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Summary: This is the best quick language course I have found by far
Review: Before I bought the Pimsleur Basic Russian course, I had bought several beginning Russian books and two different sets of beginning Russian tapes. This was over a period of several months. In the eight days it took to go through the Pimsleur course, I made more progress than in the entire previous time. This includes a three week trip to Moscow. Also, the Pimsleur tapes are more interesting so I look forward to doing it each day.
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Summary: A Set of Tapes You Can Actually Complete During Your Commute
Review: Definitely a different approach than other language tapes. I have used other tapes and found them lacking - hard and tough to plow through. These tapes used a repetitive format with a lot of review to instill enough basic Russian to get by. At the same time, there is enough variety to keep it interesting. And they give you the words in building blocks that you can rearrange and use, instead just teaching you a bunch of fixed phrases. In a month and a half I was able to finish the tapes during my drive to work, and prepare for a trip to Russia. I was impressed with some of the techniques: Introduction of numbers in random order to keep you from simply memorizing the string of numbers. Use of slightly different pronounciations to insure that you heard some variety in usage of the same word. Keeping it simple by working mostly on the most immediately needed "I" and "You" verb cases. Introduction of key verbs like "going" that can be used with other verbs to form a simple future tense. While you may not get a ton of vocabulary in 8 tapes, you will get a good foundation that you can easily recall. And its in building block format so you can put it together in different ways - not just canned phrases. All without ever referring to a book or printed words. Obviously, audio tapes will not help you read Russian. And with a different alphabet like Russian, it is also helpful if you learn to phonetically pronounce the letters and words before you go. So if you are planning a visit, these tapes, plus some basics on cyrillic phonetics, will be all you need to do move about, ask basic questions, ride the subway, ask prices, and be a nice all around friendly polite foreigner.
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Summary: Wooooooooopie
Review: Do you know how hard it is to learn Russian? I am only half way through the course and it's just amazing how much I've learned already! I can't get over it. The only drawback is that I would have to purchase the EXPENSIVE unabridge set in order to continue. Why don't they just make it in volumes so that those of us who can't afford it can purchase them by set! Basic, Intermediate, Advanced.......etc...
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Summary: Wooooooooopie
Review: Do you know how hard it is to learn Russian? I am only half way through the course and it's just amazing how much I've learned already! I can't get over it. The only drawback is that I would have to purchase the EXPENSIVE unabridge set in order to continue. Why don't they just make it in volumes so that those of us who can't afford it can purchase them by set! Basic, Intermediate, Advanced.......etc...
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Summary: So Easy
Review: For half a year now I've been wasting my money on little travel-speak Russian books, not realizing Pimsleur was so easy. I took about five Spanish lessons a couple of years ago, mostly for fun (we got these from the library), and when I remembered how good they were I checked for them at the bookstore and found them in Russian. Pimsleur makes it easy to learn Russian, just thirty minutes a day, so I just get up in the morning, get ready, and do my tapes. It doesn't take tons of repition, yet it's also not like the Living Language tapes (sorry, but...) where you listen to it once at record-breaking speed and are expected to know it...twenty rewinds later. However, just two notes: if you want to learn to read/write Russian, find a good book (or a little internet course like I did) to supplement this. Also, if you decide to buy Level I when you finish the first 8 lessons, you do have to repeat a lot because they teach you basically the same information in the first 8 lessons of the "big set" (Do you understand Russian? etc), but they also teach you a couple of things a little differently. For instance, the word order is a little different in a few instances, and instead of teaching you "I want" and "you want," it's "I would like" and "you would like." So you do have to repeat a little, but hey, it helps it stick in your memory. (And if you're impatient like me, you can always fast forward a little.) I definitely recommend this course for the good pronunciation and realistic conversational skills, so go for it.
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Summary: Good choice to learn Russian
Review: I bought this set several months ago and went through it at about a lesson per day, listening to each lesson once in the morning and once in the evening. I was able to carry on a pretty decent conversation with my Russian friends after completing the lessons The Pimsleur "graduated recall" method teaches you to think in your target language, and not just parrot a bunch of canned phrases. You must actually talk back to the tape when prompted by the narrator for this method to work. Of course you may feel silly, but it really works! After using the Pimsleur set I had a good foundation to continue my Russian studies.
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Summary: Pays good attention to accent
Review: I had taken a class in russian prior to buying these tapes, but this program made me pay more attention to how the language is actually spoken. I think repeating after the speakers on the tape has forced me to say sounds in a less-American way and thus made me more understandable to the Russian ear. If you talk back to the tapes and really try to sound like the speakers, these lessons are really beneficial both in vocabulary and in accent elimination. For those who are considering buying the $200+ Pimsleur Comprehensive editions, it gives a taste of the teaching style. And spending $25 dollars before spending $250 may be a good investment, especially if you are not sure you will like it or use it. However, the 8 lessons on these tapes are the same first 8 in the basic comprehensive set though a new edition of the basic 8 lessons comes with a $50 coupon for the comprehensive so you actually come out on top. It's a toss up I suppose. To recap, I think it is a really great program!
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Summary: Great program for learning language
Review: I have done many language programs and the Pimsler system is the best I have come across. One of my favorite features is that words are sounded out back to front, which helps get past the swallowed endings that you get in natural speech. The positive stuff said, the problem with this is that it is just a teaser for the full-blown Pimsleur courses that are really expensive. At least Russian is available in levels 1-3. By level 3 you are almost functional in the spoken language, able to express basic wants and desires, basic narrative, etc. Level 1 does not get you even to basic functionality as a tourist, so how is an abridged course going to do it?
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Summary: Russian: Pimsleur Basic
Review: I have never been good with learning languages but always feel embarrassed when I meet up with people who don't speak English and I cannot speak with them. Recently I have had a lot of dealings with Russian speakers so I wanted to be able to converse with them instead of standing around trying to look friendly but just looking awkward. Enter Russian: Pimsleur Basic. I cannot believe how fabulous these CDs are! My husband, who speaks Russian, compliments me on my accent and I am learning way faster than I could imagine. I do each Track at least 4 or 5 times. The most amazing part to me is that even though I might be making some mistakes while I am doing the sessions when I wake up the next morning I can remember everything perfectly. The other amazing thing is that I am not 'translating' in my head which is what I do with other languages. When I hear a question or reponse on the CD I just answer in Russian without thinking about it in English first. I am just about to order Pimsleur Russian I (I wanted to test it out before I made the investment in the Comprehensive plan). As for not being able to read or write Russian - I will learn that later. For now I am just happy that I can speak (albet limitedly at this point) with my Russian aquaintences. I would recommend this course to anyone!
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Summary: This is the Best and Easiest way to learn!
Review: I just finished the 8-lesson CD course in Russian and in only 2 weeks have been able to speak basic sentences to my Russian friends in Moscow. They are impressed and think I have a special "talent" for learning languages! I have tried 2 other Russian courses that are difficult and simply do not work. This course will teach you proper greetings, asking directions, ordering in restaurants, and how to buy and ask for things. The Pimsluer method is the way to go, no doubt about it. Dedicate the 30 minutes per day and soon you will be conversing in sentences. It is still absolutely necessary you learn the Russian alphabet so that you can read signs, ride trains, and use the metro when you go to Russia. I went last May to Moscow and St. Petersburg and knowing the Russian alphabet saved me. If you are serious about continuing to learn, buy the complete Pimsluer Basic Russian 1 CD set. Note: when trying to learn a new language I suggest using CDs instead of tapes. It is much easier to rewind, stop, pause, etc..from a distance with a remote control than having to physically be if front of the tape player the entire time. Just a suggestion!
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