Based on contemporary sociolinguistic research, the paper explores professional encounters and language teaching methods for the acquisition of Modern Greek as a second language. Taking into account a usage-based methodology, the author investigates authentic data and discusses different professional encounters, which depend on the social status of the participants and/or the specificities of the social context. In line with the assumptions of Critical Literacy, it is suggested that a variety is depicted both on the structural organization of the participant’s contributions and on the politeness strategies they exploit. The author concludes that familiarization with the specific linguistic practices employed from real speakers when adapting their contributions, being mindful of their face or the face of their interlocutor, is just as important within L2 classes as the mere teaching of the specific structural features of the genre.