Thread: Best way to learn Russian?

Hello everyone, I'm looking to learn Russian. I have all three Pimsleur courses at my disposal.

So what do you think is the best way to learn Russian?

Should I learn the Cyrillic alphabet first, or just start out with Pimsleur right away? When should I start using a textbook? What about the free Princeton courses? Would it be a good idea to learn the 1000 most frequent words in Russian using Anki and at which point should I start doing so?

Anyone willing to shed some light on what would be the best way to combine the myriad of resources that is available is very much welcome.

P.S. I play a game called World of Warcraft, which has Russian servers and a Russian version of the game client. I suppose this could support my learning of Russian at some point?

best way to learn russian is reading, saying, writing every day.
I start learn english two month ago, and now i can read, but for the present i can`t write , i hope correct this situation ))

Originally Posted by Melnik

best way to learn russian is reading, saying, writing every day.
I start learn english two month ago, and now i can read, but for the present i can`t write , i hope correct this situation ))

In my opinion, you have to do a lot of work on your own. Study grammar rules, learn unknown words, ask questions for every little or silly thing that you may come across. Listen to russian songs (so that you get familiar with the pronunciation) and watch russian movies. Listen to radio. Read as many articles as possible, of various content. Even read easy books, say for kids, at least for the beginning.
In general, you should read, study, listen, ask, read, study, listen, ask and last but not least, find someone to practice the language orally!
Good luck!

Also, little by little, you can start typing words, then phrases and then a whole text. You have to be patient in the beginning.
Don't forget to pay attention to the russian handwriting, which differs from typed texts!

Best way to learn Russian is to find russian girlfriend =)

sure this is the best way
we just provided an alternative, in case he already has a non-russian girlfriend

Originally Posted by Irene Gomez

Best way to learn Russian is to find russian girlfriend =)

Where does one find one of these? Russian women seem to be in short supply in England, which is a pity cuz Russian women are hot

(Not as hot as Ukrainian women though ehehehe)

Originally Posted by Demonic_Duck

Where does one find one of these? Russian women seem to be in short supply in England, which is a pity cuz Russian women are hot

(Not as hot as Ukrainian women though ehehehe)

Agreed hehe.

BTT: I found my ukranian girlfriend on mylanguageexchange.com. It's an awesome site, you can find russian/ukrainian women who are learning a language and they will help you with their Russian skills. And in my case, we fall in love in each other and visited each other often which also helps a lot to get into the language.

So what do you think is the best way to learn Russian?
Going to Russia! After 6 months, 4 of which in Russia I'm still stuck on level A2, I cannot imagine solely studying this language in Norway EVEN with all the native speakers in my home country...

Should I learn the Cyrillic alphabet first, or just start out with Pimsleur right away?
Both at the same time. I mean use the Cyrillic alphabet, don't convert words to the regular alphabet.

When should I start using a textbook? After you have done some listening to Pimsleur and writing in Cyrillic.
What about the free Princeton courses? I don't know what those are.
Would it be a good idea to learn the 1000 most frequent words in Russian using Anki and at which point should I start doing so?
Not yet.


P.S. I play a game called World of Warcraft, which has Russian servers and a Russian version of the game client. I suppose this could support my learning of Russian at some point?
Yes.

I mean use the Cyrillic alphabet, don't convert words to the regular alphabet.

What is 'regular' alphabet? Do you think Latin alphabet is regular and all the other are irregular?

Originally Posted by xpl0itz

Should I learn the Cyrillic alphabet first, or just start out with Pimsleur right away?

Learn the Cyrillic alphabet first, then do Pimsleur. Use the transcript to make flashcards in anki after each lesson. That way you get to practice your reading skills as soon as you start Pimsleur.

Originally Posted by xpl0itz

When should I start using a textbook? What about the free Princeton courses?

After finishing Pimsleur, you have 2 options IMO. Either start working with a tutor immediately to learn conversation, or start going through a textbook. Actually, you could do both if you have time. The Princeton course is essentially a text book with more than the usual amount of audio, and more colloquial than usual. It is quite excellent.

Originally Posted by xpl0itz

Would it be a good idea to learn the 1000 most frequent words in Russian using Anki and at which point should I start doing so?

IMO, learning words that you've never seen is rarely if ever a good choice. Just put all new words that you encounter in your normal studies into anki, and that should keep you plenty busy without adding stuff you haven't seen in context.

Originally Posted by xpl0itz

Anyone willing to shed some light on what would be the best way to combine the myriad of resources that is available is very much welcome.

These are just my personal preferences. You are wise to develop your language plan ahead of time like this. Good luck!

Originally Posted by Irene Gomez

Best way to learn Russian is to find russian girlfriend =)

haha someone told me I should find a Russian boyfriend. Too bad it's not so easy :P