Learn Greek from German for Free at PBC Languages
Small group classes with native teachers and one-to-one exchanges, half Greek half German. No fees, no filler, just real practice with natives.
Create your free accountNo card needed. Exchanges between members are always free.
German speakers usually trip on the same handful of sounds: θ (as in θάλασσα), δ, χ and the clusters μπ, ντ, γκ that turn into b, d and g depending on where they sit in the word. Stress is the other trap, because Greek marks it with an accent that changes meaning outright: πότε (when) versus ποτέ (never) are one letter apart in transliteration and worlds apart in a sentence.
Then come the false friends. Firma in German means a company; φίρμα in Greek means a brand name, as in designer clothes. Chef in German is your boss; σεφ in Greek is the person cooking your food. And Gymnasium in German is the academic track that runs through age 18, while γυμνάσιο in Greek is only the middle-school stage, ages 12 to 15, before Λύκειο takes over.
Where German speakers move fast: the case system. If Nominativ, Genitiv, Akkusativ and Dativ already live in your head, Greek's ptoseis (ονομαστική, γενική, αιτιατική) stop being scary, they're just new endings on a logic you already have. Same with gendered articles, der/die/das slides into ο/η/το without much drama. And centuries of German borrowing from Greek mean words like System, Programm, Theater, Musik and Charakter land almost unchanged as σύστημα, πρόγραμμα, θέατρο, μουσική and χαρακτήρας.
Words you will actually hear
| Here | Elsewhere | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| φίρμα (firma) | Firma | False friend. German Firma is a company; Greek φίρμα means a brand, usually a fashion label. |
| σεφ (sef) | Chef | False friend. German Chef is your boss; Greek σεφ is the cook in the kitchen. |
| γυμνάσιο (gymnasio) | Gymnasium | False friend. German Gymnasium runs to age 18; Greek γυμνάσιο is only the middle-school stage, ages 12 to 15. |
| συμπάθεια (sympatheia) | Sympathie | Near false friend. German Sympathie means liking someone; Greek συμπάθεια leans closer to compassion or pity. |
| σύστημα (sistima) | System | Real cognate, same root, same meaning. Recognizable on sight and by ear. |
| πρόγραμμα (programma) | Programm | Real cognate, spelled and used almost identically in both languages. |
| θέατρο (theatro) | Theater | Real cognate. Same word, same stress pattern feel, easy win early on. |
| μουσική (mousiki) | Musik | Real cognate, straightforward to recognize once you know Greek stress placement. |
| χαρακτήρας (charaktiras) | Charakter | Real cognate, same meaning: personality or nature of a person. |
| φαντασία (fantasia) | Fantasie | Real cognate, both mean imagination, one of the easiest transfers. |
How it works here
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Sign up and say your level
Two minutes. If you do not know your level, we place you in the first class.
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Pick a class or an exchange
Classes are led by a native teacher. An exchange is with another member: half the time in their language, half in yours.
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Join by video, nothing to install
From your phone or your computer. If you cannot make it, cancel and get your place back.
Questions about this
How long does it take a German speaker to hold a real conversation in Greek?
It depends on how often you show up, not on some fixed timeline we can promise. German speakers usually get past the alphabet and basic sounds faster than English speakers because the case logic already feels familiar, but fluency still comes from repeated practice with a native, not from a calendar.
Is the one-to-one exchange actually free?
Yes. You trade thirty minutes in Greek for thirty minutes in German with another member, nobody pays anybody. The only cost is showing up prepared and giving your partner the same effort you expect back.
What level do I need to join a small group class or start an exchange?
Small group classes with native teachers are organized by level, so absolute beginners have a place. For one-to-one exchanges you need enough Greek to survive fifteen minutes of basic conversation, otherwise the half hour turns into a lot of pointing and translating.
How exactly is the time split in the exchange?
Thirty minutes in Greek, thirty minutes in German, timed and switched mid-session so neither person carries the whole conversation in their weaker language. Most pairs set a phone timer so nobody forgets to switch.
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