· 7 min read
Greek vs Italian: Which Should You Learn?
By Language Lab editorial team
Greek vs Italian compared with official figures: about 44 weeks of classes against 24 for English speakers. See alphabets, grammar, exams and how to choose.
Italian is the quicker of the two for an English speaker. The US State Department lists Italian in Category I, languages close to English, at 24 weeks of classes, and Greek in Category III, hard languages, at about 44 weeks or 1,012 class hours. The first difference you meet is the writing: Italian uses 21 letters you already know and is read as it is written, while Greek has its own alphabet of 24 letters. Grammar adds to the gap: Italian nouns are masculine or feminine, Greek nouns masculine, feminine or neuter. Greek gives something back in vocabulary, since the BBC's guide estimates that around 30% of English words come, directly or indirectly, from Classical Greek. Choose Italian for speed and Greek for Greece and Cyprus.
Side by side
| Greek | Italian | |
|---|---|---|
| State Department category | Category III, hard languages | Category I, languages close to English |
| Class time | About 44 weeks (1,012 class hours) | 24 weeks |
| Alphabet | Greek alphabet, 24 letters | Standard alphabet of 21 letters, all familiar from English |
| Reading | Fairly easy to learn to read; some letters look like English ones and sound different | Read as it is written |
| Genders | Three: masculine, feminine, neuter | Two: masculine, feminine |
| Formal and informal you | Yes | Yes |
| Where it is official | Greece; one of the official languages of Cyprus | Italy; one of four official languages of Switzerland |
| State or official certificate | Certificate of Attainment in Greek, A1 to C2 | CILS, CELI, CERT.IT and PLIDA; CILS runs from A1 to C2 |
Which is harder?
Greek, on the official figures. The State Department describes Category I as languages close to English and Category III as hard languages with significant linguistic or cultural differences from English. Italian is listed at 24 weeks, the short end of a Category I range of 552 to 690 class hours; Greek at about 44 weeks, or 1,012 class hours. At 10 hours a week that is about 55 weeks for Italian and about 101 for Greek.
Alphabet and reading
Italian starts with an advantage: its standard alphabet has only 21 letters, most consonants are pronounced as they are in English, and the BBC's guide sums the language up as read as it is written. Greek asks you to learn a new alphabet of 24 letters first. The BBC's guide calls it fairly easy to learn to read, because most letters and sounds already exist in English, but warns that some letters identical to Latin ones sound different, and that the Greek question mark is written as a semicolon.
Grammar
- Gender. Italian nouns are masculine or feminine and adjectives agree with them. Greek has three genders, so the word for the is written in three ways.
- Verbs. The BBC's guide to Italian notes six endings for each verb tense.
- You. Both languages separate an informal you from a formal one: tu and Lei in Italian, εσύ and εσείς in Greek.
- Articles. Greek uses the word the before place names and before a person's name.
Vocabulary you already know
- Greek in English: the BBC's guide estimates that around 30% of English vocabulary is of Classical Greek origin, mostly technical and scientific terms, with word parts such as auto, tele, photo and logy.
- Italian in English: ciao, pizza, cappuccino, al fresco, piano, orchestra, solo, fiasco and propaganda.
- A caution for Greek: the guide notes that many of these words and their pronunciation have changed in Modern Greek.
The same phrases in both
| English | Greek | Italian |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Ya sou | Buongiorno |
| Thank you | Efkharisto | Grazie |
| Please | Parakalo | Per favore |
| Yes | Neh | Sì |
| No | Okhee | No |
| Do you speak English? | Milas anglika? | Parla inglese? |
| I don't understand | Then katalavaeno | Non capisco |
The Greek column is written in English letters, as the BBC gives it for pronunciation. Watch the middle rows: the Greek for yes sounds like a no to an English ear.
Will one help with other languages?
Italian opens more doors. It is a Romance language, and the BBC's guide says learning it helps with the grammar of other Romance languages such as French, with many words very similar to Portuguese and Spanish. Greek, by the same guide, forms an independent branch of the Indo-European family. It has influenced many languages, so learning it may help you recognise words in other languages.
Where each is spoken
- Greek: the official language of Greece and one of the official languages of the Republic of Cyprus, with large Greek and Cypriot communities in the US, the UK, Australia, Germany and Canada.
- Italian: the official language of Italy and one of the four official languages of Switzerland, with speakers in Malta, Vatican State, San Marino, Croatia, Slovenia and France.
Exams and free courses
| Greek | Italian | |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Certificate of Attainment in Greek, from the Centre for the Greek Language: six levels, A1 to C2 | Four official certifications in the CLIQ association; CILS has six levels, A1 to C2 |
| Passing | Every skill must be passed | CILS: the pass threshold must be reached in every skill |
| Next dates | 11, 12 and 13 May 2027; registration 1 February to 14 March 2027 | CILS, all levels: 3 December 2026, with registration by 24 October |
| Key levels | B2 allows foreign nationals without a Greek secondary school certificate to register at a Greek higher education institution | B1 is the level required for Italian citizenship; B2 is valid for study and work in Italy |
| Free study | Staellinika, the Greek foreign ministry's free platform, at beginner level | The Open University's three free beginner courses; BBC archive |
How to choose
- You want results sooner: Italian, at 24 weeks of classes against about 44.
- Your plans are in Greece or Cyprus, or your family is Greek: Greek.
- Your plans are in Italy, or you are applying for Italian citizenship: Italian.
- You want a base for French, Spanish or Portuguese later: Italian.
- You enjoy a new alphabet and the roots of scientific English: Greek.
- You want both: start with the one you will use first. They sit in different State Department categories, so treat them as separate projects.
Language Lab offers both. Its Greek and Italian courses are built around voiced real-life scenarios with an AI tutor.
Frequently asked
Is Greek harder than Italian?
For English speakers, yes. The US State Department lists Italian at 24 weeks of classes in Category I and Greek at about 44 weeks, or 1,012 class hours, in Category III.
Are Greek and Italian similar?
Not closely. Italian is a Romance language, of Latin origin. The BBC's guide describes Greek as an independent branch of the Indo-European family. They use different alphabets.
Do I need to learn a new alphabet for Greek?
Yes. The Greek alphabet has 24 letters. The BBC's guide calls Greek fairly easy to learn to read, because most letters and sounds already exist in English.
Which has more genders, Greek or Italian?
Greek. It has masculine, feminine and neuter nouns. Italian has masculine and feminine.
Which is more useful, Greek or Italian?
It depends on where you will use it. Greek is official in Greece and Cyprus; Italian is official in Italy and is one of Switzerland's four official languages.
Are there official exams for both?
Yes. Greece's Certificate of Attainment in Greek and Italy's CILS both run from A1 to C2, and both require a pass in every skill.
Sources: US Department of State, National Foreign Affairs Training Center, Foreign Language Training; BBC Languages, A Guide to Greek and A Guide to Italian: 10 facts, Key phrases and The alphabet (archived pages); Centre for the Greek Language, Examination dates, Institution and usefulness, and Guide to the examination; Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece, announcement of 16 January 2024 on staellinika.com; Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy, Certification; University for Foreigners of Siena, CILS Centre; The Open University, OpenLearn, Getting started with Italian. Checked on 13 October 2026. Photo: Akronafplia castle and the old town of Nafplio, George E. Koronaios / CC0 (Wikimedia Commons).
