If you’re looking to learn a foreign language but don’t have a lot of time, then the best way to pick up a foreign language is by using Pimsleur Audio courses as long as you keep in mind that the Pimsleur method focuses on achieving conversational proficiency and not reading capability.

Learning with the Pimsleur Method The Pimsleur method takes into account that most people simply don’t have the time to sit down and learn a new language with grammar laden books and audio CDs. This is why the course is audio focused. The author of the Pimsleur method is Dr. Paul Pimsleur . Dr. Pimsleur devoted his life to language teaching and testing and was one of the world’s leading experts in applied linguistics. He was fluent in French, good in German, and had a working knowledge of Italian, Russian, Modern Greek, and Mandarin Chinese. His extensive experience makes Pimsleur one of the most personally researched language programs available.The standard Pimsleur Comprehensive course is the mainstay of the Pimsleur series. Introductory sets are available, though. For Spanish, German and soon to be for French and Italian, 100 Pimsleur lessons available. The majority of languages include at least one thirty lesson course.The Comprehensive I Pimsleur courses includes 30 lessons of essential grammar and vocabulary. A total of 16 hours of real-life spoken practice sessions plus an introduction to reading depending on the language are included.

Pimsleur Level 1

Upon completion of this Level I Pimsleur program You will be able to do the following:

1. initiate and maintain face-to-face conversations
2. deal with every day situations — ask for information, directions, and give basic information about yourself and family,
3. communicate basic information on informal topics and participate in casual conversations
4. avoid basic cultural errors and handle minimum courtesy and travel requirements,
5. satisfy personal needs and limited social demands
6. establish rapport with strangers in foreign countries
7. begin reading and sounding out items with native-like pronunciation.

Pimsleur Level 2Level II Pimsleur will double your vocabulary and grammatical structures while increasing your spoken proficiency exponentially. Upon completion of a Level II, you will be able to:

* engage in fuller conversations involving yourself, your family, daily activities, interests and personal preferences,
* combine known elements into increasingly longer sentences and strings of sentences,
* create with language and function in informal situations,
* deal with concrete topics in the past, present, and future,
* meet social demands and limited job requirements,
* begin reading for meaning.

Pimsleur Level 3

Level III Pimsleur will increase your vocabulary and grammatical structures and triple your spoken proficiency. Upon completion of a level III, you will be able to:

* participate in most informal and some formal discussions on practical, social, and some semi-professional topics,
* form longer sentences while maintaining the target language syntax,
* be understood even by native speakers unused to dealing with foreigners,
* handle increasingly difficult grammatical structures,
* enjoy fluent conversations with a variety of strangers,
* have a near-native accent, and the subtleties of the language will be apparent in your speech,
* read at the same level at which you speak.Pimsleur Plus Upon completion of the Pimsleur Plus program, you will be able to:• move into a more interpersonal exchange of language at a higher level,
• converse in a clearly participatory fashion,
• use diverse language strategies.
Pimsleur Plus includes real-life situations and complex conversations with expanded vocabulary. This program greatly increases your ability to discuss everyday topics in only 10 days.Visit the Ultimate Language Store to purchase Pimsleur Language Courses.