Customer Reviews

Russian, Q&S: Learn to Speak and Understand Russian with Pimsleur Language Programs (Pimsleur Quick and Simple)

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I already speak English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, and have studied Latin. I bought a Berlitz book some years back and tried to use it to study Russian but soon gave up. It was a good thing, too. The Pimsleur course taught me that the Berlitz book was teaching the WRONG PRONUNCIATION for at least half the words.

After 4 days with the Quick and Simple set of CDs, I was able to invite a Russian girl to go to a hotel with me. And she said I spoke Russian quite well. That was after 4 days with the Pimsleur course! I ran out and bought the 30 lesson course. Of course!

But I do have a few questions. Why in the Quick and Simple course do they pronounce "wine" as "vinnAH" and in the Russian I course do they pronounce it as "vinnOH"? In the Q&S they say "wee-pit" for drink, and in the Russian I they just say "pit". Why?

Seriously, y'all quit arguing over whether Pimsleur has a better linguistic theory, and just get the CDs and start listening to them. I did it in the car, and it works fine. Pretty soon you are answering the questions all by yourself and shocked at how fast you are learning. Buy a Russian dictionary so you can look up some of the words that may be hard to hear well because they have too many soft consonants, such as the word for "beer".

Then, after you have gone through all those lessons, you can tackle a heavier-duty study of grammar and vocabulary. But meanwhile, you can make Russian girls giggle and maybe even go out with you.

I am having a blast learning with this program. It is very repetative and that is crucial to having the information STICK! I have learned that some of the words used are words "no one uses" from my Russian family members. That was a bummer after I learned to say it. All in all I am learning and the speakers on the Cd are very clear talking you through each part of the new and foreign words.