Speak Greek Like a Greek @ Glossopolis

Visiting Greece and eager to join in on the local fun? A new e-learning platform aims to teach tourists the Greek they need know to get around town and mingle with the locals.

Titled “Glossopolis” (the city of language), the language learning site focuses more on slang, colloquial phrases and idioms used in everyday conversation ensuring in this way that travelers will be able to communicate effectively.

The courses also offer insight into Greek culture and lifestyle and include exercises as well as on-the-spot practice with employees at local businesses.

And there’s a reward too. If the conversation went well, you are entitled to 15-30 percent discount at the businesses you visited, which may be anything from hotels and shops to restaurants and bars.

The brainchild of entrepreneur Athina Pitta, Glossopolis comes to play its role in the strengthening of Greek tourism.

“Tourism is highly competitive and demanding market so I had to find a way to enhance the tourist experience,” she told Kathimerini daily.

“Tourists are no longer gullible. Instead they are travelers seeking to mingle with the locals. Language is a very important factor for both the learner and the listener; it connects people through memories and emotions.”

According to Pitta, the Glossopolis “Swearing in Greek” lesson has become a site favorite with plenty of humor making learning fun. Other courses include the stuff Greece travel is made of: “the bar”, “the metro”, “around the city”, “at the museum”, “ordering souvlaki”, “ouzo and mezedes” and much more.

Ms Pitta said there are expansion plans in the pipeline to include the islands, Northern Greece and Cyprus.