A* Qualified native Greek speaker with experience teaches Greek online from Beginner to A-level.

Find out more about Eleni

• Do you speak this language fluently because of your origins or because a teacher inspired you to learn?

  I was born in Athens and Greek was my first language while growing up :)

• Can you name a living, historical or fictional character that you think is the emblematic representative of the language's culture?

  I would say that Athena, the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, science, literature, mathematics, the arts, (and many others) is a great representation of Greek culture due to her gifts and talents. When Athena competed with Poseidon over who should be the patron of the capital, they both offered their gifts to the city. Poseidon strung the ground with his trident and a spring of seawater sprung up. Athena struck the ground with her spear and an olive tree grew. The people preferred Athena's gift as they found it much more useful thus they named Athens after her, and dedicated the Parthenon to her, making her a key part of the country's history.

• Is there a typical word, phrase, tradition, or behavior in the language that you particularly like?

  Part of what makes Greek so beautiful is the fact that it is one of the richest languages in the world. There often are a couple of words that correspond to one word in English, but each with a slightly different meaning. My favourite example of this is the translation of the word 'love'.
  
  In Greek there are a couple of different words for this:
  - Agape: empathetic, universal love
  - Philia: intimate, authentic friendship
  - Eros: Romantic, passionate love
  - Storge: unconditional, family love
  - Philautia: compassionate self-love

• Why does speaking this language matter to you?

  Due to my upbringing, Greek became my mother tongue. Upon relocating to the UK and learning English, I observed frequent occurrences of Greek-rooted words, which helped me learn other languages faster. The language's inherent richness enables individuals to intricately convey their thoughts and emotions, while also granting us access to historical narratives through written records. Furthermore, delving into the origins of words in Greek helps in comprehending vocabulary across various languages.
  
  To give you an example, take the first two letters of the Greek alphabet: Αα - alpha Ββ - Beeta
  Notice any similarities between this and the word 'alphabet'?

• What is the main difficulty in learning this language and what can help the process of learning?

  The different alphabet is often something that stops people from learning Greek however once you get over that there are a lot more similarities than initially thought. The different genders and tenses are also something hard to get used to at first. I find that it helps to watch some Greek shows with subtitles (I have plenty to suggest) alongside your Greek lessons to complement your learning as well as talking every possible chance to practice speaking the language.

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to your language learning or your days at school.

  In my first few years of learning English, my confidence in my speaking abilities was quite low. I am forever grateful to my English teacher who helped me improve my English language skills and my confidence levels in such an unforgettably fun and encouraging way. I always have this memory in mind that allows me to step into the shoes of my students to understand them and help them in the same way. :)

• How has travel or a specific trip helped you to increase your skill and knowledge of the language?

  I believe that living in a place where a different language is spoken can make you understand your own language better. Having lived in the UK for 12+ years and learnt other languages has helped me notice new things about Greek. It's also fascinating to see how we have a lot in common even though our cultures are different, These similarities are detectible even in the way we talk!

• What makes you a Superprof in language?

  First, because I have Super students! Also, the fact that I am able to adapt my lessons to the needs of different people, notice their weak points and create a lesson space where they can be addressed and challenged while also being encouraging and engaging for the students. I often center discussions within lessons on the student's interest areas and tailor their learning to their language goals, so do not hesitate to inform me about your hobbies/ interests/ films/ famous personalities :)