# My oral/listening comprehension is lacking



## Charlie Parker

I have a fairly good grasp of the ancient language, but I am only beginning my adventure in Modern Greek. I find that I read almost anything with the aid of a dictionary, but my comprehension of the spoken word is lacking. I have to ask my teacher to repeat everything slowly and sometimes to write it for me. How can I say this? Here is my attempt: Η ακουστική κατανόηση μου λείπει. I would be grateful for any suggestions.


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## Perseas

The established term is "Κατανόηση προφορικού λόγου" (Listening Comprehension).
Α1-Για εφήβους και ενηλίκους


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## Charlie Parker

Thank you, Perseus. Is the rest of my sentence correct? I wasn't sure about the structure.


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## larshgf

Listening Comprehension is one of my biggest problems with greek. When I meet the usual "machinegun-speak" I am totally lost. But I try to get a better grasp of it. For instance by listening to the youtube videos "Easy Greek - Learning greek in the streets". Here people are interviewed on different subjects and it has both greek and english subtitles if you want. You can also slow down the speech velocity. For a small monthly amount you have access to transcription of the speech. These videos might help you Charlie Parker.


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## Perseas

Charlie Parker said:


> Is the rest of my sentence correct? I wasn't sure about the structure.


If "μου λείπει" is correct? You would be understood, the syntax is correct, but it isn't so idiomatic and it isn't so accurate. By accurate I mean that by "μου λείπει" one may understand that you can't understand at all what you hear.

You could say, for example:

Δεν είμαι καλός σε (I'm not good at): Δεν είμαι καλός στην κατανόηση προφορικού λόγου
Δυσκολεύομαι/έχω δυσκολίες (I have difficulties) στην κατανόηση προφορικού λόγου ή ... να κατανοήσω προφορικό λόγο
Δεν κατανοώ εύκολα τον προφορικό λόγο (Ι can't easily understand oral speech)
Έχω πρόβλημα/προβλήματα στην κατανόηση του προφορικού λόγου
Όταν ακούω  Ελληνικά, δεν καταλαβαίνω τι λένε
Έχω πρόβλημα/δυσκολίες στο να καταλαβαίνω τι λένε

When the situation is more severe, you can say:
Έχω αδυναμία στην κατανόηση προφορικού λόγου
Όταν ακούω Ελληνικά δεν καταλαβαίνω τίποτα

PS.  "κατανόηση προφορικού λόγου" is mostly a special term used in examinations' context


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## Charlie Parker

Thank you so much, Perseus. This is exactly what I was looking for, a range of possibilities. That is a great suggestion, larsghf. I have indeed listened to some of those clips on YouTube.


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## sotos

You can show off by using the colloquial new greek "πιάνω" (get). Δεν πιάνω (εύκολα) τα προφορικά.


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## ioanell

Charlie Parker said:


> a range of possibilities


An additional possible expression in the place of "my comprehension of the spoken word is lacking" could be: Υστερώ στην κατανόηση (του προφορικού λόγου)
But, as you know Charlie, this is a universal and intertemporal phaenomenon when someone is learning a foreign language, to be able to effectively grasp oral speech, although they may be able to understand most of its content when they see it in print.


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## Charlie Parker

Yes, I can see that it will take time and patience.


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