Assimil Review (Should YOU use the Assimil language learning books?)

Why is Assimil considered to be one of the best language learning books by many? What does Assimil have that makes it so special, and is it right for YOU?? Here I review the Assimil books for learning a language so that you know if they are a good fit for YOU and also importantly, WHEN might be the best time to add them to your language learning routine. Especially, if you’re not the biggest fan of traditional textbooks or maybe are looking for something a little different.
Here I cover what is unique and what I most like about Assimil. I also give you a heads up about some parts that may or may not be worth your time to do. Plus, I throw in a few tips for how you can get the most out of using Assimil and walk away learning even more.
I review the features of Assimil that they have in their foreign language book series that includes a WIDE variety of languages so it can be applied generically, but I do give a few details about Assimil French, Spanish, Italian, and Brazilian Portuguese (the ones I am most familiar with).
But what about you, have YOU used any of the Assimil books before? What do you think?? Drop a comment, I’d love to hear your opinion!
P.S. Here's the Assimil site if you’re interested to see the array of languages that they offer:
www.assimil.com/en/
Note: For level, I would start at A1-A2 (beginner/ false beginner) unless you are already at a strong intermediate level, in which case they ALSO offer a series for upping your language game to an even higher level
✅ Interested in knowing more about how to make language learning more FUN??
😄️ Stay in the loop at BREAKOUTANDSPEAK.com/join
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 What’s covered in this video?
0:40 Great features of Assimil
2:51 Does Assimil teach grammar?
4:00 WHEN should you use Assimil?
5:19 Areas for improvement
5:59 Note: Assimil Spanish and Portuguese
6:28 Bonus tip for multilingual people!
7:26 Should YOU use Assimil?

[@atomixspeaks]

Your channel really needs to blow up. Grazie per il video.

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

Grazie mille At0mix! I really appreciate that!! 😃

[@renzo.daniel]

Yo tambien me sorprendí pensé que tenía un millón 😲 me veó en la obligación darle like y compartirlo, porque es un excelente canal

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

@@renzo.daniel Uau muchísimas gracias por tus palabras, y por el apoyo! 😃🙏

[@bhutchin1996]

I use Assimil for several languages. Yes, the level of difficulty does increase at an early level, well before lesson 50, but in some ways that can be a good thing. One thing I like about Assimil is it's not a glorified phrasebook. I'm not putting down phrasebooks. I learned a lot of French from Berlitz' phrasebook back in the day, but nowadays a lot of language learning products give you conversations for phrasebook situations and that's all. For practice, maybe use older editions of Teach Yourself, but they're going to have antiquated language in them too.

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

Hey thanks for your input. I too like Assimil since it’s not just a phrase book and has real language. Just wanted to give people a heads up to know what to expect!

[@keren8940]

Thank you so much for this review! I have been wanting to buy Assimil French, but because it’s so expensive on Amazon, I was hesitant to go ahead and purchase it, but it seems really useful. As well I really love your channel and content! Cheers to language learning 🥂 ✨

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

Hey I'm glad the video was helpful and thank you, I'm happy you enjoy the channel! Happy language learning and feel free to let me know how it goes 😄🥳

[@reef6826]

Man thats such an awesome idea to learn another language with a second language you speak rather than always translating everything into english! I am currently learning Spanish, seems like such a great way to keep up your skill in that language while learning another :D

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

For sure, if you have a strong second language it’s a fun way to strengthen it even more! Maybe something you can try out one day but hey knowing 1 language is cool too! :D

[@BahnLife]

*Dr. Alexander Arguelles single handedly made Assimil a thing 12 years ago in the Language Learning community.*

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

Assimil is definitely worth the recommendation! 👌

[@harrymandel]

HIghly recommend, not even for beginners but also as a remedy for speaking block.. I studied french but had trouble speaking. Did his shadowing method. Started to speak slowly and then progressed successively. Shadowing give you confidence since you repeat so much aloud that you are sure the pronunciation is perfect. Well, the closes to perfection as a foreigner can get, as good as it takes for a native to understand...

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

@harrymandel Great point as well! Thanks. Glad that it helped you break out and speak more 😄

[@kevindoran9389]

I wish they'd listened to him and removed the dumb exercises, translating the dialogue should be the only exercise. They could almost double the lessons if they removed them.

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

@kevindoran9389 True!

[@AlexJones900]

SUPER helpful, thank you!! 😄

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

So glad it was useful! 😊

[@QuinnPrice]

Excellent review. I had the same read. I love Assimil. And...I would use other resources as well.

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and I'm glad you liked the video! 😄

[@polish1self]

Super recenzja :) dzięki

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

Dzięki!! 😊

[@vincentortega4284]

Awesome review. I'm starting from ground zero, I have no knowledge of Spanish, yet I want to learn Spanish to be able to speak to Spanish speakers to help them. Thanks, for the excellent information.

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

That's awesome to hear, good for you! :) I'm glad you found the video useful. Feel free to check out some other videos I have about how to learn a language and how long it takes to learn Spanish, might be helpful too 😄

[@LaLaLaLaLifeFabyu]

I was very confused for a moment since I forgot not everyone’s second language is English 😂

[@AnjolaoluwaAwe]

Thanks for this ❤

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

I’m happy you enjoyed the video and thanks for letting me know! 😊

[@alexmckenzie8491]

Thanks. I started using Assimil based in Spanish when living in Spain because nothing else was available there. Yes I agree that there is a lot to be said for A but as you say it needs supplementing with other methods. Thx again.

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

Welcome, glad you enjoyed it!

[@peterstrianus1790]

I personally think it works if you study related language like Portuguese from French. Dutch from German and so on. I tried Hungarian from French and if did not work at all. I can't imagine learning Chinese from English or French.

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

Good point! It can be helpful to have the two related languages together

[@kevinjoseph2650]

i agree i wish they would have done a latin american spanish version of this course considering that is where the majority of speakers live

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

Very true! I hope they do in the future. If they're not sure how to I have a few ideas! :D

[@matildawolfram4687]

Interesting video! Many thanks to the author of the channel for the recommendations! The problem with many people is that they want to take a "magic pill" or get "secret knowledge" and immediately have skills and abilities. However, the truth of life is that knowledge, skills, and abilities do not come by themselves. You can't learn a foreign language without doing anything, without wasting your time and effort, just like you can't learn to ride a bike lying on a comfy couch, listening to lectures and watching videos about "modern methods of learning" on a bike. To really learn something, you have to really practice every day. You're going to fall down while you're learning, and you're going to get bumps - that's normal! The ups and downs of learning are an integral part of our lives. Motivation from success and depression from failure will always be your study companions. However, every student has problems in his or her studies that he or she lacks the knowledge to solve. It can be: poor memorization of words; no progress in language learning; the student can speak, but does not understand speech by ear; misunderstanding of grammar; incorrect pronunciation, etc. Agree that a problem you don't know how to solve is very demotivating. In order to find the answer to our question we have to spend a lot of time to read videos, articles and books by polyglots. In today's world, we have to solve problems as quickly as possible. I don't have time to study and analyze a huge amount of information. My goal is to master the basic knowledge of a foreign language as quickly as possible and already start earning money effectively in the international arena. I settled on the practical guide by Yuriy Ivantsiv " Polyglot's Notes: practical tips for learning foreign language". This book is always in my bag. If I have a problem while learning a language, I quickly find the answer in this book. There are many different techniques and tips for learning a foreign language in Polyglot Notes. I have made my own individual schedule and plan for language learning. Now I know what I am going to study, how I am going to study, when I am going to study and what results I am going to achieve. No problem could stop me! With an effective language learning plan my professional skills are more and more in demand internationally every day. Friends, don't stop there! Everyone has talents that millions of people around the world need! Learn the language and make your ideas and dreams come true! Thanks to the author of the channel for the informative and useful video! Your videos motivate me.

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

Hey there, very true, if you want to learn a language you have to practice! And that the process has a few bumps. My hope with the channel is to make that learning part more fun and interesting, and to get you there faster. Thank you, I'm glad you find my videos useful and motivating! :)

[@skzanagate2980]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@alanguages]

Like you, I recommend using different language bases to learn a new language. That way it strengthens a non native language you learned. I am into using a language of the same family to acquire another, as there are connect the dots moments along with seeing the similar roots. Also intuitive comparisons. I wished Assimil would create Russian base programs to learn the other Slavic languages. Turkish base course to learn other Turkic languages. Through English you can acquire German, then with the German base you can go for Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish and Danish.

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

I definitely like the idea of learning a new language through a different language! It gives you a way of strengthening and practicing both. I think Assimil will continue to expand the options they offer even further in the future, but hopefully they will cover the languages you are looking for

[@alanguages]

@@BreakOutandSpeak Out of curiosity, aside from the four Romance languages you mentioned Italian, French, (Brazilian) Portuguese and Spanish. Do you have interest in the other Romance languages offered by Assimil? Latin, Romanian, Catalan, Occitan and Coriscan. It will be easier to go from one to the other, regardless of which order.

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

​@@alanguages I'm not actively planning on expanding at the moment but who knows in the future! And true! It would be easier to go any direction that way

[@vinderekalin-alin9473]

Awesome review! I have the assimil spanish textbook on lesson 16, and its going great so far. I have a question, what level of french and portuguese have you gotten from the assimil series? and what resources do you recommend after i finish assimil?

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

Hey thank you for your comment! 🙂 Glad to hear things are going great with Assimil. With French I didn't get to finish before I took a trip to France, but it gave me a good enough base to get by haha. With Portuguese I got further and it gave me a great base to then expand with my next favorite thing to do which is.... KZbin! After Assimil one thing you could do is watch KZbin videos in Spanish - fun AND learning = double win :)

[@Martin.T.C]

thanks for this review. glad I found your channel. so, based on your experience, it sounds like I could successfully (as a b-2+ in spanish) use assimil's brazilian portuguese for spanish speakers? seems like a good way to learn portuguese without completely neglecting my spanish? i wish i had known about assimil when learning spanish. but pimsleur spanish, followed by living language ultimate spanish (NOT the 'complete' program) worked well for me, though.

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

Glad it was helpful and that you enjoy the channel! Definitely, you could use Assimil to practice your Spanish and learn Portuguese at the same time. The languages are similar but since your Spanish is solid then it should be ok 😎

[@Martin.T.C]

@@BreakOutandSpeak thanks.

[@Martin.T.C]

Yes, that would be great if Assimil had another Spanish course for Latin American Spanish. It would also be great if their advanced / C-1 courses were available for native English speakers; I only see editions for native French speakers. Does the Assmil Spanish 'With Ease' course cover the subjunctive? Just curious.

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

True! Hopefully in the future they expand their offerings. I think but am not positive that it covers the subjunctive, but not sure if it would cover the imperfect subjunctive (that fun tense of the subjunctive in the past)

[@GermanGuru-rd3gf]

While the new edition does touch on the topic, the 1980 edition delves much deeper into it. And naturally, in their advanced course, they also cover the subjunctive.

[@punk86]

I love Assimil. I've been using it to learn Spanish. I was planning to learn French using El Frances but apparently Assimil got rid of Frances Perfeccionamiento. :(

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

Nice! Glad you are liking Assimil for Spanish. I do know they have a lot of options for French, hope you find one of them that fits what you're looking for! (or maybe check eBay etc. for any old versions too :)

[@garlandofbooks4494]

Does the Assimil audio have audio in both the native language and target language? Or is the audio only in the target language? Thanks for the review!

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

That a good question to ask! Assimil only has the audio in the target language to focus on that. Glad you liked the review!

[@Themindofreyrey]

Great video. I have the ones with the book and CDs. You mentioned being able to follow along on your phone. Where would I find the mobile version?

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

Thanks! Yeah! That's a good version to have. If you upload the media files from the CD to your computer, you can then put them on your phone using a media library/ player (such as iTunes, but doesn't have to be)

[@Themindofreyrey]

@@BreakOutandSpeak The CD that I have (Chinese with Ease) only have the audio files. Do you get the digital book online?

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

I think you can on Assimil's main website!

[@Themindofreyrey]

@@BreakOutandSpeak Thank you! Love your content btw! 💙

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

@@Themindofreyrey Thank you I appreciate that! :)

[@paullebon323]

Back in the day, all of the hardcore egghead polyglots raved about 50 year old Assimil books.

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

I do like Assimil but am fine to not scour the Internet for vintage versions haha

[@danielcostilla7254]

Unfortunately I would love to have physical books but they are ridiculously expensive if you're like in Argentina or other countries where the exchange rate of your currency is not the best. I would like to learn Russian , as you said thru Italian or Spanish

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

Ahh true I do like actual physical books if possible! Maybe there’s an older version on eBay or something but either way happy language learning

[@miguelmosqueraclaro3952]

I do not the reason...but it is difficult to purchase Assimil methods with book and CD audio. Why? Where o what web It would possible to get them?

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

Hey, a lot of versions are on the Assimil website, while others you can get on Amazon or other 3rd party sellers. Just make sure it's listed that it comes with the audio! OR- you can always purchase just the audio from the Assimil website

[@ScottBurden117]

Thanks for the video. I agree about the Latin American Spanish through English. I did notice they had Cuban Spanish through French.

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

Glad you enjoyed the video! Oh yeah? Thanks good to know. I only had seen the Cuban phrase book they have

[@ScottBurden117]

@@BreakOutandSpeak I saw it on a website site years ago. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the name. Maybe it’s no longer available. I had a hard time finding the Italian with ease (for a reasonable price) recently. But I did eventually. If I find the Cuban Spanish I’ll send you a link.

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

@@ScottBurden117 Glad you were able to find the Italian one and sounds good let me know if you find the Cuban Spanish one!

[@alanguages]

@@ScottBurden117 If you are implying Assimil created a complete Cuban Spanish with Ease (Book and four cds), they never made one. It has only been short programs, like a phrasebook or Conversation guide. There was an older one, called Espagnol de Cuba, which also was not a complete course. A small book and one cd.

[@bhutchin1996]

Spain is a popular destination in Europe. I too wish they would make a course for Latin American Spanish, but they would have to stay away from slang or at least say which country it's used in in the notes. Caribbean Spanish is different from South American Spanish, and South American Spanish is different from Mexican Spanish. South of Mexico, they use voseo (eg, "vos sos") a bit. So they would have to get Spanish speakers from all or most of these areas to make it work, but this is true for Spain as well with its different dialects.

[@kevinsmith3710]

Vorrei studiare lo spagnolo ma sono indeciso se acquistare il corso assimil oppure utilizzare l’applicazione busuu. Non ho mai studiato una lingua straniera quindi non so quale sia migliore per me.

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

Se conosci già l'italiano forse Assimil sarebbe migliore! :)

[@zombiedeutsch]

I want to learn German until b2 by myself at home. I am halfway through it now. What do you recommend to do after i finish this book? And do you know if it teaches all the needed grammar?

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

Awesome go you! Assimil will definitely get you started with grammatical concepts through whole language and grammar notes, but it doesn't hurt to get a grammar book to look up anything you get stuck on as a reference. After Assimil I personally would focus on consuming content that is interesting to you (KZbin, podcasts etc.) and- speaking! Happy language learning :)

[@ib3scope]

They make a follow-on, continuation, book for intermediate/advanced learners

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

That too! 😊

[@zombiedeutsch]

That's only in French.

[@GermanGuru-rd3gf]

There are actually several editions available. The new German edition is quite lightweight, featuring very brief lessons. I'm not sure how much you can really learn from it, maybe just up to A2 proficiency. If you're looking for a deeper understanding, I'd recommend exploring the older editions and doing their advanced courses.

[@Apple135pie]

Thank you 🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

Welcome! Happy language learning 😄

[@alexmckenzie8491]

Many thanks. I have an Assimil book from decades ago for Russian but Spanish-based, however I cannot locate the tapes (remember them?) I think I shall just go ahead and buy an up-to-date new one.

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

Hehe yeah to the old school tapes! Definitely a classic, even though the mp3 new versions are convenient to have for on the go

[@GermanGuru-rd3gf]

​@@BreakOutandSpeak I actually like the older classic editions more. They have more charisma.

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

@GermanGuru-rd3gf Classics 😎

[@jonathanrubio487]

You should do a LinQ review 👍🏼

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

Thanks for the suggestion Jonathan! I’ll be coming out with some tech/app videos soon :)

[@Apple135pie]

Please how can we get Assimil books ?

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

The Assimil site itself is good, some are on Amazon or eBay too

[@Mik-rs3xv]

Well explained and nice voice/tone, you should be a teacher

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

Thanks! Actually I am a teacher/language coach haha but it’s a compliment that the material came across well so thank you :)

[@CallmeAshlyn]

It was better than what I’ve expected and I do agree a total beginner is not suitable for it.

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

Right?? I'm glad you enjoyed it though! Which language?

[@CallmeAshlyn]

@@BreakOutandSpeak spanish!

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

@@CallmeAshlyn Genial! :)

[@mrrobertbates]

Just curious, did you get it in your left arm?

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

What's that now?

[@realMindmelter]

I know you didn’t mention it (it’s your list), but maybe you know that the latin list French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese misses one specific latin language, spoken since Ancient Rome up to today with more than 34 million speakers worldwide 😁 its 🇷🇴

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

Romaniannn for sure yes a Romance language. Just not one that I know at the moment

[@reddead112]

I love assimil, but I want more languages like lithuanian and albanian :(

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

I hope they expand in the future! And yay Lithuanian (I'm part Lithuanian 😄)

[@reddead112]

@@BreakOutandSpeak wow I hope to be able to learn your language one day

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

It makes me happy that you want to learn Lithuanian! ☺️

[@davidsutton7914]

I'm not sure there is anyone actually working at Assimil any more, unfortunately. It was a terrific method back in the day, back before the internet. They sent me the wrong CD inside my book, wrong language, wrong stories, everything. And when I contacted them to simply send me the proper CD, it seemed like there was no one actually writing content or doing anything there any more. Sad, but I'm afraid Assimil is history.

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

Hmm strange, I know their books have gone through an evolution over the years but I was able to contact them at least

[@belphegor_tv]

Things that didn't happen.

[@alfonsohshk8998]

Latinamerican Spanish? Which one? Mexican, Argentinian, Cuban, Colombian, Peruvian? I am from Spain and can tell you that Peruvian or Colombian Spanish are more similar to European Spanish than Argentinian or Mexican. In Madrid we have thousands and thousands of immigrants from all over Latin America, so one can hear all the versions everyday.

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

All of them! A challenge I know haha but since Assimil is a collection of mini stories, my vision would be it could have stories highlighting each country. Or, have a few versions of the book that focus on different countries

[@alfonsohshk8998]

@@BreakOutandSpeak When learning a new language, the content and input are to be consistent in the same language version. Imagine an Assimil book with some lessons in British with British accent audios, some in American English, others in Indian English, Aussie, Jamaican…. The result will be a mess when writing, speaking and in terms of vocab. Same applies to Spanish or French. On the other hand, an Assimil version per Country would be financially unfeasible.

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

@alfonsohshk8998 In the beginning sure but later that's something I actually enjoy myself. Didn't mean one for all countries, a version or two focusing on 1 country each

[@robrobbins]

There is no such thing as Latin American Spanish. There are many differences between Cuban Spanish, Puerto Rican Spanish, Mexican Spanish, and Argentina Spanish etc.

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

For sure, I was just saying it’d be great to have a version that talked about those sorts of differences

[@allsunday1485]

how do you use it though

[@BreakOutandSpeak]

New video on that coming out soon! :D