Does the word “textbook” bring back memories of your school days?
don’t worry. when it comes to Russian, you will be your own teacher.
You are reading: Books to learn russian
Today we are going to look at some of the best Russian textbooks to help you study on your own and give you a lasting knowledge of the Russian language.
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- what should a Russian language textbook do?
- 10 of the best Russian textbooks for beginners and more advanced
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- “berlitz self-taught: Russian”
- “complete Russian course for beginners and intermediates”
- “Russian in 10 minutes a day”
- “ the book of everything to learn Russian”
- “learn Russian in a fast and fun way”
- assimil “Russian with ease”
- “Illustrated Russian grammar”
- “Russian conversational dialogues”
- “Russian living language, complete edition”
- “Russian full circle: a Russian textbook for first year”
download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable pdf that you can take anywhere. click here for a copy. (download)
what should a Russian language textbook do?
Russian textbooks come in a variety of different formats. but no matter how they are arranged, they should serve as a conduit between the Russian language and you.
We can go back and forth on whether textbooks are really necessary for language learners, but the fact is that many students simply prefer to use books. and books offer some benefits that other resources don’t.
So, before we look at some of the best textbooks for Russian learners, let’s briefly explore what a Russian textbook should do for you.
- provide complete core knowledge. This is especially important for beginners. If you don’t learn the vocabulary that a language uses most often, you won’t progress very quickly.
That said, simply forcing yourself to a list of the most common Russian words will get old fast. it will also leave you without much understanding of how that language should be used. but textbooks can introduce you to basic vocabulary in an organized, context-rich format.
good textbooks keep you from concentrating 100% on the individual words you are learning and allow you to learn basic vocabulary through sentences.
- reinforce knowledge through practical exercises. Using Russian is how the language becomes yours, so some level of interactivity is important. some books encourage you to speak, others ask you to write. Ideally, a textbook should provide multiple opportunities for output.
- They give you the guidance and encouragement you need to establish a regular learning routine. Perhaps the most valuable thing a textbook can offer you is the ability to stop worrying about how to learn and just learn.
Once you get into the habit of reading a chapter or lesson a day and doing regular reviews, it will only be a matter of time before you’ll be able to use the language on your own. The right textbook for you should make regular study feel manageable and realistic.
and now the main event. The list below is comprised of textbooks (both traditional and non-traditional) that are at least somewhat beginner-friendly. some of them will take you to the beginner level. at least one of them can accompany you until the advanced stages of learning.
all of them offer something unique and beneficial for the right student.
so let’s take a look!
10 of the best Russian textbooks for beginners and more advanced
“the autodidact from berlitz: russian”
This first book is from 1951, listen to me. Berlitz’s self-study books exist in a world of their own. modern textbooks can give you more bells and whistles, of course: audio, color photos, accompanying digital goodies. but just as no new food trend replaces your grandmother’s cooking, no new Russian learning book replaces the “self-taught” one.
Part of what makes the “self-study” format so clever is that it gets you starting to form sentences that are likely to be relevant to you right away:
what is this? this is the pencil. The book is red. the paper is white.
The “autodidact” uses an interlinear text system similar to that used by some bilingual readers. you’ll find Cyrillic at the top, a pronunciation key in the middle, and an English translation below.
of course, the pronunciation key will not make you speak a perfect native Russian. but it will make you speak and use the language to interact with the world around you. plus, you can easily slip the book into a piece of carry-on, no headphones needed.
for a closer look at the “self-professor”, see a review by polyglot alexander argumentelles.
Although it hails from a time when textbooks were limited in the resources they could provide to students, the “self-taught” really does its best to be a simplified yet comprehensive learning system. keeps things loaded with context and dialogue, allowing you to progress naturally while introducing bits of grammar along the way.
Of course, the ideal is to complement the “self-study” with audio and more modern learning materials.
If the idea of using an old textbook in the first place makes you uncomfortable, check out “Russian Step by Step” by Natasha Alexandrova, a modern book that is somewhat akin to “self-study”. ” will help you avoid dated Soviet-era references and give you downloadable native audio to boot. however, it is more expensive, so you will have to weigh the pros and cons and decide what is best for you.
In addition, any of these options will be combined with fluentu for an immersive, authentic combination of structure and Russian learning.
fluentu uses authentic Russian videos like movie clips, music videos, and news segments to teach the language naturally. combines these videos with interactive captions that provide one-click contextual definitions, as well as multimedia flashcards, custom quizzes, downloadable transcripts, and more.
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an immersion program like fluentu is a great way to add context to your textbook learning. this will help you to be able to use the concepts to communicate in Russian.
If you’re looking to immerse yourself in the Russian language and gain confidence quickly, you need look no further than one of these two books and a fluidu subscription.
“complete Russian course for beginners and intermediates”
the “self-teacher” may be one of the best (and most tested) Russian textbooks out there, but of course looking further is fun. Plus, you can always find out more about the learning options out there, right?
this book is from the self taught series, and they take the “whole” portion of their entire courses very seriously. It can be used by students on its own or in conjunction with another course, but no matter how you use it, it works to build your basic knowledge and skills.
“Complete Russian” is organized into chapters, or “units”, which include cultural information, dialogues, and various exercises. comes with audio and is designed to teach all the main language skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking).
is more explanatory than the “self-taught” and takes a simpler traditional approach. for this reason, it is probably best for students who tend to be good learners in the classroom and have the ability to self-motivate.
It’s worth noting that, as with this program, educational audio is still primarily distributed via CD, even as CDs become less standard from a technological perspective. sometimes publishers offer a direct mp3 download option, but sometimes they don’t. so make sure you have the means to access the accompanying audio before purchasing this book or others on this list.
The goal of “Complete Russian” is to take you to the intermediate levels of proficiency in Russian.
“Russian in 10 minutes a day”
Don’t be fooled by the title. Despite the low suggested time commitment, there is quite a bit of information packed into this casual-looking resource. “Russian in 10 minutes a day” is great if you want to treat learning Russian as a fun project. it’s more of a workbook than a textbook, but it has all the information you need in one place.
“Russian in 10 minutes a day” teaches you the language through a variety of tools and approaches that seem designed to make you feel like you’re not really studying. helps you build your Russian vocabulary with minimal effort through Russian-English cognates. It also comes with vocabulary stickers that you can put on objects around your home and office and provides you with pre-made flashcards.
“10 Minutes” also comes with an interactive software download that you can use in addition to the book. if you like the extra stuff and are very interested in your learning materials, this could be the book for you.
“the book of everything to learn Russian”
Here’s another headline that may arouse your skepticism but still deserves your attention. It’s not so much that “the book of everything to learn Russian” strictly teaches you more than the other books on this list, but rather that it expresses learning with a lot of background information. this can be enjoyable and beneficial, especially if you want to get a taste of the history and culture behind the language as you learn it.
I said “full Russian” was best for good learners in the classroom, so I’m mainly referring to people who do well in the classroom environment. this book, on the other hand, is more suitable for those who really like classroom learning. if you enjoy the perspective and context around a field of knowledge that a teacher can provide experienced, you can get some of that here.
Chapters include comprehensive introductions to linguistic concepts and cultural topics, along with lots of practice and quizzes. The book also aligns with practical concerns like moving around in Russia.
the printed copy of “everything to learn russian book” comes with a cd attached. you can also get audio with the kindle version on some fire tablets and ios devices.
“learn Russian in a fast and fun way”
Like “Russian in 10 minutes a day,” this one from barron’s might make you roll your eyes at first, but reserve your disdain. this is an “activity kit,” or at least that’s what they call it, but really, it’s as much a textbook as it is standard classroom fare.
is aimed at travellers, but can be used by anyone who wants to learn the basics of Russian with colorful illustrations, dialogues, grammar explanations, and interactive exercises.
Also like “10 minutes”, “learn Russian the fast and fun way” includes pre-made flashcards. They are packed with full sentences and lists of related words printed on a single flashcard.
Although the cover may seem a bit childish, this book will work well for people who want to be exposed to the language in an aesthetically appealing way. the cartoon illustrations aren’t exactly fine art, but they’re well done, and the book provides an engaging and enjoyable atmosphere for learning.
Indeed, there is no audio for this book (unless you want to get a cassette version), so it’s best for those who like to learn a little offline.
assimil “Russian with ease”
assimil is a well-established French learning company that creates book-based courses. their approach is a bit like berlitz’s “autodidact” in that they focus on the practical use of the language from the start and don’t rely heavily on grammatical explanations. however, the “with ease” series arguably goes a little deeper into grammar than the “self-taught” series and has more dialogue.
Each chapter is based on a text dialogue with accompanying audio. These are followed by exercises. you’ll learn grammar points as they come up, and the difficulty level will gradually increase. Dialogues are more beneficial for contextualizing vocabulary than for teaching you practical phrases, although you will definitely learn some conversational basics.
assimil’s books may not seem as engaging as some of the older books, but of course commitment can be subjective. if you want to go straight to how phrases and sentences are formed in Russian, this book can really be a hit.
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Also, something that may seem trivial but I really like is that “with ease” books are extremely easy to travel with. you can easily slip them into a backpack or even a medium sized bag.
The “super pack” linked above comes with the audio on cd. I have seen some newer versions that come with a usb key, but so far only for other languages. If you’re not sure what kind of audio you’re getting, you can check with the seller. Also, I have noticed that assimil books are sold by themselves without audio. note that you will probably only find them useful if you already have some knowledge of Russian.
“Illustrated Russian grammar”
many of the above books have a limited emphasis on grammar or teach it in the context of practical use. this can be great for making the language less intimidating, building your confidence and getting started with Russian.
however, there is a benefit to looking Russian grammar right into its huge, gaping maw. not only is it a monster that needs to be understood as a whole, but it is actually quite a beautiful and well-organized monster. looking at it head-on gives you the big picture needed to unlock its intricate logic.
Like any good beginner’s textbook, “Illustrated Russian Grammar” introduces the language from a logical starting point, first teaching the alphabet and then moving on to basic vocabulary. however, instead of being divided into thematic chapters or focusing on useful scenarios for travelers, it is formatted based on Russian grammar.
The book starts with nouns and then almost immediately dives into the case system. this allows you not only to learn grammar in an order that makes sense, but also to learn vocabulary within the context of the grammar.
This book would be an excellent complement to one that isn’t as grammar-heavy as the assimil course above. however, it could also be useful for a beginner on its own, or to brush up on Russian after being away from it for a while.
“Russian conversational dialogues”
Of all the books on this list, this is definitely the one that least resembles a traditional textbook. is essentially a bilingual reader, with dialogue presented in both English and Russian.
but what makes it more than just a reader is that it focuses on practical conversation. at first it’s a bit like a phrasebook, starting with “survival phrases” . then jump directly to the dialogs.
The reason I’ve included this book on the list is not because it’s exactly a substitute for a “regular” textbook, but because it provides a bridge between textbook and real-life learning. the grammar and vocabulary you learn from any of the other books on this list will apply to the dialogues you find here. and if textbooks tend to lack something, real-life usage examples are plenty.
All that said, if you already have a beginning knowledge of Russian, including the alphabet, pronunciation and some basic vocabulary, you could probably use this book as your main learning system, at least for a while, and as long as you can. . you’re willing to do some research and figure out the grammar on your own.
“Russian live language, full edition”
Afraid of commitment? if so, you should probably stay away from the “complete edition” of living language, because it is intended to take you from a beginner to an advanced level. on the other hand, if you want the all in one, three-course dinner version of a language textbook, this is for you.
It’s worth noting that many students find benefits in studying with a variety of resources, and that programs like fluentu can easily pick up where beginner and intermediate books like the ones above leave off. however, there is definitely still something to be said for having it all. the “complete edition” is not just one book, but three books, along with nine audio cds (which, thankfully, you can download) and corresponding online materials.
The books include lessons designed to gradually develop your working knowledge of the language, integrating grammar and culture and giving you ample opportunities to review and retain what you have learned.
“full circle in Russian: a Russian textbook for the first year”
but maybe you don’t want to waste your time. you are so fed up with these new and old versions to make learning easier, more practical, etc. that you just want a plain, normal, real textbook.
This one from Yale University has all the usual textbook essentials. it’s ready. sets the pace for you He has a system and he sticks to it. Plus, it’s a Yale textbook, so you can feel comfortable studying with it even if you don’t have any Ivy League credentials in the past or future.
“Russian Full Circle” is divided into lessons that follow a layered approach. Each lesson introduces new vocabulary and grammar, teaches culture, gives you conversation practice, and culminates with some exercises. this kind of learning can be really effective because it pushes your limits but it doesn’t give you too much of any kind of information at once.
The thing is, a lot of time and resources go into making academic materials, so they can be really great for your studies, even if you’re not the kind of person who would benefit from a college course. the main problem with college textbooks is trying not to spend $300 on one. “Russian Full Circle”, however, is more affordable than many college textbooks that you’ll find widely available online (especially considering it’s relatively recent and from a well-known university).
Ultimately, the best Russian textbooks can make learning easier.
so don’t just consider what you want to learn, but what book will inspire you to learn every day.
once the habit is yours, the language will follow.
download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable pdf that you can take anywhere. click here for a copy. (download)
elisabeth cook is a freelance writer and language student who blogs about all kinds of lit all over books.
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