Katharevousa and the Greek Language Question
Advance your reading skills in Greek
Deepen your knowledge of Greek language morphology
Enjoy masterpieces in Greek literature in the original
Explore the contemporary Greek reality through Greece’s past
Katharevousa and the Greek Language Question
Advance your reading skills in Greek
Deepen your knowledge of Greek language morphology
Enjoy masterpieces in Greek literature in the original
Explore the contemporary Greek reality through Greece’s past
What you’ll learn:
- To become acquainted with texts in Katharevousa by politicians and the Church
- To study Greek literature in Katharevousa
- To familiarise yourself with its morphology
- To expand your vocabulary
- To use ancient words and phrases still alive today
Requirements
- Requirements for all online courses
- Good internet connection
- A headset with microphone
- A Skype account
- Speakers are recommended
- Willingness and patience to learn
- Try to practise what you have learned
Course Details
Overview
This is a collection of selected useful texts, writings and audios, which is hosted on the Moodle educational platform of the Hellenic Culture Centre and at the same time an educational programme aimed at developing knowledge about Katharevousa for C2+ students.
Intended for
It is addressed to professionals who are already at the level of proficient user C2, and have completed all other levels (up to C2), who wish to get in contact with former/past and formal linguistic forms and language style.
Centre’s learning materials used.
Methodology
Following your enrolment and payment (of 5 or 8 or 16 lessons depending on your programme) you will be given access to our online platform containing all learning materials. You study the materials, do the exercises and send them to your teacher who corrects and returns them within 48 hours.
One-hour weekly meeting (or more) with your teacher online on Skype. More hours of preparation can be arranged. However, that should not be necessary if you do your homework according to the timetable agreed with your teacher.
One teaching hour is 60 minutes.
Where are the preparatory courses held?
Online courses are held on the Hellenic Culture Centre’s E-learning platform and include a one-hour session with your teacher on Skype.
Face-to-face courses can be held at a student’s home or workplace or hotel in Athens or on Santorini. Courses are also held at the Hellenic Culture Centre in Santorini throughout the year.
Are there any private lessons?
Private/one-to-one lessons based on the personal programme created for each individual student are available. Group courses are more unusual.
Requirements
No special technical knowledge on technology. However, a 15-minute introductory session is offered for free, if needed, to help students to familiarize themselves with the use of the platform and Skype. Students are required to have a good Internet connection and a headset with a microphone.
Before registering, students must do a grading test to enable tutors to ascertain their language level and educational needs. Ask us to guide you to the test suitable for you. You may also do the test orally, via Skype. The Director of the Hellenic Culture Centre will call you in order to assess your language level and design your learning pathway, according to your learning objectives.
Content
The platform contains texts, glossaries and videos for categories with sub-topics such as the following:
I. Texts to be studied
Speeches by politicians and church officials, religion texts, articles from the Press (past and modern articles), legal texts, official administration documents, talks given to an
audience on a national or other celebration, essays, literature texts, official and friendly letters, biographies, announcements, advertisements, encyclopedia entries.
II. History of the Greek formal language, esp. of Katharevousa, and the language question
Archaism, Atticism, the ‘middle way’ by Korais, the Demotiki, the debate and conflicts between archaists and demoticists, the official language of the state and the education (backwards and forwards of constitutional and educational reforms) , the “simple Κatharevousa”.
III. Language structures (morphology-syntax)
Participles (-είς -είσα -έν, -ας, -ασα, -αν, -όμενος -ομένη – όμενον, -ών –ώσα -ών, -ών -ούσα -ούν, -ων -ουσα –ον), participles with reduplication, ancient Greek declination of nouns and adjectives (-ώδης -ώδης –
ώδες, -ης -ης -ες, -υς -εια -υ, -ων -ων -ον), verbal augmentation, adverbs ending in -α / -ως, etc., passive form syntax, addressing, comparatives, passive simple past
in –ην, absolute genitive, hyperbaton figure, object in genitive, dative case syntax, noun endings (-ις, -έως-ι(ν), – της-ού…-ά, κ.ά.)
IV. The polytonic system of accentuation
V. Vocabulary
- Words from essays and local expressions
- Formal style, formality
- Formal expressions
- Ancient Greek expressions surviving in the modern
- language
- Words and expressions from the Bible, the Holy Tradition
- and the Greek Orthodox hymnography
- Phrases from religion texts in use
- Homonyms
- Paronyms
- Derivation
- Compound words
Fees
Course | Price/hour |
---|---|
Group (4-8 students) |
25€ /student |
Semi-private (2-3 students) |
35€ /student |
Semi-private 2 Closed ( 2 students only) |
40€ /student |
Private (one-to-one) |
45€ /student |
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF REGISTRATION
- All educational materials for this online course will be provided by the tutors online. Students do not need to buy the books.
- Online group and semi-private courses are 8 weeks long (one learning cycle).
- The platform will remain open for the students who would like to submit their assignments and complete all the activities for 10 (ten) days after the end of the Skype lessons, at no extra cost.
- The programme of lessons agreed has to be completed within one year after the first registration.
- A Certificate of Attendance is issued for all students who will participate based on the hours they will have attended multiplied by 3, as the online learning takes more time for a student to study.
FORMING
- GROUP course: The school is entitled to add up to 8 students to a GROUP course
- GROUP course: In case one or more students drop out a GROUP course, the fees will be adapted accordingly (up to 2 or 3 students 20 euro/ hour/each as a SEMI-PRIVATE, and 1 student 39 euro/hour/ each as a PRIVATE course).
- SEMI-PRIVATE course: In case a student drops out of a SEMI-PRIVATE course of 3 students, the other two students will continue their course at the same fee for the current learning cycle (20 euro/hour) and maybe a third student of the same level will be added later
- SEMI-PRIVATE course: In case a student drops out of a SEMI-PRIVATE course of 2 students, the student who remains will continue their course at the PRIVATE fee (39 euro)
- PRIVATE course: In case the school adds a second or/and a third student to a PRIVATE course (after consulting with the student), the fee will be 20 euro per person
CANCELLATION
See our CANCELLATION POLICY
PAYMENT
- The SEMI-PRIVATE & GROUP course should be paid in advance for 8 weeks
- The PRIVATE course should be paid in advance for at least 5 lessons
Tutors
All language teachers at the Hellenic Culture Centre are certified and experienced in teaching Greek as a second/ foreign language to adults and adolescents. They also have training and experience in online teaching and they are native speakers of Greek. You can see their CVs here.
Dates
Start dates for the 8-week cycle GROUP courses for the 2024-2027
Cycle | From | To |
---|---|---|
1 | 09/09/2024 | 03/11/2024 |
2025 | ||
1 | 04/11/2024 | 12/01/2025 |
Christmas Break | 24/12/2024 | 06/01/2025 |
2 | 13/01/2025 | 09/03/2025 |
3 | 10/03/2025 | 11/05/2025 |
Easter Break | 16/04/2025 | 21/04/2025 |
4 | 12/05/2025 | 06/07/2025 |
5 | 07/07/2025 | 31/08/2025 |
6 | 01/09/2025 | 26/10/2025 |
7 | 27/10/2025 | 21/12/2025 |
2026 | ||
1 | 22/12/2025 | 01/03/2026 |
Christmas Break | 24/12/2025 | 06/01/2026 |
2 | 02/03/2026 | 03/05/2026 |
Easter Break | 08/04/2026 | 13/04/2026 |
3 | 04/05/2026 | 28/06/2026 |
4 | 29/06/2026 | 23/08/2026 |
5 | 24/08/2026 | 18/10/2026 |
6 | 19/10/2026 | 13/12/2026 |
2027 | ||
1 | 14/12/2026 | 21/02/2027 |
Christmas Break | 24/12/2026 | 06/01/2027 |
2 | 22/02/2027 | 18/04/2027 |
3 | 19/04/2024 | 20/06/2027 |
Easter Break | 28/04/2024 | 03/05/2027 |
4 | 21/06/2027 | 15/08/2027 |
5 | 16/08/2027 | 03/10/2027 |
6 | 04/10/2027 | 28/11/2027 |
Online courses are offered throughout the year 7 days/ week, from 07.00 to 24.00 Greek time. Please contact us for information about private and semi-private courses.
We suggest 2 hours/week for levels A0- B2, and 1 hour/week for levels C1-C2+ and special courses.
A teaching hour lasts 60 minutes.
The weekly schedule of the group and semi-private courses are arranged after consultation with the group.
Certification
The HELLENIC CULTURE CENTRE issues a Certificate of Attendance for the lessons held. The Hellenic Culture Centre is an officially recognized organization as a Lifelong Learning Centre and a language school by the Greek Ministry of Education and Religions (EOPPEP code number 2101782/ 2018 and 2308668/2018).
Working language
Greek is the working language in the Greek courses. All teachers can speak at least one foreign language including English.
Cancellation Policy
- GROUP lessons and SEMI-PRIVATE lessons cannot be cancelled (if the student does not attend a scheduled meeting, they pay 100% of the lesson fees if the lesson takes place)
- A student can cancel a scheduled PRIVATE lesson more than 6 hours before and pay no fees
- In case a student cancels a scheduled PRIVATE lesson 6 to 3 hours before, they pay 50% of the lesson fees
- In case a student cancels a scheduled PRIVATE lesson 3 to 1 hour before the scheduled time, they pay 100% of the lesson fees
- Α lesson should be transferred within the current week from the cancellation of it and no later than the next Sunday, provided that the teacher is available and that the next lesson should be held as scheduled.
- Full refunds will be given up until the last day to register for the programme (2 weeks before the beginning of the course)
- For late cancellations of PRIVATE courses there will be no refund. However, the student is entitled to re-register within one year’s time. In that case the student pays the extra cost, if any
- When students are given refunds the bank charges are payable by them. In case the course is cancelled by the Centre, full refund will be given to the student at no extra charge
Next steps – the registration process
- Fill out the application form here
- Receive more information about the courses from us, along with a more detailed application form
- Send us the completed detailed registration form. Do not forget to write down your availability hours for the courses.
- You receive information about the hours and days of your lesson, the teacher as well as the paying details
- You send us the proof of deposit of the tuition
- You receive from us the passwords to the platform as well as the contact details of your teacher
- You start the lesson!
NOTES:
1. To find out your level in Greek, it would be good to do one of the grading tests that you can find above, in the Grading Test button. Keep in mind that it is best to print it out and write it by hand, without seeking any help. The test is gradually becoming more difficult. So, you do not have to finish it. Then scan it and send it to us, so we can suggest you the best course option that suits your level.
2. To identify your level as well as to create your personal Learning Path, make an appointment with the Director of the Centre, Mrs. Ifigenia Georgiadou ifigenia@hcc.edu.gr here
3. You will only pay after we find the right day and time for your lesson.
This is a collection of selected useful texts, writings and audios, which is hosted on the Moodle educational platform of the Hellenic Culture Centre and at the same time an educational programme aimed at developing knowledge about Katharevousa for C2+ students.
It is addressed to professionals who are already at the level of proficient user C2, and have completed all other levels (up to C2), who wish to get in contact with former/past and formal linguistic forms and language style.
Centre’s learning materials used.
Following your enrolment and payment (of 5 or 8 or 16 lessons depending on your programme) you will be given access to our online platform containing all learning materials. You study the materials, do the exercises and send them to your teacher who corrects and returns them within 48 hours.
One-hour weekly meeting (or more) with your teacher online on Skype. More hours of preparation can be arranged. However, that should not be necessary if you do your homework according to the timetable agreed with your teacher.
One teaching hour is 60 minutes.
Where are the preparatory courses held?
Online courses are held on the Hellenic Culture Centre’s E-learning platform and include a one-hour session with your teacher on Skype.
Face-to-face courses can be held at a student’s home or workplace or hotel in Athens or on Santorini. Courses are also held at the Hellenic Culture Centre in Santorini throughout the year.
Are there any private lessons?
Private/one-to-one lessons based on the personal programme created for each individual student are available. Group courses are more unusual.
Requirements
No special technical knowledge on technology. However, a 15-minute introductory session is offered for free, if needed, to help students to familiarize themselves with the use of the platform and Skype. Students are required to have a good Internet connection and a headset with a microphone.
Before registering, students must do a grading test to enable tutors to ascertain their language level and educational needs. Ask us to guide you to the test suitable for you. You may also do the test orally, via Skype. The Director of the Hellenic Culture Centre will call you in order to assess your language level and design your learning pathway, according to your learning objectives.
The platform contains texts, glossaries and videos for categories with sub-topics such as the following:
I. Texts to be studied
Speeches by politicians and church officials, religion texts, articles from the Press (past and modern articles), legal texts, official administration documents, talks given to an
audience on a national or other celebration, essays, literature texts, official and friendly letters, biographies, announcements, advertisements, encyclopedia entries.
II. History of the Greek formal language, esp. of Katharevousa, and the language question
Archaism, Atticism, the ‘middle way’ by Korais, the Demotiki, the debate and conflicts between archaists and demoticists, the official language of the state and the education (backwards and forwards of constitutional and educational reforms) , the “simple Κatharevousa”.
III. Language structures (morphology-syntax)
Participles (-είς -είσα -έν, -ας, -ασα, -αν, -όμενος -ομένη – όμενον, -ών –ώσα -ών, -ών -ούσα -ούν, -ων -ουσα –ον), participles with reduplication, ancient Greek declination of nouns and adjectives (-ώδης -ώδης –
ώδες, -ης -ης -ες, -υς -εια -υ, -ων -ων -ον), verbal augmentation, adverbs ending in -α / -ως, etc., passive form syntax, addressing, comparatives, passive simple past
in –ην, absolute genitive, hyperbaton figure, object in genitive, dative case syntax, noun endings (-ις, -έως-ι(ν), – της-ού…-ά, κ.ά.)
IV. The polytonic system of accentuation
V. Vocabulary
- Words from essays and local expressions
- Formal style, formality
- Formal expressions
- Ancient Greek expressions surviving in the modern
- language
- Words and expressions from the Bible, the Holy Tradition
- and the Greek Orthodox hymnography
- Phrases from religion texts in use
- Homonyms
- Paronyms
- Derivation
- Compound words
Fees
Course | Price/hour |
---|---|
Group (4-8 students) |
25€ /student |
Semi-private (2-3 students) |
35€ /student |
Semi-private 2 Closed ( 2 students only) |
40€ /student |
Private (one-to-one) |
45€ /student |
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF REGISTRATION
- All educational materials for this online course will be provided by the tutors online. Students do not need to buy the books.
- Online group and semi-private courses are 8 weeks long (one learning cycle).
- The platform will remain open for the students who would like to submit their assignments and complete all the activities for 10 (ten) days after the end of the Skype lessons, at no extra cost.
- The programme of lessons agreed has to be completed within one year after the first registration.
- A Certificate of Attendance is issued for all students who will participate based on the hours they will have attended multiplied by 3, as the online learning takes more time for a student to study.
FORMING
- GROUP course: The school is entitled to add up to 8 students to a GROUP course
- GROUP course: In case one or more students drop out a GROUP course, the fees will be adapted accordingly (up to 2 or 3 students 20 euro/ hour/each as a SEMI-PRIVATE, and 1 student 39 euro/hour/ each as a PRIVATE course).
- SEMI-PRIVATE course: In case a student drops out of a SEMI-PRIVATE course of 3 students, the other two students will continue their course at the same fee for the current learning cycle (20 euro/hour) and maybe a third student of the same level will be added later
- SEMI-PRIVATE course: In case a student drops out of a SEMI-PRIVATE course of 2 students, the student who remains will continue their course at the PRIVATE fee (39 euro)
- PRIVATE course: In case the school adds a second or/and a third student to a PRIVATE course (after consulting with the student), the fee will be 20 euro per person
CANCELLATION
See our CANCELLATION POLICY
PAYMENT
- The SEMI-PRIVATE & GROUP course should be paid in advance for 8 weeks
- The PRIVATE course should be paid in advance for at least 5 lessons
All language teachers at the Hellenic Culture Centre are certified and experienced in teaching Greek as a second/ foreign language to adults and adolescents. They also have training and experience in online teaching and they are native speakers of Greek. You can see their CVs here.
Dates
Start dates for the 8-week cycle GROUP courses for the 2024-2027
Cycle | From | To |
---|---|---|
1 | 09/09/2024 | 03/11/2024 |
2025 | ||
1 | 04/11/2024 | 12/01/2025 |
Christmas Break | 24/12/2024 | 06/01/2025 |
2 | 13/01/2025 | 09/03/2025 |
3 | 10/03/2025 | 11/05/2025 |
Easter Break | 16/04/2025 | 21/04/2025 |
4 | 12/05/2025 | 06/07/2025 |
5 | 07/07/2025 | 31/08/2025 |
6 | 01/09/2025 | 26/10/2025 |
7 | 27/10/2025 | 21/12/2025 |
2026 | ||
1 | 22/12/2025 | 01/03/2026 |
Christmas Break | 24/12/2025 | 06/01/2026 |
2 | 02/03/2026 | 03/05/2026 |
Easter Break | 08/04/2026 | 13/04/2026 |
3 | 04/05/2026 | 28/06/2026 |
4 | 29/06/2026 | 23/08/2026 |
5 | 24/08/2026 | 18/10/2026 |
6 | 19/10/2026 | 13/12/2026 |
2027 | ||
1 | 14/12/2026 | 21/02/2027 |
Christmas Break | 24/12/2026 | 06/01/2027 |
2 | 22/02/2027 | 18/04/2027 |
3 | 19/04/2024 | 20/06/2027 |
Easter Break | 28/04/2024 | 03/05/2027 |
4 | 21/06/2027 | 15/08/2027 |
5 | 16/08/2027 | 03/10/2027 |
6 | 04/10/2027 | 28/11/2027 |
Online courses are offered throughout the year 7 days/ week, from 07.00 to 24.00 Greek time. Please contact us for information about private and semi-private courses.
We suggest 2 hours/week for levels A0- B2, and 1 hour/week for levels C1-C2+ and special courses.
A teaching hour lasts 60 minutes.
The weekly schedule of the group and semi-private courses are arranged after consultation with the group.
The HELLENIC CULTURE CENTRE issues a Certificate of Attendance for the lessons held. The Hellenic Culture Centre is an officially recognized organization as a Lifelong Learning Centre and a language school by the Greek Ministry of Education and Religions (EOPPEP code number 2101782/ 2018 and 2308668/2018).
Greek is the working language in the Greek courses. All teachers can speak at least one foreign language including English.
- GROUP lessons and SEMI-PRIVATE lessons cannot be cancelled (if the student does not attend a scheduled meeting, they pay 100% of the lesson fees if the lesson takes place)
- A student can cancel a scheduled PRIVATE lesson more than 6 hours before and pay no fees
- In case a student cancels a scheduled PRIVATE lesson 6 to 3 hours before, they pay 50% of the lesson fees
- In case a student cancels a scheduled PRIVATE lesson 3 to 1 hour before the scheduled time, they pay 100% of the lesson fees
- Α lesson should be transferred within the current week from the cancellation of it and no later than the next Sunday, provided that the teacher is available and that the next lesson should be held as scheduled.
- Full refunds will be given up until the last day to register for the programme (2 weeks before the beginning of the course)
- For late cancellations of PRIVATE courses there will be no refund. However, the student is entitled to re-register within one year’s time. In that case the student pays the extra cost, if any
- When students are given refunds the bank charges are payable by them. In case the course is cancelled by the Centre, full refund will be given to the student at no extra charge
- Fill out the application form here
- Receive more information about the courses from us, along with a more detailed application form
- Send us the completed detailed registration form. Do not forget to write down your availability hours for the courses.
- You receive information about the hours and days of your lesson, the teacher as well as the paying details
- You send us the proof of deposit of the tuition
- You receive from us the passwords to the platform as well as the contact details of your teacher
- You start the lesson!
NOTES:
1. To find out your level in Greek, it would be good to do one of the grading tests that you can find above, in the Grading Test button. Keep in mind that it is best to print it out and write it by hand, without seeking any help. The test is gradually becoming more difficult. So, you do not have to finish it. Then scan it and send it to us, so we can suggest you the best course option that suits your level.
2. To identify your level as well as to create your personal Learning Path, make an appointment with the Director of the Centre, Mrs. Ifigenia Georgiadou ifigenia@hcc.edu.gr here
3. You will only pay after we find the right day and time for your lesson.
Requirements
- Requirements for all online courses
- Good internet connection
- A headset with microphone
- A Skype account
- Speakers are recommended
- Willingness and patience to learn
- Try to practise what you have learned