The Best Resources for Learning Russian
Russian Language Series
Russian is a beautiful, but a challenging language to learn. However, things don’t have to be as hard once you find the right resources to help you on your journey.
I’ve put together a list of the best online resources for learning Russian, as well as a list of schools that offer courses for Russian as the second language.
I have also included the reasons why it would be good for you to learn Russian!
So, let’s get started…
The best resources for learning Russian
In all of our courses we use the same method – learning and focusing on the most important vocabulary first. This series of videos present a sample of our Russian Jumpstart course in which you can learn the most important words in Russian.
There are some great courses and websites to help you get started learning Russian!
I’ve put together a comprehensive list of fantastic resources for English speakers learning Russian:
JUMPSTART RUSSIAN
We honestly believe that the Jumpstart Russian is the best course out there for learning Russian from scratch.
We’ve handpicked the most important vocabulary together with example sentences and native speaker pronunciations for those of you who want to start speaking and communicating in Russian from the very beginning.
With this course, you will be able to make combinations from the start and you will be able to make lots of sentences yourself in record time.
You will also be able to follow recordings of live lessons with real students, so that you can also leverage the “having-a-teacher experience”.
To know more about the course, which contains PDFs and additional material as well, click here.
GREAT WEBSITES
A great place to continue your language learning is a website called Russian For Free where you can study everything from vocabulary to sentences and grammar. It also uses native speakers for the vocabulary, which is very important for correct pronunciation.
Russian Language Lessons is a web portal for Russian language e-learning. Besides learning the language, here you can also check a travel guide.
Russian 101 offers a spectrum of great resources from downloadable audio files, thematic vocabulary lists, and games to make your learning more fun. There are also links to Russian radio stations, Russian news, and a whole variety of free stuff to help you dive deeper.
Memrise offers a variety of courses, from vocabulary and basic phrases to verbs and different grammar features.
CoLanguage is a great place to get started with Croatian and later to learn more about grammar. The site also offers you a number of tutors you can book for online lessons.
LearnRussian.rt.com website is another place where you can learn the basics of Russian for free. It also has native speaker recordings and tests available.
BOOKS
I’ve checked some of these out myself, but they seem to have good ratings on Amazon, so you might want to consider them.
The New Penguin Russian Course: A Complete Course for Beginners
Complete Russian Beginner to Intermediate Course
Colloquial Russian: The Complete Course For Beginners
YOUTUBE CHANNELS
Easy Russian – as part of the Easy Languages channel, here you can learn Russian from the streets of Russia, learning about the culture and its people as you go along.
RussianPod101 – following lessons in order, this YouTube Channel offers the basics of the language in short videos.
Russian Connection – following lessons in order, this YouTube Channel offers the basics of the language in short videos.
Why should you learn Russian?
If you’ve searched and found this article, the chances are that you are already thinking about learning Russian, or you may have already started.
In that case, you must have a few reasons of your own as to why you decided to pick up this beautiful, yet complex language.
There are many reasons why you might want to make Russian next on your language-learning list:
- you love traveling and can’t wait to explore one or more of the many Russian-speaking countries and mingle with the locals
- you have a Russian background and want to learn your language of heritage
- you are planning to move to a Russian-speaking country
- your partner is a native Russian speaker and you want to be able to communicate in their native language
- there is a large Russian-speaking community in your area that you want to connect with
- you love a good language learning challenge and Russian seems a good place to start
Whichever your reason for learning Russian, make sure it’s a strong one to keep you motivated and persistent. Here are a couple of reasons that might help you get and stay excited:
Russian has a rich culture and history
If you love history and exploring new cultures, the best way to immerse yourself in that culture is by learning the language and meeting the locals.
Russia, for example, has a rich literary tradition, with writers such as Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, and Pushkin considered among the greatest of all time. By learning Russian, you’ll be able to read these classics in their original language and gain a greater appreciation for the culture that produced them.
Moscow and Saint Petersburg are two of the most culturally rich cities in Russia, and both offer a wealth of experiences for visitors interested in history, art, and architecture.
Moscow, the capital of Russia, is home to many famous landmarks such as the Red Square, which is a historic city square and one of the most iconic places in Russia, known for its colorful and rich history. It is surrounded by many famous landmarks such as the Kremlin, St. Basil’s Cathedral, and the State History Museum. The Red Square is also the site of many important historical events, including the coronation of the Tsars and the Soviet military parades. Visiting the Red Square is a must-do for anyone interested in Russian history and culture.
Saint Petersburg, on the other hand, is known as the cultural capital of Russia, and it’s home to many museums and galleries that showcase the country’s rich artistic heritage. You can also explore the historic center of the city, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and admire the architecture of famous landmarks such as the Winter Palace and the Kazan Cathedral. In addition, Saint Petersburg is home to many famous museums such as the Hermitage Museum, which is one of the largest and most important art museums in the world.
Russian is a great place to start if you are interested in Slavic languages
Learning Russian can greatly aid in the learning process of other Slavic languages. As a Slavic language, Russian shares many similarities in grammar and vocabulary with other Slavic languages such as Ukrainian, Belarusian, Polish, Czech and Bulgarian.
For example, many words in these languages are very similar or even identical to their Russian counterparts. This means that once you have a grasp of the Russian vocabulary and grammar, it will be much easier to pick up new words and grammar rules in other Slavic languages, since most of them share a lot of the same grammar features such as verb declension, verbal aspect, etc.
In summary, learning Russian can be a great way to get a foothold in the world of Slavic languages, as it will give you a foundation in grammar and vocabulary that will make it easier to learn other Slavic languages.
Because of the Soviet Union, Russian is spoken in many countries
If you’re learning Russian, you’re in luck! Not only is it one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, but it’s also spoken in a variety of countries due to the Soviet Union’s past.
Think about it, as a Russian speaker you have access to not only Russia but also countries such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Belarus, and even some parts of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. This means that you’ll have the opportunity to travel and explore different cultures, all while being able to communicate with the locals in their native language.
Furthermore, many countries that were part of the Soviet Union still have strong ties with Russia, making Russian an important language in business, trade and politics. Knowing Russian can give you a significant advantage in the fields that have connections to Russia.
In short, learning Russian is not just about understanding the language itself, but also getting a glimpse into the diverse cultures and histories that have shaped it. So, don’t just limit yourself to Russia, take advantage of the fact that Russian is spoken in many countries and explore the world!
However…
Conclusion
There you have it!
Great reasons why you should be learning Russian and the best resources out there to help you get started.
Remember, even though Russian may be complex, there are several benefits of learning this language. All you need is to find a strong motivation to keep you going when the going gets tough.
We are here to help you with your language learning journey. If you have any questions, contact us and we’ll be happy to help.
Feel free to share this article with a friend eager to learn Russian.
Удачи! (Good luck!)
This article is a part of a set of articles called The Russian Language Series. If you would like more information about different aspects of Croatian, please visit the related posts:
About the writer of this acticle
Fabrício Carraro can speak 14 languages. On this website, he shares his language learning experience and helps people from all over the world to learn languages faster.
