Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Griechisch | [ˈɡʁiːçɪʃ] (narrow) | neuter |
| griechische Sprache | feminine |
The term Griechisch refers to the language of the Greek people. You may also see the phrase griechische Sprache used to mean the Greek language.
Which one should you use?
Griechisch is a neuter noun used to name the language itself. In contrast, griechisch (lowercase) is an adjective used to describe things related to Greece, such as its people, culture or language. To refer to the people, use the nouns Grieche for a man or Griechin for a woman.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When you are referring specifically to the language itself, use the capitalized neuter noun Griechisch.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly capitalize the adjective griechisch in German. Unlike in English, adjectives for nationalities and languages are not capitalized in German unless they are part of a proper name or appear at the start of a sentence.
Did you know?
- The word Griechisch evolved from the Middle High German term kriechisch, which was built from Grieche and the suffix -isch.
- The noun for a Greek person in German changes based on gender, using Grieche for a man and Griechin for a woman.
Examples in context
- Tom mag griechischen Joghurt.Tom likes Greek yogurt.This sentence shows how Griechisch can be used as an adjective for types of food.Tatoeba #6062170 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #5388138 by Hybrid
- Emilie will Griechisch lernen.Emily wants to learn Greek.This sentence demonstrates using Griechisch to refer to learning the language.Tatoeba #2617276 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2617218 by Prophete
- Das ist ein griechischer Name.That's a Greek name.This sentence shows the use of Griechisch as an adjective for a name.Tatoeba #8242424 by Luiaard, translation #5937781 by mailohilohi
- Ich liebe die griechische Küche.I love Greek cuisine.
- Er spricht fließend Griechisch.He speaks Greek fluently.
- Ich interessiere mich für die griechische Kultur.I'm interested in Greek culture.
- 149 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julian and Julia are talking about a foreign language class.
- JulianWelche Sprache lernst du dieses Semester, Julia?Which language are you learning this semester, Julia?
- JuliaIch lerne Griechisch.I am learning Greek.
- JulianIst Griechisch sehr schwer zu lernen?Is Greek very difficult to learn?
- JuliaJa, aber es macht mir viel Spaß.Yes, but I enjoy it a lot.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “greek” translations and entries Griechisch, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Pronunciation from the Wiktionary entry griechisch.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Sprache, griechisch, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
