Greek ( Modern Greek : ελληνικά [ eliniˈka ] , elliniká , `` Greek '' , ελληνική γλώσσα [ eliniˈci ˈɣlosa ] , ellinikí glóssa , `` Greek language '' ) is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages , native to Greece and other parts of the Eastern Mediterranean . During antiquity , Greek was a widely spoken lingua franca in the Mediterranean world and many places beyond . In its modern form , the Greek language is the official language in two countries , Greece and Cyprus , a recognised minority language in seven other countries , and is one of the 24 official languages of the European Union . The language is spoken by at least 13.2 million people today in Greece , Cyprus , Italy , Albania , Turkey , and the Greek diaspora .
The Greek language is spoken only outside of Italy.