How to learn Greek for free: what's worth your time
Updated 24 October 2026 · 7 min read
SpeakingVibes makes one of the tools compared here. We've tried to be fair: where another option is better for something, we say so.
You can get to a real conversation in Greek without paying anyone, if you pick the right free things and skip the time-wasters. Here they are, ranked by how much Greek they put in your mouth per hour, with the honest limits of each.
The free resources worth your time
| Resource | What it's for | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Language Transfer — Complete Greek | Understanding how Greek works, from zero, by ear. The best free Greek course that exists. | Nobody hears your answers; it ends at roughly A2 understanding |
| SpeakingVibes free account | Daily spoken conversation with Katerina, corrected afterwards. The speaking practice the others don't give. | Free credits cover a short daily conversation, not hours |
| Duolingo (free tier) | The alphabet, first words, a daily habit | Ads and hearts; almost no speaking |
| Easy Greek (YouTube) | Real Greeks on the street at real speed, with subtitles | Listening only |
| Greek with Dimitris and Greek with Katerina (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram) | Short lessons on everyday phrases, pronunciation, culture | Short-form; not a course |
| Anki | Keeping the words you've met, with spaced repetition | Busywork before you have ~300 words; iOS app is paid |
| Forvo & Wiktionary | Hearing any word said by a native; checking meanings and forms | Reference, not practice |
| Tandem / HelloTalk | Text and voice exchange with Greeks learning English | Hit-and-miss partners; half the time you're teaching English |
| Clozemaster (free tier) | Vocabulary in sentences | Intermediate onward |
| Library: Teach Yourself / Colloquial Greek | A structured reference with audio, free from most libraries | Easy to read instead of speak |
A free plan that gets you talking
- Week 1: alphabet (any free video course, then read signs and menus online); Language Transfer lessons 1–10.
- Weeks 2–4: Language Transfer daily; ten words a day from our free Greek vocabulary by topic; one sentence out loud to someone — a Tandem partner, Katerina, a Greek friend — every day.
- Months 2–3: a short daily conversation (SpeakingVibes free credits are sized for exactly this), Easy Greek videos for your ear, Anki for the words.
- Always: when a resource is free and makes you read or tap instead of speak, treat it as dessert.
Free things that waste your time
- PDF phrase lists without audio. You'll learn to mispronounce 200 words.
- 'Learn Greek in 2 days / 30 days' videos. They teach you to say ten things. Fine, but that's not learning Greek.
- Collecting apps. Three vocabulary apps are not three times better than one; they're the same words three times with no speaking.
- Ancient or Biblical Greek resources when you want modern Greek. Different language for your purposes; the free content is plentiful and will confuse you.
When paying is worth it
Two things are worth money if you have it: a human tutor (italki/Preply, €8–25 an hour) for feedback and accountability, and a paid plan on a conversation app if the free daily credits stop being enough. Everything else on the market you can do without.
Questions people ask
- Can I learn Greek for free?
- Yes, to a conversational level: Language Transfer for understanding, free vocabulary lists and Anki for words, YouTube for listening, and a free daily conversation (SpeakingVibes' free credits or a language-exchange partner) for speaking.
- What's the best free app to learn Greek?
- Language Transfer — it's a free audio course rather than an app in the usual sense, and it's better than most paid courses for Greek. Duolingo's free tier is fine for the first words and a habit.
- Is Duolingo Greek free?
- Yes, with ads and a cap on mistakes. Super removes those for a monthly fee. The free tier teaches the alphabet and basic vocabulary but almost no speaking.
- Is there a free way to practise speaking Greek?
- SpeakingVibes gives every free account daily conversation credits with Katerina. Language exchange apps (Tandem, HelloTalk) are free too, though partners are hit-and-miss.
- Are there free Greek lessons online?
- Language Transfer's Complete Greek is a full free course. YouTube channels like Easy Greek and Greek with Dimitris cover everyday Greek for free. BBC's old Greek pages are archived and dated.
The free speaking practice
A short conversation with Katerina every day, on the free account. No card.
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