Table of Contents
- Survival Greek – Practical Greek for Everyday Life
- What Is Survival Greek?
- Course Format & Duration
- Who Is This Course For?
- What Will You Learn?
- Practical, Real-Life Learning
- Thematic Modules — 8 Sessions
- What Is Included?
- Progress You Can Use in Everyday Life
- Course Fee
- Survival Greek — 2027 Program Dates
- Public Holiday Policy
- What Comes After Survival Greek?
- Learn Greek for Life in Thessaloniki
- Survival Greek Course – Frequently Asked Questions
Survival Greek – Practical Greek for Everyday Life
A practical 2-month Greek course for expats, newcomers and international residents who want to handle everyday life in Thessaloniki with greater confidence and independence.
Tuesdays · 8 weekly sessions
Wednesdays · 8 weekly sessions
Wednesdays · 8 weekly sessions
2 installments of €50
Survival Greek is a practical, communication-focused Greek course for people who want to handle everyday life in Thessaloniki with greater confidence and independence. Instead of concentrating on textbook theory, the course focuses on the Greek you actually need in cafés, shops, markets, transport, appointments, housing and everyday services.
The program is especially suitable for expats, digital nomads, newcomers and long-stay visitors who want to begin using Greek from the first weeks. Through practical dialogues, speaking activities, role-plays and real-life tasks, learners build a useful foundation for everyday communication in Greece.
What Is Survival Greek?
Survival Greek is high-frequency, real-world Greek designed for everyday communication. The aim is not to master every grammatical structure in a short period, but to develop the language needed to communicate clearly, politely and effectively in common situations.
Learners practise how to ask questions, clarify information, confirm details, make requests, understand common responses and manage simple communication problems without immediately switching to English.
Course Format & Duration
- Duration: 2 months
- Frequency: 1 session per week
- Session length: 2.5 teaching hours
- Total sessions: 8 sessions
- Total teaching time: 20 hours
- Format: In-Person only
- Location: Thessaloniki
- Schedule: Morning or afternoon groups, depending on group availability
- Level: Beginner-friendly and suitable for learners building a practical foundation in Greek
Who Is This Course For?
The Survival Greek Course is designed for:
- Expats and digital nomads living in Thessaloniki
- Newcomers who need Greek for everyday life as quickly as possible
- Long-stay visitors who want more than basic tourist phrases
- Professionals who need Greek for practical daily interactions
- Beginners who want a functional foundation before continuing with a longer Greek-language program
What Will You Learn?
The course focuses on the situations learners encounter most often in daily life in Thessaloniki. By the end of the program, participants should be better prepared to:
- Handle common everyday interactions politely and confidently
- Order food and drinks in cafés and tavernas
- Shop in supermarkets, markets and local stores
- Ask for prices, quantities and product information
- Use basic Greek for buses, taxis, directions and meeting points
- Book and confirm simple appointments
- Communicate basic needs in pharmacies and everyday services
- Discuss simple housing, delivery, repair and utility issues
- Ask people to repeat, clarify or explain information
- Handle short phone calls and practical messages
Practical, Real-Life Learning
Survival Greek is built around real scenarios and repeatable speaking patterns. Learners practise language they can immediately reuse outside the classroom.
- Short practical dialogues for everyday situations
- Role-plays based on cafés, shops, services and appointments
- Listening practice using natural spoken Greek
- Pronunciation and speaking practice
- Functional grammar used only where it supports clearer communication
- Weekly practical tasks and “Greek missions” between lessons
These activities help learners connect classroom learning directly with everyday life in Thessaloniki.
Thematic Modules — 8 Sessions
Each session combines speaking practice, listening, useful vocabulary and ready-to-use communication patterns.
Session 1 — First Contact & Polite Greek
Greetings, introductions, basic questions, courtesy phrases, asking someone to repeat or speak more slowly, and managing simple first interactions.
Session 2 — Cafés, Taverns & Everyday Orders
Ordering coffee and food, expressing preferences, asking for the bill, making polite corrections and understanding common service language.
Session 3 — Markets, Shopping & Quantities
Numbers, prices, weights, quantities, asking for products, understanding basic questions and handling common shopping interactions.
Session 4 — Getting Around Thessaloniki
Directions, transport, tickets, times, meeting points, asking where something is and clarifying locations.
Session 5 — Appointments & Health Basics
Booking simple appointments, giving basic personal information, pharmacy vocabulary and useful language for everyday health-related situations.
Session 6 — Housing & Daily Problem-Solving
Rent-related basics, repairs, utilities, deliveries, explaining that something is not working and arranging practical solutions.
Session 7 — Phone Calls, Messages & Service Greek
Confirming information, spelling names and addresses, asking about availability and managing short practical phone calls or messages.
Session 8 — Real-Life Simulation & Survival Toolkit
Integrated role-plays, revision of high-frequency language, practical simulations and recommendations for the learner’s next step in Greek.
What Is Included?
- 8 structured in-person sessions
- 20 total teaching hours
- Practical dialogues and high-frequency phrases
- Speaking and listening practice
- Role-plays based on real-life situations
- Weekly practical “Greek missions”
- Feedback on pronunciation, rhythm and clarity
- Guidance on the most suitable next Greek-language program after completion
Progress You Can Use in Everyday Life
Progress in Survival Greek is measured through practical communication rather than through completion of a full CEFR level.
You should begin to notice progress when you can:
- Complete simple errands using Greek
- Ask follow-up questions instead of immediately switching to English
- Confirm times, prices, locations and other basic details
- Handle simple misunderstandings more calmly
- Initiate short interactions with local speakers
- Recognise and reuse common phrases in everyday situations
Course Fee
Total course fee: €100
Payment: 2 installments of €50
Survival Greek — 2027 Program Dates
Spring 2027
2 March – 20 April 2027
Tuesdays · 8 weekly sessions
Early Summer 2027
5 May – 23 June 2027
Wednesdays · 8 weekly sessions
Autumn 2027
6 October – 24 November 2027
Wednesdays · 8 weekly sessions
The listed days are the proposed 2027 weekly class days. Exact times and group availability will be confirmed by the school.
Public Holiday Policy
If a scheduled session falls on a public holiday, the group skips that week and continues the following week. The program schedule is organised so that participants complete the full 8 sessions.
What Comes After Survival Greek?
Survival Greek is designed as a practical starting point rather than a complete CEFR-level course. After completing the program, learners who want to continue can move into a longer structured Greek course suited to their current level and learning goals.
Depending on prior knowledge and progress, Philoxenia can recommend the appropriate next program for continued language development.
Learn Greek for Life in Thessaloniki
Living in Thessaloniki provides daily opportunities to practise Greek naturally. Cafés, markets, shops, neighbourhoods, transport and everyday services become part of the learning environment.
Survival Greek is designed to help you make use of those opportunities from the beginning, giving you practical language that supports greater independence and more natural interaction with local people.
Ready to start using Greek in everyday life? Join the Survival Greek Course – 2 Months and build a practical foundation for life in Thessaloniki.
Practical Greek & life in Greece
Survival Greek Course – Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common decisions and everyday language challenges beyond the course schedule.
Do I need to learn the Greek alphabet before joining a practical Greek course?
No. Survival Greek is beginner-friendly, so knowing the alphabet in advance is not a prerequisite. Familiarity with a few letters can be helpful, but the emphasis is on essential spoken exchanges and real-world communication.
Is Survival Greek the same as completing the A1 Greek language level?
No. Survival Greek develops practical everyday communication across eight sessions; it is not a full CEFR-level course. Learners who want a complete A1 curriculum can continue with a structured Greek language program.
Should I choose Survival Greek or a regular A1 course?
Choose Survival Greek if your immediate priority is handling common daily situations. A regular A1 course is a better fit if you want systematic development across the full beginner curriculum, including broader grammar, reading, writing and listening.
Can I learn enough Greek to manage everyday errands without becoming fluent?
Yes, basic practical expressions can make errands easier without requiring fluency. Being able to ask for a price, request clarification or confirm an appointment is useful even when longer conversations remain difficult.
What if local people reply in Greek too quickly for me to understand?
You can learn short repair phrases such as “Μπορείτε να μιλήσετε πιο αργά;” (“Could you speak more slowly?”) and “Μπορείτε να το επαναλάβετε;” (“Could you repeat that?”). Knowing how to slow a conversation is as important as memorising vocabulary.
Is it more useful to learn standard Greek or local slang when moving to Thessaloniki?
Start with widely understood Modern Greek. Polite, clear standard expressions work in shops, services and appointments across Greece; local everyday expressions can be added gradually as your listening confidence grows.
How can I practise Greek between weekly lessons if I am shy about speaking?
Start with small, repeatable tasks: greet a cashier, ask one question at a market or practise a short order. Repeating familiar exchanges in low-pressure situations helps turn classroom phrases into usable language.
Can I rely on English while living in Thessaloniki?
English can be helpful in many settings, but it may not cover every interaction with deliveries, building maintenance, local services or neighbours. Basic Greek gives you another option when English is unavailable or insufficient.
Is using a translation app enough for daily life in Greece?
Translation apps are useful for unfamiliar words and written notices, but they may be awkward during fast conversations. Learning a small set of dependable expressions helps you interact directly and recognise when you need clarification.
Do I need a placement test if I know only a few Greek words?
Not automatically. Knowing the alphabet or a few phrases does not by itself mean you are beyond beginner level. If you have studied Greek before, the school can advise whether a placement test is useful for choosing the right course.
What can I do if I miss one of the weekly classes?
Contact the school as soon as possible to discuss the material you missed and available ways to catch up. Do not assume a replacement class or private make-up lesson is automatically included; arrangements depend on availability.
Can Survival Greek help me prepare for conversations with landlords or service providers?
It can help with basic needs such as confirming an address, describing a simple problem and arranging a time. More complex matters, legal documents or disputes may still require a fluent speaker or qualified professional.
What should I study after learning survival Greek?
If your goal is broader independence in Greek, continue with a level-based course that develops speaking, listening, reading, writing and grammar together. The appropriate starting level depends on what you already know and can do.
