You can get surprisingly far in Modern Greek without spending anything. The free resources are good enough to take a motivated beginner through the alphabet, the first few hundred words and the basic grammar of level A1, and often well into A2. What free resources rarely give you is a structured path with feedback, so the real question is not "free or paid" but "which free tools, in which order, and when is it worth paying for something".
The short answer
- Alphabet: free and fast. One evening with a good table and a few reading drills is enough to start reading slowly.
- First words and phrases: free apps (Duolingo, Memrise, Anki decks) do this well.
- Grammar: free grammar notes exist, but you need exercises with corrections to make it stick.
- Reading: free graded stories are the most underrated resource for Greek.
- Speaking: this is where free resources run thin. Language exchanges help; a teacher helps more.
1. Learn the alphabet first (one or two evenings)
Greek has 24 letters, and about half of them look or sound familiar. Learn the letters together with their sounds, not their names, and start reading real words right away. Our Greek alphabet in 10 minutes guide and the printable alphabet chart are free and need no account.
2. Build a first vocabulary with a free app
Apps are excellent for the daily habit and the first few hundred words. Their limit, for Greek, is grammar: three genders, four cases and verbal aspect are hard to absorb by guessing. Read our honest review of learning Greek with Duolingo before relying on an app alone, and keep the 100 first Greek words list next to you.
3. Add grammar with exercises that correct you
Reading a grammar rule is free; being able to use it takes practice with feedback. On grecfacile.ch the grammar notes are free to read, every level has three sample exercises you can do without an account, and signing up (free) unlocks a 15-exercise starter course for each level, corrected instantly, plus one extra exercise of your choice every day.
4. Read graded stories
Reading is where vocabulary and grammar come together. Graded texts written for your level are rare for Greek, which is why we publish a free library of Greek myths retold in simple Modern Greek from A1 to C2, each with a glossary: see the Greek mythology hub. No account is needed.
5. Listen every day
Free podcasts for learners, Greek radio and YouTube channels with subtitles train your ear. Start with slow content for learners, then move to Greek series with Greek subtitles once you reach A2–B1.
6. Find out your level
A free 2-minute placement test tells you whether to start at A1 or higher, so you do not waste weeks on material that is too easy or too hard.
Where free stops being enough
- A complete path. Free resources are scattered; after A1 you spend more time choosing what to do than doing it. A structured course saves that time.
- Exam preparation. If you need the Ελληνομάθεια certificate, you need timed practice in the exam format. See our Ελληνομάθεια exam guide.
- Speaking with feedback. A few lessons with a qualified teacher fix pronunciation and confidence faster than months alone.
On grecfacile.ch you can stay free as long as you like. If you want the full course of a level, it is a one-time payment for that level, with no subscription.
A free plan for your first month
- Week 1: the alphabet and reading simple words aloud.
- Week 2: the first 100 words and greetings; 10 minutes of an app every day.
- Week 3: articles, the verbs είμαι and έχω, and your first free exercises.
- Week 4: your first A1 story, read twice: once with the glossary, once without.
Fifteen to twenty minutes a day, every day, beats two hours on Sunday. Start with the free A1 exercises.