Customer Reviews

Swahili

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This is an abridged Pimsleur method, of 5 CDs I believe. It's hard to teach Bantu languages at the elementary level because plurals and pronouns change according to word classes. This method does not warn anyone (e.g. in the insert) that this is an issue, so the learner believes that s/he is learning permanent words. There should have been more practice with 2-3 categories at least, and explanations. It's a pity because several lessons are wasted in eternal orders of food and beer. Overall very few new words are introduced, and not even all the numbers from 1 to 10 are taught.
I use Pimsleur a lot, but this product is disappointing. The company should either do Bantu languages reasonably or not do them at all.
What to get instead? Skip the 'teach yourself swahili' for later, the current book is completely unrealistic and done for geniuses. Go to the free download site for the old Foreign Service Institute methods and get the entire 150 lesson Swahili with audio files. Those old methods may be boring, but that product is extremely detailed, gives endless drills on the noun classes, and it works!

Should one buy Rosetta stone? This unusually expensive method has been criticized a lot, and since they are litigious, I will not discuss further.