Customer Reviews

Farsi

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This set of CDs or tapes will get you started in basic Farsi. The teaching principle is sound linguistically in that it offers ample opportunity to repeat words in different contexts and teaches grammar by example in a transformational setting. However, if what you are looking for is a long list of grammatical constructions and explanations or vocabulary lists, this is not for you. You will learn basic greetings, how to ask for directions, and how to invite someone to go shopping or out to eat, as well as proper forms of address and how to tell time, but that is about the extent of the vocabulary used. However, you will also learn basic verb forms, and how to construct sentences intuitively, and when you learn new words from other sources, it will be easy to use the words in grammatically correct sentences based on what the CD teaches you. This is an excellent starting point, but by no means does it cover all possible grammatical constructions nor provide extensive vocabulary. What it does do is give you an intuitive feel for the structure of the language and the pronunciation of words. Some of my friends are Iranian, and I had managed to pick up a few words by listening to them converse, but after using this program for an hour a day for about 2 weeks, I was able to understand and follow much of their conversation, though I still cannot speak well. I agree that there needs to be either an expansion of what is currently on the program, or an intermediate and advanced course developed.

I received this CD to learn farsi so I could speak the language with my potential in-laws. All my my fiance's family is from Iran and I wanted to learn the language so I could speak their native language with them and got this CD hoping it would help me out. While I was not upset with my purchase, I wished that the lessons went further into vacabulary. While the other review here is correct, the pronunciation is very good and you can learn the pronunciation very well here, there is not nearly enough on how to speak the language. I am lucky, that I have my fiance, who is fully fluent in farsi (and her family) to teach me more. If not for that I would have been disappointed with this CD. While this CD is a great start, more would definately been better. The lessons at first moved to slow, and then by lesson 7 and 8 they went to fast, then lesson 9 and 10 were to slow again. A second lesson CD package (like Farsi II) would be nice, but more farsi language in this first CD package would have been better.

I completed this course while concurrently using the Rosetta Stone software, and I'd like to offer a review which compares the two:

PRACTICALITY:
Pimsleur wins. You'll learn how to ask for directions, order in a restaurant, make introductions, haggle with a merchant, etc. After a similar amount of time spent using Rosetta, you'll know how to say things like, "These two girls are wearing red dresses and riding bicycles."

CONTENT:
Rosetta wins. I'm paying $100 to use Rosetta online for three months, compared to $140 for the complete Pimsleur comprehensive course. In the amount of time it took me to complete the Pimsleur course, I've learned much more vocabulary from Rosetta.

RETENTION:
Pimsleur wins. While this could partly be because it has less content than Rosetta, I feel that the Pimsleur method is still much better for fostering retention.

READING:
Rosetta wins. Reading is ingrained to every lesson, whereas Pimsleur has audio lessons with a separate small set of reading lessons.

OVERALL:
Both are great. Pimsleur will get you up to speed fast enough to encourage you to keep learning, while Rosetta probably offers more in-depth training over the long term. They also reenforce each other pretty well.

I purchased this item prior to a trip to Iran and found it very effective. During my 16 days in Iran, I was surprised that I used just about every single phrase that I learned from the program--including phrases that I didn't expect to use.

It is indeed short on vocabulary. Some great complementary tools are Your First 100 Words in Persian, which is quite good for learning the writing system, and Lonely Planet Farsi (Persian) Phrasebook. Beware that in the Lonely Planet book, the transliterated Persian and the Persian script do not always say the same thing! (Same meaning, but slightly different phrasings etc.)

In any case I believe I finished the program with the equivalent of a solid semester of Persian at the college level, so it is certainly worth the price, in my opinion.

The Pimsleur system pretty much uses the same language lesson and teaching technique and translates it into as many foreign languages as they could hire speakers willing to make the recordings. The Farsi course is a slimmed down "beginner" version of this language learning course. It is excellent for training you in pronouncing the words correctly and in mastering a limited vocabulary of "essential conversation" terms. However, all conversations use the formal "you" form. Pretty much, it's set to give you enough skills for a quick business trip. If you want a more extensive understanding of the language, supplement the Pimsler course with a book and or another tape/cd course.

Salaam ...
This is a great course, but it really needs a sequel (or two). About 2/3 of the way through it, I also started working with a tutor. She was able to clear up some of the minor points I was missing (e.g. some of the pronunciation issues I was having). The biggest drawback of the Pimsleur method is the lack of a written text (even transliterated) or vocabulary list to refer to. That said, however, the course is great for independent study, especially by those of us who spend too much of our lives inside a 4-wheeled commuter box.

Some folks have tried to compare Pimsleur with Rosetta Stone. Don't bother. That's like trying to compare horses to cats. They are completely different animals. My preferred method is to do Pimsleur first in whatever language you're trying to learn. At least do Level One. This will give you a feel for how the language sounds and fits together, making further study more productive. THEN you will find Rosetta to be much more helpful. Rosetta will clear up whatever lingering pronunciation mysteries you may have, address reading and expand your vocabulary. Use both systems, but do the Pimsleur first, IMHO.

The Pimsleur program wins, by far. While deployed in Afghanistan, I spent hours each week for two months going through written texts, Rosetta Stone, etc. I learned how to read and write Farsi/Dari quite a lot, but that did not translate into effective conversational skills. I became very frustrated. After a single Pimsleur lesson, I was able to carry on a simple, polite, friendly conversation with locals about who I am, what I can speak, where I'm from, etc and my frustration evaporated.
The lessons progress at the right pace and appropriate high-yield material is added with each to allow conversational skills FROM THE START, something not accomplished with Rosetta Stone. Each subsequent lesson allows more sophisticated conversation and was very rewarding. The ability to participate in a conversation, even a simple one, EARLY, is crucial. Without that the learner becomes discouraged and loses interest. This discouragement plagues Rosetta Stone users often as the ability to converse meaningfully does not come rapidly with Rosetta Stone because it does not introduce high-yield items early. The science and philosophy of the Pimsleur method is sound and well-researched. My regret is that the Pimsleur program does not offer Farsi beyond Comprehensive Level I. I wish it did, because it is the most useful program out there.
It has my strongest recommendation for those who which to acquire friendly, polite, conversational ability EARLY.

This is really a splendid introduction to Farsi. The pronunciation is clear, voices interesting and indigenous, and material pertinent to a commencement in Farsi. I really do not understand why this course's reputation is MUCH less than any other of Pimsleur respectable courses. Whatever Pimsleur teaches in one language, it teaches EXACTLY the same thing in each of its other ones. What you learn in Farsi is precisely what you learn in Italian, Spanish, German, etc. It is not illogical to expect that the ratings of each Pimsleur set should all be the same. Apparently I was mistaken in that regard. If you're interested in Farsi Pimsleur series and are skeptical concerning this course's efficacy, check the reviews regarding Pimsleur's publications in major languages (French, Italian, Spanish, German, and Japanese). The reviewers there at least know what they're talking about. Again, Pimsleur is a perfectly approachable and preliminary first taste of modern Farsi.

I have been using Mace's Intro to Modern Persian, his Grammar book, and a couple of dictionaries. However, I have had no speakers to listen to or teacher to interact with. These CDs helped a great deal and gave me practice listening and speaking in
a more active environment. I look forward to Levels II and III.

Kheili Motoshakkeram,
Omar Khayyam

Learning any language, especially one written in a different script, can pose quite a challenge. With the Pimsleur audio-based method of active participation and "organic learning", one forgoes (procrastinates?) this initial hurdle of learning a new script which, from my perspective as a student of numerous languages of the Middle East, is definitely for the better. If you have the slightest interest in Persian, I highly encourage you to start here, with Pimsleur, before buying any textbook that promises to teach you Persian in 2 fortnights while walking your dog with your shoelaces untied or other such ridiculous notions that publishers will use to get you to buy their product these days.

This particular edition has 30 half-hour lessons compared to the "Basic Farsi (Persian)" which merely has 10. The one main reason why I strongly recommend Pimsleur for languages written in another script, or even non-phonetic languages that use the Latin alphabet, is that you jump right into active language learning without immediately tackling a difficult script (which is off-putting for most people) or gimping yourself by relying on transliteration (which despite being initially attractive is worse in the long run). That way, once you learn the Persian alphabet down the road, you will already know some basic vocabulary and it will make working with the Perso-Arabic script a LOT easier!

If your goal is to make small talk with some Iranian co-workers or friends, then Pimsleur Persian is the absolute best choice for you. If your goal is to navigate the classical Persian poetry of Sa'di, Hafiz, Rumi and Omar Khayyam, then Pimsleur Persian is still the best place to start. If you do not wish to continue with Persian after going through each lesson, then that is rather unfortunate and I have an overwhelming feeling of sadness for you. If, however, you are like me and wish to continue an academic study of Persian but are nonetheless confused about what to buy next, I recommend the following two books to use: the OLDER edition of Modern Persian (Teach Yourself), by John Mace and/or Farsi (Spoken World), by the good folks at Living Language.