RESOURCES FOR LEARNING RUSSIAN

Here are the resources I consider essential to learn how to speak Russian.

NATIVE
SPEAKERS:
150,000,000

OFFICIAL
LANGUAGE IN:
5 COUNTRIES

Full disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.



FAVORITE COURSES AND APPS TO IMPROVE YOUR RUSSIAN

RussianPod101 - Offers an innovative, fun, and easy to use language learning system that is designed to get you speaking from the very first lesson. Learn at your own convenience and pace with our short, effective, and fun audio podcast lessons, a comprehensive, state-of-the-art Learning Center, and a vibrant user community.

Glossika Russian - Sentences and repetition are used to teach. Glossika teaches you Russian in context by combining the "mass sentence approach" with an innovative spaced repetition system. This course is ideal for upper-beginner to advanced students.

Assimil Russian - The Assimil method for teaching foreign languages is through the listening of audio cd's and the reading of an accompanying book, one side native language, one side foreign language. This method is focused on learning whole sentences, for an organic learning of the grammar. It begins with a long passive phase of only reading and listening, and eventually adds active exercises.

Ling - Learn and play with Master Ling, an interactive platform filled with language courses, quizzes, and fun mini-games! Lessons are taught through engaging games, such as picture matching, flashcards, and sentence arrangement to keep you up and going. Plus, it’s got an engaging chatbot you can practice with!

Mondly - Is a great starting point for beginners, but it’s also full of lessons for intermediate and advanced students! Improve your Russian pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary with this handy app, as it arranges its lessons into short, digestible units. Complete with games and an achievement leaderboard, it’s the perfect platform to study and practice with! On top of that, you can use Mondly’s hands-free format to record and practice your speech.

Mango Languages - Mango utilizes its proprietary methodology, engaging interface, and easy, intuitive interactive tools to deliver practical conversational skills and valuable cultural insight for new languages. Lessons include strategically placed memory-building exercises to help users remember what they are learning in addition to critical thinking exercises, which help them to intuitively understand the language and adapt it to similar conversations.

Bluebird Languages - Bluebird uses the proven “spaced repetition” learning method to optimize both acquisition and retention. This, combined with instruction in 97% of the world’s most-spoken languages and our special building-block approach, will have you speaking and understanding the language of your choice in record time.

Mimic Method Russian - Helps you understand Russian's "sound system," so you can enhance your pronunciation and sound more like a native speaker. We all learn our first language by hearing it, so why not learn Russian by hearing it as well?

MOSALingua - From absolute beginner to advanced level, this app uses audio flashcards to teach you Russian. The MOSA Learning® approach is founded on cognitive science principles, allowing you to learn Russian more quickly and effectively.

RUSSIAN PRONUNCIATION

Forvo - Find out how to pronounce any Russian word. Simply put the word you're looking for into the search bar in Russian!

RUSSIAN TUTORS: PRACTICE WITH NATIVE SPEAKERS

My method to learning a new language is to speak it from the beginning. I recommend the following tool for this:

Italki - On Skype, it links you with native Russian speakers for spoken practice. You may pay for (affordable) one-on-one video sessions with Russian teachers or discover a free language exchange partner! This link will take you directly to the site's Russian instructors.

RUSSIAN GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY

Russian Dictionary Tree (by Cornell) - Is a Russian-English dictionary that presents many alternatives, discusses the differences between them, and provides context information.

LEARN HOW TO READ AND WRITE IN RUSSIAN

Colloquial Russian - Colloquial Russian provides a step-by-step course in Russian as it is written and spoken today. Combining a user-friendly approach with a thorough treatment of the language, it equips learners with the essential skills needed to communicate confidently and effectively in Russian in a broad range of situations.

Teach Yourself: Complete Russian Beginner to Intermediate Course - A Teach Yourself Guide provides you with a clear and comprehensive approach to Russian, so you can progress quickly from the basics to understanding, speaking, and writing Russian with confidence.

Learn Russian The Fast And Fun Way - Barron's popular Fast and Fun Way foreign language learning programs are designed primarily for travelers to foreign countries but are also suitable for instruction in classrooms and language labs. Learn Russian the Fast and Fun Way is filled with cheerful illustrations, word lists, pull-out vocabulary flash cards, and language-learning exercises that take the form of games and puzzles. The book teaches appropriate words and phrases for greetings and introductions, finding one's way in cities, dining, shopping, getting hotel accommodations, telephoning, seeking medical help, reading road signs, and more.

Short Stories in Russian for Beginners and Short Stories in Russian (Intermediate) - Short stories has been written especially for students from beginner to intermediate level, designed to give a sense of achievement, and most importantly - enjoyment! Eight captivating stories will entertain you in a variety of exciting genres, from science fiction and crime to history and thriller - making reading fun, while you learn from a wide range of new vocabulary, and give you a feeling of progress when reading.

Living Language - Russian, Complete Edition is a unique multimedia course in Russian that takes you from a beginner to an advanced level in one convenient package.

RESOURCES FOR INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED RUSSIAN LEARNERS

LingQ - 1000s of hours of Russian podcasts, audiobooks, interviews, courses, and more immerses you in a world of engaging Russian material. Then, whenever you come across a word you don't recognize, you may use LingQ's SRS learning features to store it for later review.

Clozemaster - Answers the question: after Duolingo, what's next? Clozemaster aids in the quick expansion of your vocabulary by allowing you to learn Russian in context. You'll utilize the Cloze technique to fill in the blanks in thousands of Russian phrases. The sentences you'll learn are far more practical than the ones you'll learn on Duolingo.

START SPEAKING RUSSIAN RIGHT NOW

Pimsleur – The Pimsleur method is perfect for you if you want to start speaking right away. Learn anywhere, anytime in just 30 minutes a day. Learn a language while cooking, commuting, exercising and more! Have the flexibility to practice when it’s convenient for you.