Cyprusays is a new mobile app built to teach Cypriot Greek as it is spoken today. Created by Sydney-based Effie and Costas Athanassiou, it aims to give structure, audio, and everyday context to a dialect long learned at kitchen tables rather than in classrooms.
Effie and Costas grew up between worlds. Standard Greek in textbooks, Cypriot Greek in family conversations. Cyprusays is their attempt to bridge that gap for anyone who wants to speak like their relatives do, not just like a language course says they should.
What The App Does
The app pairs native-speaker audio with guided pronunciation and bite-size lessons aligned to clear levels. It focuses on real phrases and rhythms that Cypriots actually use, acknowledging regional and generational variety without turning it into a barrier.
For the diaspora, it’s a path back to belonging. For learners in Cyprus, it validates what they already hear on the street. Turning a living dialect into a teachable format signals that local identity belongs in the digital classroom too.
An enthusiastic welcome
The launch TikTok drew enthusiastic responses and practical requests, reflecting both pride and appetite for more learning material.
One TikTok comment posted under a their video read: “Finally I can say «πώς πάει;» exactly like my Yiayia used to!” Another user added: “Love hearing the accent right, it’s so different from Athens Greek.” These responses suggest the app is hitting a cultural sweet-spot; nostalgia, identity and practical utility.
Watch their video here:
https://www.tiktok.com/@cyprusays/video/7564949455082884360?_r=1&_t=ZN-90txEDaGxKo