Day? And where did April Fools come from? April Fools’ Day is observed on April 1st every year. This day of jokes and pranks is believed to have stemmed from the 16th-century calendar change in France, when New Year’s Day was moved from April 1 to January 1. This action was taken due to the adoption of the Gregorian calendar. However, a few people were resistant to the calendar change, so they continued to observe New Year’s Day on April 1st, rather than the new date. They were referred to as the “April Fools”, and others started playing mocking tricks on them. This custom endured, and is practiced to this day... Show more

How to Say Happy New Year in Greek & New Year Wishes

Learn all the Greek New Year wishes online, in your own time, on any device! Join GreekPod101 for a special Greek New Year celebration! Can you relate to the year passing something like this: “January, February, March - December!”? Many people do! Quantum physics teaches us that time is relative, and few experiences illustrate this principle as perfectly as when we reach the end of a year. To most of us, it feels like the old one has passed in the blink of an eye, while the new year lies ahead like a very long journey! However, New Year is also a time to celebrate beginnings, and to say goodbye to what has passed. This is true in every culture, no matter when New Year is celebrated. So, how do you say Happy New Year in Greek? ... Show more

How To Say ‘Thank you’ in Greek

In most cultures, it is custom to express gratitude in some way or another. The dictionary defines gratitude as follows: it is “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness”. Giving a sincere, thankful response to someone’s actions or words is often the ‘glue’ that keeps relationships together. This is true in most societies! Doing so in a foreign country also shows your respect and appreciation for the culture. Words have great power - use these ones sincerely and often! Table of Contents 12 Ways to say ‘Thank you’ in Greek Video Lesson: Learn to Say ‘Thank You’ in 3 Minutes Infographic & Audio Lesson: Survival Phrases - Thank You Video Lesson: ‘Thank You’ in 31 Languages How... Show more

How to Start Thinking in Greek

Learn 4 tools and techniques to stop translating in your head and start thinking in Going through lessons is enough to get by and learn the basics of , but to truly become fluent you need to be able to think in . This will allow you to have conversations with ease, read smoothly, and comprehensively understand natives. To do this, you need to go beyond just completing daily or weekly lessons. We naturally translate in our heads because it's viewed as the easiest way to learn the definitions needed when learning a language. This way of learning can actually hinder your skills and fluency later on. If your brain has to make neural connections between the word you're learning, what it means in your native tongue, and the physical object... Show more

4 Reasons Why Greek Slang Words Will Make You Fluent

Learn 4 honest reasons you need Greek slang words and why they are so vital to truly learning and mastering the language. Teachers may normally cringe at the thought of their students learning Greek slang words. After all, slang words and phrases are typically defined as being grammatically incorrect. So why would your teacher want you to spend time learning the “wrong way” to speak Greek? Here are 4 of the top reasons why you should study slang words and expressions when learning Greek or any new language. Create Your Free Lifetime Account and Start Learning the whole Greek Language from the Beginning! 1. Native Speakers Use Slang Expressions in Everyday Conversation If you are going to study a foreign language... Show more

5 Ways To Improve Your Greek Speaking Skills

Speaking is usually the #1 weakness for all Greek learners. This is a common issue among language learners everywhere. The reason for this is obvious: When language learners first start learning a language, they usually start with reading. They read online articles, books, information on apps and so on. If they take a class, they spend 20% of their time repeating words, and 80% of the time reading the textbook, doing homework or just listening to a teacher. So, if you spend most of your time reading instead of speaking, you might get better at reading but your speaking skills never grow. You get better at what you focus on. So if you want to improve you speaking skills, you need to spend more of your study time on speaking. Here are... Show more