Hebrew II, Comprehensive: Learn to Speak and Understand Hebrew with Pimsleur Language Programs (Simon & Schuster's Pimsleur) [Audiobook] [Audio CD]

Pimsleur (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0743552547 | ISBN-13: 978-0743552547 | Publication Date: July 10, 2007 | Edition: Unabridged

Hebrew, a Semitic language, is the official language of Israel. It was once considered a dead language with no native speakers, although it remained in use for liturgical purposes. Hebrew was revived as a spoken language in the mid 19th century and today is spoken by over 5 million in Israel.

Can learning another language be as easy as speaking your own? Yes with Pimsleur it’s that easy. Learn on your own time, at your own pace, and wherever you choose. Hebrew II, Comprehensive includes 15 hours of spoken language practice and one additional hour of reading instruction, and is designed to be used after completing Level I.

• In the first 10 lessons, you begin to use the past tense. Structures become more complex and informal speech is introduced. Conversations become fuller, and learners are able to discuss business and social activities, manage shopping situations, and express their interests. As you progress, vocabulary is expanded and fluency increases.
• The next 10 lessons allow you to further combine and build upon known elements, and produce longer and more complex sentences. You learn to bargain with shopkeepers, deal with business situation, get and give medical information, and discuss the weather.
• In the final 10 lessons, you’ve doubled your vocabulary and have several hundred structures to draw upon. You’ll gain experience asking for assistance, finding a location that is some distance away, and using relative structures – faster, slower, etc. Sports and leisure activities are explored, as well as shopping, changing money, and future travel plans. By the end of Level II, you’re speaking at a midintermediate level with nearnative pronunciation, and you are comfortable meeting most social demands and limited job requirements.

Reading Lessons are included at the end of Unit 30. These lessons, which total about one hour, are designed to give you practice reading Hebrew, and to provide you with some insight into Hebrew culture with proverbs, common expressions, and a broad look at some of the things you’ll see when visiting Israel. 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; Unabridged edition (July 10, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743552547
• ISBN-13: 978-0743552547
• Product Dimensions: 13 x 11.4 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #371,797 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #100 in Books > Education & Reference > Foreign Languages > Hebrew > Instruction

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for easy conversational practice, August 31, 2007

By 

Adam Helberg (Tustin, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Hebrew II, Comprehensive: Learn to Speak and Understand Hebrew with Pimsleur Language Programs (Simon & Schuster's Pimsleur) (Audio CD)

I've only had this a couple of days and have worked only with the first two lessons, but can already tell it's excellent. Whereas the Pimsleur I uses helper verbs (such as rotze and yaHol) with the infinitives, level II starts with verb conjugations in present and past tense.

Not sure how well it would work as the only Hebrew course, as I've already studied some Hebrew grammar and am familiar with basic verb conjugation, but it is great for easy conversational practice. It's like having a private teacher. I listen to it on my iPod while walking, after having converted to .m4b format so the tracks can be bookmarked and changed in speed.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for practice and review., August 1, 2009

By 

Tom Trueman "language scholar" (Vancouver, BC Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hebrew II, Comprehensive: Learn to Speak and Understand Hebrew with Pimsleur Language Programs (Simon & Schuster's Pimsleur) (Audio CD)

I agree that these courses are expensive, unless you research sources that sell them for less. (Other courses like Rosetta Stone and Linguaphone are even more expensive, of course.)

I think that, when used in conjunction with a good outline of the structure of the language, though, these courses are wonderful. I wanted practice in SPEAKING and UNDERSTANDING the language. I did NOT want to spend time puzzling out written material I wasn't sure I was even pronouncing properly.

Many linguists agree that, with a language with a radically different writing system like Hebrew, it's much more EFFICIENT to learn orally, or with a transliteration. Later, when you have a good mastery of how it all works, that is the time to learn how it's represented in writing. Otherwise the learner bogs down when swamped with unnecessary details.

I have Hebrew I and II, and will be buying III as soon as it's available. This was exactly the kind of material I needed.

Another reviewer says: "They intentionally teach what most experts deem 'lazy Hebrew'. This is especially noticeable in the negative. Essentially they teach one to say 'I no want' instead of 'I do not want' etc. It gets the point across but it is incorrect and must be unlearned later."

I disagree strongly with this. If you've lived in Israel as I have, and have spoken with native speakers, you'll find that this so-called "incorrect" form is what virtually all native speakers actually USE in informal conversation. They say "Ani lo rotse" for "I don't want" -- and if you use a supposedly "correct" form like "Eyneni rotse" you get raised eyebrows and chuckles, because it sounds so stiff and formal.

And speaking of so-called "correct" usages, learners are constantly being taught forms that sound stilted and pedantic to the average native speaker. I don't think this helps the learner at all. Unless you're a radio announcer or a professor, for example, you don't say "u-vi-shkalim", you say "ve-be-shkalim".

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Continuity with Hebrew I needs improvement, October 8, 2008

By 

AZChip (Arizona) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hebrew II, Comprehensive: Learn to Speak and Understand Hebrew with Pimsleur Language Programs (Simon & Schuster's Pimsleur) (Audio CD)

I really like the Pimsleur course. However, I've completed the Hebrew I course (of course), and find that several words are being "retaught" -- and they're not difficult words. (e.g., "gar" -- he lives) Also, the reading lessons, instead of assuming you've been through Hebrew I's reading lessons, start off assuming you need to learn the alphabet (again), rather than picking up where Hebrew I left off.

Still a decent product, but would be much better if it "flowed" better from Hebrew I.