What is the Quickest way to Learn Russian?

2 Comments

1. Geoff says:

   February 14, 2012 at 6:01 pm

   No real quick way. Unless 1 year is quick for you – that should be enough to be conversational in Russian. Also, depends on your motivation. What you should do is……

   1) Alphabet, basic pronunciation and basic grammar. There’s ton of beginner material online.
   Learn it, drill it, memorize it till it’s stuck in your head.

   2) Invest in a beginner level textbook.There’s good stuff online but the biggest pain is finding an organized resource that tells you where to go next. As a beginner, you need structure because you don’t know what to do next. It will set the foundation for grammar, words and etc. you need to know.

   3) Use sites like http://www.russianpod101.com (this has audio lessons for beginners and up) or
   livemocha.com (for speaking/listening practice with real people).

   4) Tackle lots of resources to get it down.

   5) Biggest advice of all. Set a schedule and plan for learning russian. How many hours a week? How much do you want to get done? Then stick to it – time will show progress. People suck with such big goals because they can never stick to it.
2. Jill says:

   February 14, 2012 at 6:01 pm

   There is no quick way to learn any language. Especially Russian.
   After you’ve learned cyrillic, you can go through a phrasebook and some audio courses, like the one done by Michel Thomas, they’ll help you getting started. Then it’s boring grammar, and there’s no way to avoid that, only learning it by heart and doing lots and lots of exercises. I don’t really know which grammar book is the best one, but make sure it goes with lots of exercises and keys.
   Vocabulary: some people make lists and learn them by heart. I never did that, cause it’s too boring, wastes too much time and most of the words get forgotten pretty soon. Instead I try to read a lot. This way the context helps remembering the word and you see how that word can be used. Of course better start with either adaped books or children books (a fairytale Kolobok for example). The more you read the bigger your vocabulary is.
   Listening: CDs that go with your textbooks, movies, audiobooks and radio. Lots of practice. Use scripts in the beginning.
   Speaking: Practice, practice and practice. At first you’ll have to learn sentences by heart, but after that start making up your own. When you’re confident enough, find someone to speak with. Skype will help you here ^_^
   And don’t forget about writing.
   So, as you can see there really is no quick way. Language is the skill that comes with time.

   OR you can find a teacher, it’ll be costly, but if you have never learned a foreign language before, it’ll be a good choice.
   Good luck!