Learning vocabulary in Greek – Basic difficulties
How could bilinguals and foreign students learn new vocabulary in Greek easily? Are there any tips? Greek words are big words for most learners. They consist of a lot of letters and syllables. Furthermore, Greek words carry stresses on their syllables. These are two main difficulties students face when the study Greek.
Tips for learning new vocabulary
Write new words down
One way of learning new words is to write them down in an exercise book. When students write words down they learn their spelling, too. Greek alphabet have five different letters with the sound of (i), which are η, ι, υ, ει, οι and two different letters with the sound of (o), which are o and ω. Therefore, it would be helpful for learners to copy words from the vocabulary lists and texts to their exercise books. Moreover, making shapes, drawings with the words’ meaning next to them would make the learning process more exciting.
Find the new words in phrases or sentences
It is very important to find the new words in phrases or sentences. How? Reading the words in the sentences of the texts given by teachers, the dialogues and articles of the textbooks they use is one way. Moreover, finding examples in online dictionaries would be a second source. The meaning of words is clearer in phrases, sentences and texts. Memorizing lists of words does not help students explain and use the new vocabulary correctly.
Learning synonyms and opposite words
Learners could find the synonyms and opposite words of the new vocabulary online or in a dictionary they may have. In this way, instead of one word they learn three or more than three. Moreover, the synonyms and opposite words offer the opportunity to learners to realize the deepest meaning of a word.
Reading the words loudly
Stresses are one basic characteristic of the Greek language. Totally beginners of Greek find it hard to read the words with stresses and write words with stresses. Words with three or four syllables need extra attention to be read. Therefore, reading words more than once loudly is vital.
Vocabulary – Λεξιλόγιο
1/ τονίζω= to stress
2/ η συλλαβή = syllable
3/ η ανάγνωση = reading
4/ αντί για = instead
5/ δυνατά = loudly