Greek translation services
ΕλληνικάLEXIGO provides NAATI certified Greek translation across Australia, home to one of the largest Greek-speaking communities outside Greece. We translate Greek to English and English to Greek for government, aged care, legal and business clients, and certify Greek birth, marriage and citizenship documents for Home Affairs, state road authorities and the Greek consulates. Every job is checked by a second native-speaking translator.
Greek translation for individuals, business and government
Personal documents
NAATI certified Greek translation of certificates, licences and transcripts.
From $69.90 + GST per document
Express within 48 business hours
Order online →Business and enterprise
Websites, marketing and transcreation in Greek.
ISO 27001 certified, with an API
Request a quote →Government and health
Community review of Greek materials before release.
NAATI Endorsed LSP950085, 50+ departments
Talk to our team →
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LEXIGO translates Greek to English and English to Greek for individuals, businesses and government across Australia, home to one of the largest Greek-speaking communities outside Greece. Every translation is done by a NAATI certified translator working into their first language, then independently reviewed before release.
Greek is an Indo-European language with a documented history spanning over 3,400 years, making it one of the oldest recorded living languages in the world. Modern Greek is spoken by approximately 13 million people, primarily in Greece and Cyprus, and by substantial diaspora communities worldwide.
In Australia, 221,856 people speak Greek at home according to the 2021 Census, making it the sixth most commonly spoken language other than English. Melbourne has one of the largest Greek populations of any city outside Greece. Sydney also has a substantial Greek community, with smaller but significant communities in Adelaide, Brisbane, and Perth.
Greek migration to Australia began in the nineteenth century but accelerated dramatically in the 1950s and 1960s, when hundreds of thousands of Greeks settled in Australian cities under assisted migration programs. This wave created the foundation of an extraordinarily well-established community with deep influence on Australian culture, business, and public life. Greek Australians have contributed significantly to every sector of Australian society, and Greek cultural institutions, festivals, and media are prominent features of multicultural Australia.
Modern Greek is written in the Greek alphabet, one of the oldest alphabets in continuous use. The alphabet consists of 24 letters and includes characters unfamiliar to English readers, though many letters have direct or approximate Latin equivalents. Greek uses a monotonic accent system (simplified from the earlier polytonic system in 1982), where a single accent mark indicates the stressed syllable.
Like Italian, the Greek-speaking community in Australia has an ageing first-generation cohort now primarily in their seventies and eighties. Second and third-generation Greek Australians often maintain varying degrees of Greek language ability, with many speaking conversational Greek but preferring English for complex or professional communications. Community organisations, Greek-language media, and cultural events continue to sustain active Greek language use across generations.
For organisations, Greek translation services are particularly critical in aged care, healthcare, and government services. The ageing demographic profile means accessible Greek-language health communications are essential. Greek also remains important for legal services, particularly regarding wills, property matters, and aged care arrangements where first-generation Greek Australians need to understand their rights and options fully.
What makes Greek translation different?
Greek Alphabet and Encoding
Greek uses its own alphabet, which requires proper Unicode support across all digital platforms. While modern systems generally handle Greek well, legacy systems, PDFs, and some email clients may encounter rendering issues. Font selection is important — the Greek character set must be complete, including accented vowels and special punctuation marks.
Katharevousa vs Dimotiki
Historically, Greek had two competing written forms — the archaic Katharevousa and the vernacular Dimotiki. Modern Greek has largely standardised on Dimotiki since the 1970s, and all contemporary translation should use this form. However, some older Greek Australians may be more familiar with Katharevousa-influenced vocabulary, particularly in formal or religious contexts.
Gendered Language
Greek has three grammatical genders (masculine, feminine, neuter) that affect nouns, adjectives, articles, and pronouns. Translated content must account for gender agreement throughout, and addressing mixed or unknown audiences requires careful handling. Greek also has formal and informal second-person forms that carry social significance.
Text Expansion
Greek text typically runs 10-15% longer than equivalent English content. Greek words tend to be longer due to inflectional endings, and the language uses more articles and particles. Layout designs should accommodate this expansion while ensuring readability of the Greek alphabet at chosen font sizes.
Community Demographics
Understanding the audience is critical. First-generation Greek Australians may have limited formal education and respond best to clear, simple language. Second-generation speakers may mix Greek and English and may have stronger conversational than written Greek skills. Content complexity and register should match the intended audience segment.
Religious and Cultural Sensitivity
Greek Orthodox Christianity is central to Greek-Australian cultural identity, and religious references, calendar awareness (Greek Orthodox Easter often falls on different dates), and cultural customs should be understood. However, not all Greek Australians are religiously observant, so assumptions should be avoided.
NAATI Certification
NAATI certified Greek translators are available in Australia, though like Italian, the practitioner pool reflects the community's established rather than growing nature. Medical and aged care translation specialisations are particularly important.
Frequently asked questions about Greek translation
Is a NAATI certified Greek translation accepted by Home Affairs and the Greek consulates?
Yes. Home Affairs, state road authorities, universities and AHPRA accept NAATI certified translations of Greek documents. Greek consulates in Australia also accept NAATI certified translations of Australian documents lodged for citizenship, marriage registration and inheritance matters.
Can you translate Australian documents into Greek for citizenship or property matters?
Yes. Birth, marriage and death certificates, police checks and name change documents are translated into Greek and certified for lodgement with the consulate or a Greek municipality. We follow the layout and terminology Greek registry officials expect.
Where are Australia's Greek-speaking communities?
The 2021 Census recorded 221,856 Greek speakers at home. Melbourne has the largest community, centred on Oakleigh, Clayton and Northcote, followed by Sydney's Marrickville, Earlwood and Kogarah. Most first-generation speakers arrived between 1950 and 1975, so the community's median age is high.
How much does Greek translation cost?
NAATI certified translation of personal documents starts from $69.90 + GST per document. Aged care, legal and marketing content is quoted on word count, subject matter and turnaround. Upload your file for a free quote.
Do you translate for aged care providers serving Greek speakers?
Yes. Older Greek Australians often return to Greek as a first language in later life, so care plans, resident newsletters, consent forms and dementia resources in Greek are a steady request from aged care providers in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide. We use modern monotonic Greek in a respectful, formal register.
How long does Greek translation take?
Standard personal documents such as certificates and police checks are delivered in NAATI Essential 3 to 5 business days, NAATI Economy 1 to 3 business days or NAATI Express within 48 business hours. For urgent documents, NAATI Express is within 48 business hours. Longer legal and aged care documents are scheduled when we quote.