The language for Greece citizenship: the requirements and how long to learn
Naturalization in Greece means taking the PEGP — a Greek exam at B1 plus topics: geography, history, culture and political institutions. The pass mark is 70 out of 100, but also no less than 40 out of 60 for the language and 20 out of 40 for the topics: you cannot score the overall mark and fail the language. The written part lasts 150 minutes, the oral up to fifteen. Checked against the gov.gr public services portal.
What is required
| Which language | Greek |
| Level | B1 on the Common European Scale |
| Residence term | residence terms depend on the grounds and are set by the citizenship code; the language requirement is the same for everyone taking the PEGP |
| How it is checked | PEGP — the exam for the certificate of sufficient knowledge for naturalization: Greek at a level corresponding to B1, in understanding and producing spoken and written speech, plus the topics “geography”, “history”, “culture” and “political institutions of Greece”. The pass mark is 70 out of 100 in total, but no less than 40 out of 60 for the language and 20 out of 40 for the topics. The written part is 150 minutes, the oral up to 15. |
| Is a language required for the residence permit | For long-term resident status there are Greek courses at level A2 together with history and culture courses — a separate, lower threshold than at citizenship. |
- Greek for the citizenship of Greece: level B1. PEGP — the exam for the certificate of sufficient knowledge for naturalization: Greek at a level corresponding to B1, in understanding and producing spoken and written speech, plus the topics “geography”, “history”, “culture” and “political institutions of Greece”. The pass mark is 70 out of 100 in total, but no less than 40 out of 60 for the language and 20 out of 40 for the topics. The written part is 150 minutes, the oral up to 15.checked against the primary source
- Vocabulary size by level: A1 — about 650 words, A2 — about 1300 words, B1 — about 2400 words. These are lists for German exams; for another language they transfer as an order of magnitude.checked against the primary source
How long it takes to learn
| Daily dose | Hours to B1 | What that means in calendar time |
|---|---|---|
| 20 minutes a day | 350–400 h | about 2.9 years — about 3.3 years |
| 45 minutes a day | 350–400 h | about 16 months — about 18 months |
| 1.5 hours a day | 350–400 h | about 8 months — about 9 months |
How we help, and what we do not cover
Greek we do have: 4008 words (in size, a vocabulary at the B1 level), audio for every word, a from-scratch script course, a phrasebook by situation and grammar in plain words.
The level in brackets is about vocabulary size and nothing else. The thresholds come from the word lists the Goethe-Institut publishes for its exams: at A1 — about 650, at A2 — about 1300, at B1 — about 2400 ([the B1 list](https://www.goethe.de/pro/relaunch/prf/de/Goethe-Zertifikat_B1_Wortliste.pdf), checked September 7, 2026). The lists are German; for another language they transfer as an order of magnitude. And the main thing: the level is set by skills, and the list is derived from the level — not the other way around — so a dictionary of the right size is still not a passed exam.
What no app alone covers: the level B1 exam has writing and a conversation with a person whose questions do not follow a script. We get you to listening comprehension, reading and a stock of words; for the rest — to a teacher, a prep course or a conversation club. An app that promises to carry you to the exam alone is lying to you.
What to do, step by step
- Open the primary source and check the requirement as of today — it may have changed after our check.
- Find out whether you fall under the exemptions: a degree in the right language or a school certificate often removes the exam entirely.
- Count your own term: 350–400 hours to B1 is not “someday” but a concrete number of sessions a week until your filing date.
- Start with everyday language and listening: in any format, understanding other people's speech gives out first, not your stock of words.
- Three or four months before the exam, add sessions with a teacher — writing and the spoken part cannot be set up without a person.
Frequently asked
Which language is required for the citizenship of Greece?
Greek at level B1 of the Common European Scale. PEGP — the exam for the certificate of sufficient knowledge for naturalization: Greek at a level corresponding to B1, in understanding and producing spoken and written speech, plus the topics “geography”, “history”, “culture” and “political institutions of Greece”. The pass mark is 70 out of 100 in total, but no less than 40 out of 60 for the language and 20 out of 40 for the topics. The written part is 150 minutes, the oral up to 15.
Is a language required for the residence permit in in Greece?
For long-term resident status there are Greek courses at level A2 together with history and culture courses — a separate, lower threshold than at citizenship.
How long will preparation take?
Cambridge puts the road to B1 at 350–400 study hours. At 45 minutes a day that is about 16 months — about 18 months; at twenty minutes, twice as long. It is the board's benchmark, not a promise: the spread between people is wide.
How far can this data be trusted?
The requirement was read on the website of the authority that imposes it: the Greek public services portal gov.gr, the “Participation in the PEGP exams” service. The check date is September 7, 2026, the link is on the page. We do not process paperwork and charge nothing for it, so we have no interest in rounding terms in a pleasant direction.