Easy way to learn Russian is after learning many of the Russian basics to travel to Russia! I remember the words of a substitute teacher in Spanish class (I can't speak Spanish after 4 years of Spanish in HS) Normally this elderly and very well dress sub. would come to class and have everyone keep quiet and study something. I had him in various classes. This time a kid from Mexico made a comment in Spanish to which the sub answered him in perfect Spanish! Afterwards he went on to tell us all we are wasting time in the class!! He went on to tell us about his 4 years in HS Spanish and then taking 4 years of Spanish in College. After graduating and looking for a job he found a firm looking for an American to work in Spain. Perfect he thought 8 years of Spanish will get him by. He got the job went to Spain and found he could not speak Spanish!! He said one week in the country and he was fluent as he would not be able to eat or do anything unless he learned. Furthermore everyone is speaking Spanish, radio, TV, restraints, etc. You can not NOT learn the language!  Much later the company being pleased with his service asked him to move to France, he had no idea how to speak French but in one week just like in Spain he learned to speak French for the same reasons he learned Spanish. His advise to everyone in class that if you wanted to learn the language go to the country where it's spoken!!! I went to Russia, learned Russian!! While getting ready for my 4th trip to Russia a friend of mine and I were in a restaurant and me mentioned to the waitress I was going to Russia, She said she was taking Russian in college and spoke a few words, I could not understand her! She translated, one word being "where" was totally wrong! She said gedejeah. I told her NO she was wrong not ge de jeah. However she went on to tell me her teacher was in Moscow and that's how it's pronounced! I've been to Moscow 4 times, was in Yoshkar-Ola for 3 months., my shortest trip was 3 weeks and never once heard "where" in Russian pronounced that way nor is it pronounced in Pimsleur that way either!! My Sub was right!!! However I must add that I can speak fluent Polish never being to Poland, Polish was spoken in my home by my grandeverthing. My father and mother being born in the USA could speak Polish but preferred English unless they wanted to talk about something they didn't want us kids to know, I guess it was my incentive to learn BTW "where" in Russian and Polish are the same! So much for that College professor knowing how to speak Russian!!

Last edited on Wednesday December 9th, 2009 05:06 pm by froneck