So today, I’ll share the best (and worst) of all the popular online Russian courses for you (I’ve had the chance to use most of these courses).
If you’re just starting out, I can assure you that you’ve made a great decision.
There are many great reasons to learn Russian – travel to Russia is totally worth it, but it also opens up lots of business and career opportunities in many sectors.
From a very young age, Russian is a language that has intrigued me. Learning a language that not only no one speaks in my home country – but also isn’t taught in any school – seemed like an impossible goal. However, thanks to the internet and simple learning tools such as Duolingo, I was able to teach myself Russian and speak fluently in just 2 years.
For those of you who wish to pick up Russian, or any other language for that matter, but feel limited by cost, the following list contains the best free and low-cost learning tools available today:
Rocket Russian
- For learners wanting structure in their course learning (though not restrained by it), it has a very clear linear progression.
- It’s very comprehensive.
- Students are motivated by the inbuilt leaderboard.
- It covers all 4 major skills evenly (listening, speaking, reading, writing).
The audio lessons are basically a podcast-style format that’s very easy to follow, no filler content and audio dialogues that give you just the Russian dialogue you need and nothing more (which I love).
RussianPod101
There’s still improvement to be made but overall it’s excellent.
RussianPod101 also teaches using a podcast format (usually two hosts bantering about a particular topic). There are also videos that different topics at different levels.
What I don’t like:
- Low quality, old videos in some of the lessons.
- Clunky interface.
What I like:
- Quite inexpensive.
- Loads of Russian lessons to work through – no shortage of content.
Duolingo
– Previously mentioned in this article , Duolingo is possibly the best free resource to learn Vietnamese. Although it does not provide an extensive vocabulary or advanced grammar, this app makes up for it in simplicity and ease-of-use. Duolingo is broken into lessons that hash out the basics of language learning, allowing beginners to create a strong foundation before moving on to more advanced courses. It’s fun, it’s easy, and it works.
Grammar
– When I first started out learning Vietnamese, I knew absolutely nothing about the language – including how to read a single character. For those of you interested in picking up Vietnamese but lack a strong background in East Asian languages, this is where Grammar comes into play. This course takes abstract characters and groups them together to form what is known as compound characters. These compound characters, which are often used in everyday life, help students learn how to read Vietnamese using simple English explanations (i.e. this character means “water”, that one “tree”).
Since the course is free of charge, it does not provide audio examples; however, it does provide a number of resources for those looking to find suitable audio samples.
Quizlet
– This website is extremely useful in that you can create your own flashcards and test yourself with the click of a button. Quizlet provides several options, including an audio option and vocabulary practice option, so users can choose which aspect they would like to focus on. One of the most valuable features of Quizlet is that you can easily find similar flashcards from other users, allowing for maximum exposure and retention.
Quizlet also provides a number of learning tools including study games and customized testing schedules, so those looking for more advanced tools will not be disappointed.
Tungo
– This app provides users with a number of learning tools including vocabulary, grammar, and listening. Users are able to listen to native speakers while simultaneously seeing the character breakdown on their screen. Tungo allows students of all levels to practice reading, writing, speaking, and listening in Vietnamese.
Memrise
– There are several different aspects of Vietnamese learning that Memrise focuses on: vocabulary, phrases and idioms, and grammar. By combining a number of different features, this app provides students with the full-package necessary to learn Vietnamese effectively.
Language Transfer
– Language Transfer is an entirely free platform providing students with practice in speaking and writing as well as useful supplementary materials such as dictionary links and exercises. Students can choose which aspect they would like to focus on before logging in, making it incredibly simple to use.
Wordreference
– This website allows for self-guided studying through the creation of flashcards sourced from real world examples found online. Not only are these words helpful for those looking to expand their Vietnamese vocabulary, but the site has an entire section dedicated to learning other languages nearly 24/7.
Although this site is not exclusively directed towards Vietnamese, the learning materials are incredibly useful for all levels of language learners.
Conclusion
– All of these sites and apps are incredibly useful and in conjunction with each other, they provide the user with a full-fledged language learning experience. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to brush up on your knowledge to take your Vietnamese to the next level, these resources will definitely be useful in improving your Vietnamese skills. Good luck!
Duolingo – https://www.duolingo.com/
Grammar – http://www.learnvietnameseonline.net/category/grammar/
Quizlet – https://quizlet.com/subject/vietnamese/
Quizlet Flashcards: https://quizlet.com/_5hbhl
Tungo – https://tungo.io/
Language Transfer – http://languagetransfer.org/
Wordreference – https://www.wordreference.com/
Memrise – https://www.memrise.com/course/2056828/vietnamese-1/
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