Pimsleur Review - Can I Have Conversations In 6 Months?

[@pimsleur]

@lois Thanks for the review! Just want to clarify that the monthly subscription gives you access to the Pimsleur mobile app as well as the web-based app for desktop/laptops. You get the exact same course and access as a lifetime purchase, but the upfront cost is much less. And now, we are also offering an All Access monthly plan (51 languages included!) for $1 more per month!

[@loistalagrand]

Nice!

[@JohnDoe-rz7mg]

@Pimsleur I'm confused about your subscription costs. When I google about it, it tells me that it's $19.95/mo. When I clicked the link to your website, I couldn't find anything about monthly subscriptions. I also downloaded your android app. After finishing the first lesson it offers me "All Access Subscription" for $25/mo.

[@fabiusfidibus]

@@JohnDoe-rz7mg android/apple wants their fair share, so it's more expensive inside of the app.

[@ihavenoname6724]

@@JohnDoe-rz7mg yeah I encountered the same issue recently; I wanted to test out the their website course for a month only so as to see whether it was worth it, but they only offered me some pricey 3-month plan or whatnot, so I gave up.

[@alanguages]

1st Question: Can you converse using Pimsleur in six months? Answer: Yes. 2nd Question: Will you be fluent with Pimsleur after six months? Answer: NO!

[@laberbla6466]

Thanks for this - I was looking for this. This together with some speaking example of the language he learned would be the perfect effectivity :D

[@loistalagrand]

That's right, it depends on what you mean by "fluent"

[@joshthalheimer]

Well, yeah, but 'fluent' is a BIG word. Many (most?) native speakers in most any language are not necessarily 'fluent'. Passable 'fluent' might be a better goal; able to make friends and build social bridges in the language so that your proficiency can then grow organically - naturally. That's a 'fluent' success goal for me.

[@kali18]

I’m doing it and I’m now understanding Japanese by hearing people speak it and that’s the app alone. It depends I think on the language in the course . I can understand Japanese television almost perfect. I personally love it !

[@tacocruiser4238]

You cannot become fluent with just Pimsleur for two reasons: 1) it doesnt teach you enough vocabulary (or at least not in a way that you can remember it). Sure, the reading portion does add alot of vocabulary but you wont remember most of the words just by looking at the reading portion once. Most people breeze through the reading portion and never come back to it. The audio is what most people really care about. 2) Pimsleur doesnt put enough effort into explaining the verb conjugations. They give you small tidbits of grammar spread out over many lessons. But they don't provide any systematic, organized breakdowns of how the grammar works. Its like they expect you to naturally learn the grammar just based on the context of the conversations. This is very difficult, for me at least. I completed the first 4 levels of Brazilian Portuguese and I still struggle to distinguish between past perfect and past imperfect. I would recommend complementing Pimsleur with Drops (for vocabulary) and Lingodeer (for grammar). Pimsleur's strength is that it improves your listening comprehension. The combination of Pimsleur, Drops, and Lingodeer should provide you with all the fundamentals needed. The only other thing you will need is live conversations with native speakers.

[@ib3scope]

@GAGA50 This is exactly true, however: Pimsleur is not attempting to make you fluent, by any stretch of the imagination; rather, it is drilling the most commonly used phrases, in a given language, contextually, to allow you, with time, to assimilate the foundational grammatical structurings, and most frequent-verb form usage, implicitly. It's not to make it easy to understand every conservation, but to ease your brain along in processing the syntax structure of the language, such that you can, through context clues, begin to grow-out your passive vocabulary.

[@tacocruiser4238]

@@ib3scope the other problem with Pimsleur is that you can't go back to review things that you might have forgotten. The lessons don't have any summaries so you can't remember which lesson taught what. Once you complete all the lessons, it basically becomes useless.

[@BrendaMLKovacs]

If you remember correctly he said this would be for conversationalist learning

[@BrendaMLKovacs]

@@tacocruiser4238 take notes. When they start talking about something I put down what level I was at. It's not that hard.

[@ayorkii]

Taco Cruiser this is actually a really good piece if feedback for Pim. At the end of each level they should do a small story that encompasses all of the concepts that they taught. At the end of level 5/6 they should do a big comprehensive story where we can really focus on our long-term listening comprehension and review passively the concepts that were taught. Something we can come back to once a month to make sure we maintain what they’ve taught.

[@namelessvermillion8188]

A lot of people are quick to point out flaws in Pimsleur but when I do research a lot of Polyglots recommend it. I think it’s the student that makes it effective, people that make the best out of the resources they have even if it’s only Pimsleur. Theirs a video of a kid in Cambodia selling souvenirs to all different types of tourists in their language. I asked myself what resources did he have if any at all 🤔? Just goes to show in might just be the person and how well they can use what they have 🤷‍♂️

[@loistalagrand]

True. At the end of the day, pretty much any resource works. It all comes down to "are you doing the work or not".

[@andrewjennings745]

Pimsleur is defiantly great, but definitely needs to be paired with a grammar book/app and vocabulary lists!

[@ericc.5460]

Agreed! Makes it even more potent. Once I added a grammar and vocabulary book to my Pimsleur Spanish course I started progressing much faster!

[@loistalagrand]

What books did you use?

[@andrewjennings745]

@@loistalagrand for Chinese I used HSK books. But I switched my course entirely, and started using a instruction course on Coursera

[@baileymaxwell4247]

I’ve been doing Pimsleur Thai… can I read or write in Thai? No. But I do understand Thai a lot better and my pronunciation and tones have improved leaps and bounds compared to anything else I have tried. My only criticism is that there isn’t many more levels to many languages.

[@JonathanOlelo]

Nice review mate! I think that Pimsleur is effective, but I don't believe it's possible to master a language only by using a language platform (no matter which one) It's important to compliment any learning platform with some real content (content for native speakers) + conversations with native speakers, it's just essential to become fluent

[@loistalagrand]

Good point!

[@nigelcarruthers335]

I've been following my own regimen and it's been working fairly well. It's a combination of Pimsleur, easy readers, Podcasts with natural conversation, TV + Movies, native KZbin videos, iTalki and Anki for vocabulary.

[@jaydendcosta277]

Your videos are fantastic! Super underrated channel!

[@loistalagrand]

Thanks

[@skybelowus_]

I love Pimsleur. I’m addicted 😂

[@TheSPEEZY99]

I believe Pimsleur is great, if you took Spanish in middle school and highschool like it did. I’m still on level 1 lesson 4 but so far it seems like a refresher if you have previous experience. Because it’s not going to teach you how to properly conjugate ar or el Ella Ellos Ella’s nostros vostros etc… I only know that because of highschool Spanish but if I didn’t this app teaches you how to understand and Spanish conversation. And perhaps respond and ask questions. You’ll be conjugating verbs automatically but not knowing your doing it because this app doesn’t shine on that. I think if your looking for that you need to hire a tutor

[@loistalagrand]

That's my experience as well.

[@io7391]

If only one course to choose, Pimsleur or JapanesePod101?

[@clovertechdev4243]

Everyone's learning and capturing information is different. I learned much faster by looking at the words while listening to the audio. Just by audio alone it will take much lomger to learn and remember .

[@davidalexander6500]

Thank you very much for the review… Like you, I have failed at learning numerous languages. However, I agree with you, this is effective and I do look forward to my lessons.

[@loistalagrand]

How far along are you at this point?

[@surfside16]

At what level did you get with Pimsleur - i.e. A-2, B-1,, etc.

[@NicoLas-ts6jn]

Are you saying that with the 20€monthly price, I can finish one level which costs 150€ if I was to buy and own it? This makes a huge difference on the total cost of the course!

[@loistalagrand]

Yes, the price difference is huge. With the subscription, you get access to the exact same content, but you don't own it.

[@BrendaMLKovacs]

This may sound like a slam but it really isn't. You've learned the English language very well. All the um, like, and, you know, all the improper ways of speaking the language. Usually you know when someone's learned A second language because all the slang isn't there.

[@honestlee9921]

I know what u mean. I even wondered what my filler words would be when I learn Punjabi

[@mr.unorthodoxed7821]

Hi, nice review. Btw, since we're talking about language learning and fluency, I listen to your pronunciation of "th" in words like "third" and "anything," and I think it sounds more like an "f." So I watched closely and saw that you use your lower lip under your teeth to produce the sound. Instead, you should be touching your upper teeth with your tongue. You can try it out and you'll immediately hear the difference :)

[@StillAliveAndKicking_]

To be fair his English is amazing, and as a British English speaker, I would have mistaken him for a native speaker. I noticed a few times something like dee rather than the, but some American native English speakers kind of do that. When a ‘fault’ is that small, it becomes irrelevant, unkess you are really picky.

[@LouisArrow2003]

I do that as a native English speaker I’m ngl. No one notices unless I tell them

[@mr.unorthodoxed7821]

@@StillAliveAndKicking_ Yes, indeed, his English is fantastic. However, I only took the opportunity to leave a comment that he could use to improve even more. You see, I did not only tell the problem (or "fault"). But I also included the very simple fix for it - which could also help other people who might have noticed the same thing about their articulation. I don't know him. I'm not being nit-picky. I care about the people who loves to learn and seek improvement. ;) Hence my comment.

[@johnnacke4134]

Language Scientist: Every language App has strengths and weaknesses…. Would you recommend using two Apps that complement each other? And which two would you use together? ciao, John

[@zv8343]

Answer to second question, check it out at your library for free. My library has all levels for Spanish and other languages.

[@loistalagrand]

Does it have the audio files?

[@MommyToMyBoys]

Very detailed & helpful review! Thank you!!

[@loistalagrand]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ox_A_9597]

Hi, Thanks for sharing your thoughts on pimsleur. Is the offer for $19 a month still available?

[@kirilstoyanov1060]

Great review!

[@loistalagrand]

Thanks

[@tomdrum1420]

Pimsleur does work, but only to like a grade school level. it will require... 100% something after.

[@charlesoneill466]

Thanks, I will try it.

[@loistalagrand]

Did it work?

[@robertbrown3400]

May I ask you a very important question about Pimsleur? I am doing Pimsleur Spanish now

[@loistalagrand]

sure, what would you like to ask?

[@robertbrown3400]

@@loistalagrand I have asked many people about the pause button. I am on lesson 14 of Unit 1. This is all mostly material I have already gone over in High School, College, Rosetta Stone and Duolingo. I still find myself hitting pause a lot to come up with the proper response because 2 seconds isn't enough. I just finished Paul Noble's 2 courses and learned a lot in a short time. He has very long pauses and also encourages hitting the pause button. People online have said a lot not to hit pause on Pimsleur but to do the lesson over and over until it is automatic. I tried that and I find it not fun and very stressful. I'm 52. Can I use pause when I want to? I feel I am still progressing.

[@jninebanks]

Can u do more than one lesson a day?

[@skybelowus_]

Yes

[@Yhwh1737]

My husband who is italian says its too formal haha Im learning to talk to his family

[@loistalagrand]

Yes, lots of lessons have formal Italian, but there are plenty of lessons that teach casual Italian.

[@ihavenoname6724]

The term 'fluent' gets thrown around so liberaly by those companies that it has become tiresome. To my mind, when I see it used as a selling point, that's a big red flag. I've been studying English for so long now, I fully enjoy it but still don't see myself as having reached anything so advanced as fluency!

[@loistalagrand]

Agreed

[@nigelcarruthers335]

Great insights. Thank you.

[@loistalagrand]

thanks

[@normanejm]

Ey bro. Just I short question. If I want to hear or do two or more "lessons" (audios) is it possible?? or Only one per day??

[@loistalagrand]

It's possible, but not ideal. But I feel like one lesson a day is reasonable.

[@alphabravo0]

Lois, how many times a day did you listen to the same lesson? And how many days per lesson did it take you to move to the next (achieving 80% correctness as Pimsleur suggests)? For French it takes me 4-5 days per lesson, repeating the same lesson 4 times a day. It's hard to believe that it's possible to achieve 80% correctness with just one day per lesson (even with several repetitions per day). You need absorption time.

[@macaroon147]

I'm using Pimsleur now to learn German. I'm on lesson 26 and do atleast one lesson per day and I try to do 2 lessons per day. I understand what you mean though because in the 3rd lesson I learned a whole bunch of new words and couldn't remember them. So I wrote them down. I now have a textbook that's basically full of words. I think this is the only way to do 1 lesson per day and actually remember the words you learn. I'm not sure how other people can do it. And writing new words down is also great to remember spelling. Let me know if you need further tips or advice but that's just whats been working for me.

[@macaroon147]

Oh an to know what to write down I basically just repeat the word in my google translator app and then I can see the translation with the correct spelling. Then I write that down in my text book.

[@loistalagrand]

I wouldn't worry too much about getting everything right. But 4-5 days seems like a lot.

[@nanonkay5669]

I think your approach to learning using Pimsleur is kinda off, 4-5 times a day seems like overkill. But what I can advise is to do the lesson once but take as much time as you need to construct whatever sentence they are asking or to recall whatever vocab you need. Pause the audio if you have to so that you can think of the appropriate response before hearing the speakers give the answer. That's what I do, at least. If there is any new vocab or hard to form sentences or even just some unconventional way they say a sentence, I load it up into anki to review later. That way, I know that I was able to answer most of the questions and the hard ones I can still review them later. If you were really struggling to form sentences and you got them wrong anyway, such that you were failing at answering correctly, do the lesson again. But if you listen to a lesson, take down the necessary vocab and sentences into anki, review them, do the lesson again, you'll be way better and probably won't need to do a lesson more than twice. Sure it may take you an hour or more on one lesson but you'll get to do it twice, maximum.

[@alphabravo0]

@@nanonkay5669 And what's your Pimsleur result? What language are you learning? What other languages do you know? (since progress depends on how different a new language from the languages you already know) What level you are at and how much time it took you to get there? Recently I finished all five levels of French and it took me two and a half years. All together around 1,500 hours. I am conversational now and pretty happy with results. When I was learning English it also took me many years so I am skeptical about "30 min per day for 5 months". I know some full-time courses of French that last for 10 months, 40 hours a day. So it's comparable to how much I spent on Pimsleur.

[@shaynaharris3861]

I'm trying to learn Spanish with pimsluer buy not ONE Spanish person around me speaks the kind of Spanish that pimsluer is teaching me. So I feel like I am learning something and it's all for nothing. Maybe they can understand me but I can't understand ANY of them. And there's allot of them and they all speak a different kind of Spanish.

[@loistalagrand]

How many lessons have you listened to?

[@larybremner5855]

Yeah, repackage the old Pimsleur for the internet age.

[@loistalagrand]

They have actually added a lot of content to most languages.

[@KSLAMB-uz4it]

Pimsleur is an expensive phrase book. It can't offer anything more than that other than native pronunciation.

[@honestlee9921]

Yes, but an effective one .

[@loistalagrand]

A phrase book doesn't have spaced repetition and native audio though.

[@topcat2033]

I found it boring, I prefer Duolingo

[@loistalagrand]

Don't you find Dueloingo boring?