Dari Persian, Comprehensive: Learn to Speak and Understand Dari Persian with Pimsleur Language Programs [Audiobook] [Audio CD]

Pimsleur (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 2009 | ISBN-10: 0743571541 | ISBN-13: 978-0743571548 | Edition: 30 Lessons + Reading

Dari, also called "Dari Persian" or "Eastern Persian," is one of the two official languages of Afghanistan, and is the native tongue of about 50% of the population. Dari is one of 3 major Persian dialects. There are many dialects of Dari. Pimsleur's Dari teaches the official form, "Kabuli Dari."

This Comprehensive course includes 30 lessons of essential grammar and vocabulary -- 16 hours of real-life spoken practice sessions -- plus an introduction to reading. Upon completion of this program, you will have functional spoken proficiency with the most-frequently-used vocabulary and grammatical structures. 

• In the first 10 lessons, you’ll cover the basics: saying hello, asking for or giving information, scheduling a meal or a meeting, asking for or giving basic directions, and much more. You’ll be able to handle minimum courtesy requirements, understand much of what you hear, and be understood at a beginning level, but with near-native pronunciation skills.
• In the next 10 lessons, you’ll build on what you’ve learned. Expand your menu, increase your scheduling abilities from general to specific, start to deal with currency and exchanging money, refine your conversations and add over a hundred new vocabulary items. You’ll understand more of what you hear, and be able to participate with speech that is smoother and more confident.
• In the final 10 lessons, you’ll be speaking and understanding at an intermediate level. In this phase, more directions are given in the target language, which moves your learning to a whole new plane. Lessons include shopping, visiting friends, going to a restaurant, plans for the evening, car trips, and talking about family. You’ll be able to speak comfortably about things that happened in the past and make plans for the future.

Reading Lessons are included at the end of Unit 30 to provide you with an introduction to reading Dari, which uses the modified Arabic alphabet. These lessons, which total about one hour, are designed to teach you to sound out words with correct pronunciation and accent. A Reading Booklet to be used with the audio lessons is also included in PDF format.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dr. Paul Pimsleur devoted his life to language teaching and testing and was one of the world’s leading experts in applied linguistics. After years of experience and research, Dr. Pimsleur developed The Pimsleur Method based on two key principles:  the Principle of Anticipation and a scientific principle of memory training that he called “Graduated Interval Recall.”  This Method has been applied to the many levels and languages of the Pimsleur Programs.

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Pimsleur; 30 Lessons + Reading edition (September 15, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743571541
• ISBN-13: 978-0743571548
• Product Dimensions: 12.7 x 10.9 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #503,464 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great way to learn some Dari, great for correct accent and practicing alone, November 30, 2009

By 

J. Zalond (Earth) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Dari Persian, Comprehensive: Learn to Speak and Understand Dari Persian with Pimsleur Language Programs (Audio CD)

These language cd's proved to me to be a very effective learning tool. Besides (or in addition-to) attending a class at a good school (which for Dari is rare), or real-life conversation practice, I think the audio-cd method is the best way to learn a language. This was my first full-course experience with pimsleur, and I am very happy. My future Afghan in-laws say the accent I have developed by listening to these is right-on for the Kabuli or southern accent, and I do not sound "too persian" or too Iranian like people often do when they try to learn this language. I have only minor problems with this product, which I suppose applies more to their overal method, than this particular set (Dari). There were quite a few phrases that my friends say are "very formal" and they would never say in real life, but I think that's expected to some extent with learning any language academically, plus the cd's really down-played most of these words. The sentences go VERY fast sometimes... even native speakers had trouble understanding some of them with one listen; however, I think this is ok because it helps you really learn the language at a conversational speed, you are prepared for a fast-talker! PROS: great accent, great use of formal versus in-formal tense (e.g. tu... hasti), gives you someone to practice talking to when you have no real Afghans around... CONS: the price seems a bit high to me for the amount of material learned, I would much rather reccomend to buy this on ebay: I can really impress someone with my Dari, and also get directions, order tea or coffee, but it is still hard, even after the complete series to have a very in-depth conversation, even just scraping by like I can with languages I studied for only a year or so in school .. another 'CON' I have is when they mention a city name, or street name, they use names in Afghanistan (which to a foreigner sound like completely new words)-- so in other words, when you're learning language just based on sound, I would much rather hear a familiar city or street name like "New York" or "Main Street" etc., instead of adding even more new words into the sentance. One more 'con'... who has a personal CD player these days, other than in their car !!!!?? Pimsleur should really provide free mp3 files with these sets. Was a bit of a chore to load it all my mp3 player. I'd really complain more about the price, but where else will you learn this much Dari by yourself? Great product !! 4-5 'stars' from me.