The challenge of learning any language can be somewhat daunting at first glance. This is especially true for Eastern European languages including Russian.

Russian has a special draw for many. Large ex-patriot Russian communities in America and throughout Western Europe provide a practical source for those wanting to connect with their ancestry. Travel is also another practical motivation for learning Russian especially in light of the booming Russian economy.  While Russia and its former Soviet Republics may not be a popular tourist destination for most Western tourists, the importance of Russian businesses especially those tied to the oil and natural gas industry certainly make learning Russian important for many people.

Another interesting reason for the continued popularity of Russian is the large number of Russian women who marry Westerners.  Russian and women from other former Soviet Republics often study English and their potential suitors learn English.

Whatever the reason, the most important thing to remember is to determine what your goals are and choose the materials that will suit your learning style as well as fit the realistic amount of time you can provide to your studies.

At more than 130 million,  the number of speakers of Russian is significantly more than other European languages and a large variety of resources have been produced for the potential Russian student.

Recommended Modern Russian Language Resources 

Pimsleur Russian 1

This course is focused on conversational Russian and is geared toward an intermediate level proficiency in thirty lessons. Customers can sell sets back when they are done for $120 depending on the vendor. Used sets are also available from site www.usedpimsleur.com.

 
FSI Russian Course

This course produced by the Foreign Service Institute as part of its Russian Basic Course series, provides introductory through intermediate level material. The goal of Foreign Service Institute courses is to provide the English Speaking student’s from any occupational background with practical knowledge and proficiency in their language of interest.

Talk Now Russian

Designed for beginners who want to start learning the Russian language as soon as possible. Whether on business, vacation, or perhaps meeting a foreign visitor, Talk Now! is the disc to get you started.

Vocabulary Russian

Primarily aimed to meet the requirements of children from 4-12, Vocabulary Builder Russian has proven popular with adults too! Speech recording the chance to record cartoons and play them back in your own “cinema”. Nine games of varying difficulty, with points awarded for correct answers. Over 100 words including colors, numbers, actions and simple sentences.

World Talk Russian

World Talk Russian is aimed at intermediate level learners who have already built up some confidence listening to and speaking Russian. The interactive games and quizzes will help to further develop fluency and understanding of the language.  10 Russian language games including ‘Lottery numbers’, ‘What did you say’, ‘Sentence building’, ‘Out to dinner’ and others to help you learn, test and practice your Russian language skills.