Once upon a time, it was really hard to learn a new language. If you were an average (not poor, not rich) person living in a rural area, you might have been limited to whatever couple of languages your school offered. If you were out of school, you might not have even had access to that.

And if you lived in an out-of-the-way area and wanted to learn a less commonly spoken language, maybe you could have used your local public library, but there was no way to know if you were even pronouncing things correctly unless you knew a native speaker of your target language.

Online classes let you study a language anywhere

They have a bittersweet reputation for being effective, but expensive. You can read our full review of Pimsleur’s courses and method here.

This post is about the unique features of Pimsleur’s Russian courses. We’ll take a look how the courses can help or hinder your Russian learning and help you decide if they’re a worthy investment.

Summary of Pimsleur Method

(all languages)

Review of: Pimsleur

Use: Audio courses for learning foreign languages

Effectiveness

With Pimsleur you will be able to speak at a functional level

Price

$19.95/month subscription

Time Commitment

Each lesson is 30 minutes

Ease of Use

Lesson are simple: just listen and repeat when prompted

Structure

Pimsleur courses are well designed and structured to teach you a foreign language 

I Like

• Actually gets you speaking & listening
• Functional vocabulary
• Emphasizes pronunciation
• Easy to use
• You can switch between languages

I Don’t Like

• Very formal language
• Little reading and no writing

Summary: Pimsleur courses are known as some of the best audio courses for learning to speak a foreign language. Their method includes a question/recall/response technique that is very effective for helping you internalize the basics of a new language.  Many people who use Pimsleur cite a marked improvement in their speaking abilities.

Pimsleur is also one of the few language courses that focuses heavily on correct pronunciation. This helps a lot when trying to remember new words in a foreign language. 

However Pimsleur courses also have their drawbacks. They  tend to use highly formal language that is too respectful for most day to day situations. The courses are also sometimes criticized for teaching limited vocabulary. 

Pimsleur now offers full access to all of their Russian courses for a monthly subscription of $19.95 per month. They also offer a 1 week free trial so you can try out their courses before pay for anything.

Starting at $19.95/moth subscription

Is Pimsleur Russian right for you?

If you’re a beginner who wants to develop their conversation skills or an intermediate who wants to refine their speaking and listening then Pimsleur Russian may be right for you. 

Advanced students of Russian won’t find as much value in the course. Also if you really want to focus on reading and writing in Russian then Pimsleur isn’t a great fit either. 

Formal Вы vs informal Ты

Russian has two pronouns for the English “you”: “Вы” (formal) and “Ты” (informal). In true Pimsleur fashion Pimsleur Russian primarily uses the formal Вы versus the informal Ты. In fact, if I remember right, you won’t hear Ты until the 3rd course.

A brief explanation on the dif​ference between “Вы” and “Ты”

This is a bit problematic if you’re planning on using Russian in informal situations. Pimsleur was originally aimed at traveling businessmen, so most dialogues involve talking with a stranger saying hello, asking for directions, or inviting them over for dinner.

The formal setting is like one where a very polite English speaker would use the words “sir” or “ma’am”

If you use only the Russian you learn from Pimsleur to talk with your friends you will be understood but you’ll come across as super polite. It’s important to note that each pronoun is used with a different set of verb conjugations, which means you’ll need to practice using both pronouns alongside verbs before you master them.  

So the verbs you use with Вы will conjugate differently than the ones you use with Ты.

Pronunciation & Audio

Pronunciation

Pronunciation is an important part of the Pimsleur method. Each word is broken down by syllable. You repeat each one until you can say the entire word.

This comes in handy because Russian has a lot of long words with unfamiliar sounds. Without breaking them up like this I can’t imagine even trying to say them as a beginning Russian student.

My only qualm about the pronunciation in the course is that I wish Pimsleur would do a better job of explaining some of the unfamiliar sounds in the Russian language.

The narrator will point out that a particular sound is different, but he doesn’t tell you much about how to pronounce it correctly. A short phonetics lesson would go a long way toward improving the course.

For example, right form lesson 1 you’re introduced to the vowel “ы”, one of the most difficult Russian sounds for English speakers. There is little to no information on where to place your tongue. You have to figure it out on your own.

Here’s a visual representation of the Russian “ы” sound compared to the “и” sound. The “и” is similar to English.

Audio

Pimsleur Russian features quality voice actors who do an excellent job of pacing their speech so that it’s not so fast that beginners can’t understand it, but it is still fast enough that it’s challenging. Overall the dialogues sound pretty natural and flow well. This isn’t always the case Pimsleur with courses, but here the Russian ones stand out.

Only 3 Levels

Pimsleur only offers Russian in 3 levels. Other Pimsleur courses like Latin American Spanish and Mandarin have up to 5 levels. Russian probably has less because it’s a less popular language to learn.

 A Pimsleur course with 5 levels can help you reach an intermediate ability in a language, but with only 3 levels Pimsleur you can expect an upper beginner level of proficiency.

Reading

Pimsleur Russian does provide you with an introduction to the Cyrillic alphabet. Each Russian course comes with a selection of reading exercises.

 In this exercise you a native speaker reads the text out loud while you follow along with the text booklet or pdf. Level 1 readings will start with single words and by level 3 you’ll be reading short sentences.

The readings are okay, but they’re not the best. Russian doesn’t always sound the way its spelled so it can be confusing if you’re new to the language. You may see a vowel pronounced two or three different ways with no explanation as to why.

If you have the patience to work through the readings there’s no doubt you’ll learn something, but to truly get a grasp on reading Russian you should check out a different course.

What other people are saying about Pimsleur Russian

I’ve heard a few posts speak negatively of the Pimsleur course, but I have really enjoyed it. I know not all the translations and words are correct, and I have minor issues, but I look past that. It is a huge foundation of listening to people speak the language, and trying to repeat what they say.

That is something very few other resources are offering. Listening to full sentences with proper grammar and pronunciation, and trying to respond or repeat.

 I am a little worried as well when I complete the Pimsleur course because I will lose my “daily conversation” tool, and just memorizing words and rules I don’t seem to progress as quickly. Only Pimsleur gives me full sentences to speak and think about word order/grammar.

Hypnoz (reddit)

Alternatives to Pimsleur Russian

Rocket Russian

Price

$150

Time commitment

20+ minutes a day 

Summary:

Rocket Russian is built around recorded audio in the form of dialogues. The dialogues have English explanations and usually teach the language in “chunks” or phrases versus individual words (this is great for conversational Russian). 

Rocket Russian isn’t as focused on getting you primed for Russian conversations as Pimsleur, but it is well balanced and provides plenty of content on reading and writing in Russian.

Price

From $4+ per month

Time commitment

15+ minutes a day 

Summary:

Russianpod101 isn’t as structured as Pimsleur but it comes at much cheaper price.  The site features audio lessons in a podcast format. Each lessons is design around a recorded conversation between two native Russian speakers.  Lessons are great for grammar and vocabulary, and the teachers to a great job of keeping things engaging. 

There are a lot of lesson available on the site, and depending on your subscription level there a lot of extra resources like in-site flashcards and lesson transcripts in Russian and English. 

Price

Starts at $15 per month

Time commitment

5+ minutes a day 

Summary:

Fluentu is a site that helps you learn a language through native videos. Use in site flashcards, captions, and games to learn new words in context while watching Russian TV shows, movies, commercials, and more. It’s a great way to push your listening skills and vocabulary. 

Conclusion

At the end of the day Pimsleur’s Russian courses are great for developing your speaking, listening, and Russian accent. They a offer little help with reading Russian, and no help with writing it. Even though there are 3 levels offered, their quality is high by Pimsleur standards.

Pimsleur offers the first lesson of their Russian 1 course for free on their site. If you’re considering purchasing one of their courses it’s a great way to try out their method.

Review of: Russianpod101

Use: Russian learning program made up of audio lessons. The lessons are organized in the style of individual podcasts. 

Effectiveness

Engaging podcasts help you learn words in context. But you’ll have to practice speaking on your own

Price

Free content and monthly plans at $4 to $47 per month

Time Commitment

Each podcast is around 15 minutes long.

Ease of Use

Digital immersion without the tedious work

Structure

Podcasts are sorted by level of difficulty and subject.

I Like

• Over 1,200 podcast lessons
• Free content and affordable price
• Lessons are fun and interesting
• Built in flashcard system

I Don’t Like

• No speaking required
• Limited community features

Summary: At prices from $4 to $47 per month Russianpod101 features over 1,000 audio lessons (podcasts). You are able to work through the podcasts in order of difficulty level or you can bounce around listening to the lessons you find most interesting.

Russianpod101 is an ideal tool for intermediates or those just starting out. If you’re more proficient in the language than it may not be a good fit for you.

The site’s strength is in the way it can help you practice pronunciation and listen to Russian native spekers. It’s also an engaging way of learning new vocabulary and grammar.  

You can access all on the content through the website or through their mobile app. Being able to listen and practice with your smartphone is a great feature.

The site has free content and a 7 day trial available (no credit card required). This makes it easy to try the site out and see if you like it.

TRY RUSSIANPOD101 FOR FREE

Subscription plans starting at $4 per month (Free plan available too)

Is Russianpod101 right for you?

Whether you’re an absolute beginner or have an intermediate level of proficiency in the Russian language, Russianpod101 is a great learning tool.

If you’re Russian speaking abilities are more developed then you might not get as much value from the site because most of their content is for the lower learning levels.

Because Russianpod101 is by and large an audio based site it’s an effective way to practice listening to native Russian speakers. The lessons use primarily scripted conversations and do a good job of explaining new vocabulary and grammar.

Also, if you’re looking for a learning app, Russianpod101 is available for Iphone, Ipad, and Android. It’s a great way to study Russian no matter where you find yourself (assuming you’re not in Siberia and have a phone connection).

Features​

Podcast episodes

Russianpod101’s podcast episodes generally run 10-15 minutes long. Every podcast functions as a Russian language lesson centered on a Russian conversation that has to do with either a grammar rule, cultural fact, or common Russian phrase.  

Russianpod101 provides well structured lessons around difficulty level and subject

Lifelike situations

The Russian conversations are always based on a scenario likely to happen in real life. You listen to a conversation where two people are chatting in a restaurant or accidentally bump into each other on the street. Russianpod101 tries keep their content applicable to the real world so that you learn Russian that you are likely to use.

Conversations are natural and interesting

The podcasts flow fairly naturally. Often the hosts will chime in and share stories or facts that help support the lesson material.

 The tone of each episodes tends be light and sometimes even fun. This helps keeps the podcast fresh and interesting. Other Russian audio course could learn from this.

​Tools & Resources

Russianpod101 also includes an array of learning tools and resources ranging from a russian dictionary, grammar sheets, to word lists. The majority of these tools can be found on the internet for free.

Still there are features available at the premium and premium plus subscription levels that are worth noting; like the flashcards, slow playback, and lesson transcriptions. 

Flashcards

Russianpod101’s flashcard suite uses a spaced repetition system like the one found in Anki or Memrise. Unlike Anki or Memrise you make flashcard on RP101 with one simple click.

If you see word in a lesson that you want to review later simply choose it and add it to your deck. Anyone who’s spent hours compiling their own Anki deck will appreciate this feature.

Slow playback

You can listen to any Russian word from the podcast at normal or reduced speed. This is a great feature that will help you improve your Russian pronunciation and listening skills.

Lesson transcripts

One of the more helpful features are the lesson transcripts. They are great for reviewing and confirming what you hear in the dialogues.

They are one of my favorite study tools because I copy and past the phrases and sentences into word doc and create cheat sheets for the next time I talk with a native speaker. 

Price

Subscription levels​

Russianpod101 comes with 3 different monthly subscriptions: basic, premium, and premium plus. The more months you pay for up front the less you end up paying per month (it’s like buying in bulk).

The basic level starts at $4 a month (for 24 months) and goes up to $8 per month (1 month). You pretty much get all the podcast episodes and not much else. 

The premium level can be as cheap as $10 a month (24 months) or as expensive as $25 per month (1 month). Here you’ll get the entire podcast and the learning tools and resources.

The premium plus level is the highest priced at $22.88 per month (24 months) or as much as $47 per month (1 month). Here you get everything in the premium level along with personal assessment and instruction from a Russian teacher. 

Which subscription is the best?

I’m tempted to say the basic level. In the end do you really have to have much more than the podcast catalogue? At it’s price point it’s a pretty good deal.

The premium level isn’t horrible either. It’s almost worth the price just for the lesson transcripts. The premium plus is the only one I’m weary of. The price is pretty high. You could probably get by with the basic level and then use the money you would’ve spent on premium plus to hire a tutor on Italki.

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Shortcomings of Russianpod101​

No speaking needed

Russianpod101 is a reputable learning tool, but it can’t meet all of your learning needs. It’s great for receiving inputs in the Russian language, but you will need to find Russian speakers in the real world or online to practice producing your own outputs. 

No language learning community

It wouldn’t be hard for Russianpod101 to add to their site a way to connect with other people who use it to learn Russian. With language exchanges and learning sites popping up all the time it’d be cool to see Russianpod101 step up their game a little here.

Best way to use Russianpod101​

Study & review

Russianpod101 works best a daily learning tool to go alongside a Russian course or learning method. To get the most out of it set aside a regular time each day to listen to an episode or two and review a few flashcards.

 You can do this in about 15 minutes depending on how many episodes you listen to. 

Listening & pronunciation​

I probably don’t have to tell you that Russian pronunciation can be painfully difficult.

Use Russianpod101’s slow playback and episode transcripts to help you learn the individual sounds of Russian words and help take the edge of the language’s sound system. Then try to mimic what you hear in your own Russian accent. 

Get most from your time

Most likely your day is full of short periods where you’re waiting, going somewhere, or simply have nothing to do. With Russianpod101 on mobile you can use these periods to get some extra Russian practice in.

Alternatives to Russianpod101

Rocket Russian

Price

$150

Time commitment

20+ minutes a day 

Summary:

Rocket Russian is built around recorded audio in the form of dialogues. The dialogues have English explanations and usually teach the language in “chunks” or phrases versus individual words (this is great for conversational Russian). 

 Rocket Russian is more structured and comprehensive than Russianpod101, and it’s also well balanced and provides plenty of content on reading and writing in Russian.

TRY ROCKET RUSSIAN FOR FREE

Price

Starts at $15 per month

Time commitment

5+ minutes a day 

Summary:

Fluentu is a site that helps you learn a language through native videos. Use in site flashcards, captions, and games to learn new words in context while watching Russian TV shows, movies, commercials, and more. It’s a great way to push your listening skills and Russian vocabulary. 

TRY FLUENTU FOR FREE

Price

$150

Time commitment

30 minutes a day 

Summary:

Pimsleur is probably the second most popular language course behind Rosetta Stone. Pimsleur is entirely audio based and is specifically designed to develop your conversational skills.

They use a unique and effective question/recall/respond technique to get you on your feet in your new foreign language. With Pimsleur You’ll learn a limited but functional vocabulary and have a good sense of pronunciation.

GET YOUR 1ST PIMSLEUR LESSON FREE

Conclusion

Russianpod101 is a fun and effective way to take the edge off your regular russian learning. The podcast lessons are interesting, if not entertaining, and will improve your Russian pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary.But even with all its strengths Russianpod101 lacks the structure of a full Russian course so make sure you use the site along with other Russian materials. Russianpod101 features a free trial that doesn’t requires any payment info, so it’s certainly worth signing up and using the site yourself to test it out.

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