Ancient Greek as a living language. From the very first class.
Learn Ancient Greek online through private lessons and group courses conducted in the language, plus free videos, audiobooks, and vocabulary. From a Polis Institute graduate with a background in languages from Latin to Classical Chinese.
Graduate of the Polis Institute’s 2-year Fluency in Ancient Greek program
Specializing in Attic prose, with teaching across Homer, Koine, and more
Background in six languages, from Classical Chinese to Latin
Teaching Philosophy
Not a puzzle to decode, but a language to live in.
Language Starts With Life
Traditional Ancient Greek courses have a strange narrowness to them. Students memorize paradigms, learn philosophical terminology, read about wars and politics. But when asked to describe what’s right in front of them, they struggle. The cup of coffee getting cold, the window to the left, the weather outside, objects they see every day, appear as if non-existent. I start from the opposite principle: language acquisition begins with the living appeal of the language, with direct reference to things the learner feels are natural and familiar. This is how we all learned our first language, and it works for Ancient Greek too.
Core Principles
In Ancient Greek From Day One
Classes run in Ancient Greek, whether it’s your first class ever or your first after years of reading Ancient Greek without ever speaking it. You hear, speak, and think in the language from the start.
Restored Pronunciation
I teach the reconstructed pronunciation of classical Greek, pitch accent included, to any student who wants it. Students who prefer Erasmian, Koine, Modern Greek, or any other pronunciation are equally welcome.
Grammar Through Use
Grammar is introduced through stories, sentences, and conversation, not in isolation. By the time a form is named, you’ve already been using it.
How to Learn Ancient Greek With Me
Free content on every platform, private lessons, and group courses. Still undecided? Have a look at my getting started guide.
Group Courses Open for Enrollment
The group courses I’m teaching next, in Ancient Greek. Each links to full details and enrollment.
Hear Ancient Greek Spoken
A sample of the videos I post on YouTube, all spoken in Ancient Greek.
About Me
From Latin to Classical Chinese to Ancient Greek.
My name is Maciek (pronounced MAH-chek), or Ματθίᾱς in Ancient Greek. I grew up in Syria, Poland, and the United States. In high school I studied Spanish, French, and Japanese, and taught myself Latin on the side. I went on to study history at the University of Nottingham and McGill University, and then to Beijing, where two years at Tsinghua University took my Mandarin through the highest level the university teaches, alongside Classical Chinese.