Do People Speak English In Greece? Top Tips For Travelling
If you have a holiday to Greece booked and you’re wondering if people speak English in Greece, then you’ll be pleased to know the answer is yes.
Greece is an incredibly popular tourist destination, with people visiting from all over the world. Their economy relies heavily on the tourism industry and many Greeks use the English language on a daily basis, especially if they work in the tourist sector.
That being said, it is still important to learn a little Greek before you visit, even if it’s just to show you have made an effort with their language. Many people find Greek hard to learn, and the Greeks are incredibly understanding of this, but you can tell it is appreciated when you at least try to speak the basics in their language.
We’ve included a few basic words and phrases at the bottom of this post so you can brush up on your Greek before you visit!
What Percentage Of Greece Speaks English
Recent statistics suggest that 51% of the Greek population can speak English. This is one of the higher percentages in Europe, so it’s a good choice if you’re worried about getting by while on holiday.
If you look more closely at the main tourist destinations in Greece, this percentage is much higher. In places like Athens and Santorini, there are more Greeks with a solid grasp of the English language and you will find it easier to communicate here if you don’t speak Greek.
Greek Islands That Speak English
You can expect to find English-speaking Greeks on many of the more well-known Greek islands. In fact, we have found that even on the more remote quiet Greek islands there are still plenty of Greeks that speak basic English, plenty to get by if you don’t speak any Greek at all.
If you’re looking for Greek islands with guaranteed English speaking Greeks then check out some of the options below. You are likely to find that English is spoken widely and well on these popular tourist islands, especially during the summer months.
Santorini – English is widely spoken here across the island. In the main towns, you will find English menus, and many of the road signs are in English too. You will have no problem getting around the island as most taxi drivers speak at least basic English.
Rhodes – Another popular tourist island where English is widely spoken. Head to Rhodes or Lindos for English menus and a variety of international cuisines.
Crete – Even in some of Crete’s more remote villages you will probably find at least basic English is spoken. Crete is one of Greece’s main tourist islands, so many Greeks speak English daily in the summer months.
Zakynthos – Again, you will find English is widely spoken here, especially in the resort areas and main towns. Zakynthos sees thousands of visitors from all over the world every single year, so during the summer season, you can expect English to be spoken pretty fluently across the island.
Corfu – Corfu is a popular island with tourists and many Greeks here will happily speak English to help you get by.
Kephalonia – You will find English is spoken fluently throughout much of Kephalonia. It is easy to navigate this island by road as many of the signs are in English, and you will also find English menus in most of the restaurants. 3 days in Kephalonia is the perfect amount of time to explore so you can happily pop here for a long weekend in the sun!
Getting Around And Getting By In Greece
On the whole, getting around Greece is not a problem, even if you don’t speak the language. You will find the majority of road signs are in English or English and Greek and there are always locals around to help you if you get stuck.
Most of the main tourist bus routes have English-speaking staff who will help you find the correct transport, and taxi drivers know the English place names even if they don’t speak fluent English.
In tourist destinations, most menus are translated into English. This can make for slightly amusing reading when the translations are a little off, but you can always work out what they mean and we are yet to order something totally different from what we expected.
The biggest problem you might find in not speaking Greek is when it comes to official documents. The specific terms make things much trickier to understand and it is easy to get mixed messages.
Why Do People Speak English In Greece?
With such a beautiful language of their own, why do the Greeks speak English so well and so widely?
As with any country that relies heavily on tourism, English has become a language that is spoken by people from all over the world and so it is seen as imperative to learn at least some basic English.
Greeks are now taught English from a very young age, and Greeks growing up in tourist destinations have the opportunity to practice it often with English-speaking visitors.
You will find that the younger generations of Greeks tend to be more fluent in English, so if you are struggling to communicate then it’s a good idea to find a younger Greek to help translate.
In Athens, many businesses these days actually require a certain level of English to be spoken. This puts even more pressure on Greeks to learn the English language.
Basic Greek Phrases
Hello/goodbye
Good morning
Good afternoon
Good night
Please
Thank you
Yásas
Kaliméra
Kalispéra
Kaliníjta
Parakaló
Efjaristó
Conclusion: Do Greeks Speak English?
So, do Greeks speak English? As you can see, the general answer is yes, although there are of course exceptions!
Generally, if you are in a major city like Athens or Thessaloniki, you will be able to find someone who can communicate in English. However, in more rural areas, it may be harder to find someone who speaks English fluently.
If you are traveling to Greece and don’t know any Greek, download an offline translation app like Google Translate so that you can at least communicate basic needs like directions or ordering food. Or have a go at learning some Greek yourself!
With a little preparation and patience, you should be able to get by just fine while visiting this beautiful country.
