Greek

Everyone can read a Greek word: EYPΩ. However, the inscription you’ll find on every banknote in your wallet is pronounced [εvˈrɔ], with a short "e," a "v" sound, and a short open "o" at the end. And with that, you’ve already taken the first step toward communicating with the approximately 11 million people who speak Greek as their native language in Greece and Cyprus.

The Greek courses at the Language Centre also focus on practical Modern Greek. Of course, the script of the EU language that uses a non-Latin alphabet is taught as well. However, in contrast to the Ancient Greek classes typically offered in schools, the focus here is on everyday topics such as shopping, housing, travel, and social issues. That said, having studied Ancient Greek at school or university can be helpful, as the close relationship between Ancient and Modern Greek can make learning easier—but such prior knowledge is not required.

As with all other courses at the Language Centre, you can earn certificates for successful completion of Greek courses. In addition to regular course certificates, Saarbrücken offers another way to assess and certify your language skills: the Language Centre is an official examination centre for the Modern Greek language exams administered by the Greek Ministry of Education.

Currently, the Language Centre offers courses aligned with levels A1 and A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

At present, Greek exams are not being conducted at the Language Centre. As soon as they are available again, we will provide information on our website.

As part of ongoing efforts to promote and spread the Greek language, the Greek Ministry of Education and the Centre for the Greek Language have for years been offering exams to certify Greek language proficiency. These exams can be taken at the Language Centre of Saarland University—even if you are not enrolled at the university.

The Centre for Greek Languages specifically the Department for the Promotion and Spreading of the Greek Language, holds overall responsibility for the examination process, under which the  Official Certificate of Attainment in Greek is awarded. The exams are conducted both in Greece and internationally at examination centres authorised by the Centre for the Greek Language.

Depending on their language level, candidates can take the exams at one of six levels, which correspond to the levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Candidates are assessed in four skills: comprehension and production of both written and spoken texts.

Sample exams can be downloaded from a portal provided by the Centre for the Greek Language

If you have specific questions, feel free to email us at: griechisch(at)szsb.uni-saarland.de.

Looking for up-to-date information about Greece?
Then you might want to check out the website of the Griechenland-Zeitung. This German-language weekly publication covers politics, economy, culture, tourism, society, environment, sports, and more.

• Dictionaries
  • Bilingual German–Greek / Greek–German dictionary: de.pons.eu (you may need to switch the target language)
• Grammar
  • There are very few Modern Greek grammar resources online specifically for German-speaking learners. However, a few aspects are covered in a Wikibook:
  • Modern Greek Grammar on Wikibooks: de.wikibooks.org/wiki/Neugriechisch:_Grammatik
  • More comprehensive resources in English, including downloadable PDFs, are available at: www.greekgrammar.eu
• Cultural Institutions Online
  • German-Greek Society Saar e.V.: www.dgg-saar-ev.de
  • Hellenic Foundation for Culture in Berlin: www.griechische-kultur.de
  • Greek Embassy in Berlin: www.griechische-botschaft.de
  • Greek Consulate General in Frankfurt: www.mfa.gr/frankfurt
• Studying or Interning in Greece
  • The official websites of embassies and consulates offer little information for those interested in studying in Greece. However, a good overview can be found on the E-Fellows Wiki—though it has not been updated since 2009.  
  • Also of interest:
    • Greece section of the German Federal Employment Agency (BA): www.ba-auslandsvermittlung.de/…
    • Information from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD):  www.daad.de/...