If starting a conversation feels difficult, make the first task small: greet someone, answer one question and ask something back. This is a practice activity, not a promise to remove nervousness. Rehearse alone or with someone willing to follow the role card. Invented names and places are fine; you do not need to share personal details.
Read the exchange before speaking
| Γεια σου! Με λένε Άννα. Εσένα; | Hi! My name is Anna. And you? |
| Με λένε Νίκο. Μένεις εδώ; | My name is Nikos. Do you live here? |
| Συγγνώμη, μπορείς να το επαναλάβεις; | Sorry, can you repeat that? |
| Μένεις εδώ; | Do you live here? |
| Όχι, μένω στη Λυών. Εσύ; | No, I live in Lyon. And you? |
| Ναι, μένω εδώ. | Yes, I live here. |
Check what happened
- Who asks for repetition?
- Does Anna say she lives here?
- Does Nikos give his city’s name?
- Which word passes the question back to Nikos?
Answers
1. Anna. 2. No: she lives in Lyon. 3. No: he says he lives here, without naming the place. 4. Εσύ; — And you?
Round one: keep the whole text
Read Anna’s turns aloud, leaving space for a partner to read Nikos’s. Alone, read both parts and pause at each change of speaker. The aim is to finish the exchange with the meaning intact, not to copy a particular speed. The printed dialogue has no attached recording. Use the linked listening activity later if you want recorded speech.
Round two: keep only three cues
Write three cues: name, repetition, residence. Cover Anna’s sentences and use the cues to rebuild her turns. Keep the answer key available. If you forget a phrase, look at it and retry that turn rather than restarting everything. The familiar singular μπορείς matches this friendly exchange; when speaking politely, use the complete phrase Μπορείτε να το επαναλάβετε;
Round three: change one question
Your partner now asks Από πού είσαι; — Where are you from? Answer with an origin, such as Είμαι από τη Γαλλία, rather than automatically repeating where you live. Then ask Εσύ; If practising alone, alternate the two written questions and choose a suitable answer. This small change checks whether you are responding to meaning instead of reciting a fixed sequence.
Choose your next small step
After the attempt, note one thing you completed and one phrase to practise again. You can repeat the activity with a willing partner or stop after the private rehearsal. There is no time limit or score. For more examples, revisit introductions; for help when you miss words, use the repetition guide.
Practise introductions · Ask for repetition · Listen to short greetings
Continue with a guided speaking task
The free A1 classroom introduction exercise gives you short speaking prompts. It is a separate role-play with Eleni, not the dialogue above. Create an account to save your progress.