Name: Pimsleur: Language Learning
Rating: 4.74225 (15185 reviews)

User Reviews for Pimsleur: Language Learning

4.74 out of 5

15.2K Ratings

7 months ago, Stan I. G.

Worthwhile and Exceeds Expectations!

I remember being just a kid when I first heard about the Pimsleur Method for learning languages and wishing I could access it. Years later as a post-baccalaureate student and in the age of smartphones and ease of access to subscriptions, I finally got my hands on Pimsleur after years of using Duolingo to learn various languages. I decided to pick up Mandarin, and immediately, you get straight into the speaking while trying to pronounce words similar to the speaker. I was surprised at how many words I actually ended up learning in just the first level alone and how much I could actually put the pieces together based on what Pimsleur taught me to correctly say sentences I wanted that weren't reviewed in the lessons at all! I finally mustered up the courage to ask a new friend of mine to help me practice speaking what I learned in person, and he was so impressed at how natural my Mandarin sounded! I get very self-conscious about how I sound when I'm learning languages too, so this was really validating for me. I'm almost finished with Mandarin Level 2 and I just have to say that Pimsleur exceeded my expectations and is so, so worth the price. I also practice Spanish on here as well to get better at it even though I learned it when I was a kid. Along the way, they implemented the pronunciation mastery feature, which is also such a very useful tool! Years of waiting to get my hands on Pimsleur was such a dream come true!

2 years ago, honey.bee.93

Best way to learn

I took Spanish through high school and 2 semesters in college. I still cannot speak conversationally, and the less I use it the more I forget it. As a nurse I encounter patients that only speak Spanish, and then I witness doctors insisting they do not need a translator and they could “use their 5 senses” but they cannot understand what the patient is actually telling them. Or they will not see a patient until the end of their visit in the emergency department because of the inconvenience of needing to get the translator iPad… that i have literally brought into the room. They literally just put tests in based on their complaint that is in the computer. I was appalled and I can only do so much but I know that my short time in one small southern town will not change the culture. I have wanted to learn Spanish for a long time but I never took the time. What stumped me in school was all of the conjugation. And breaking down sentences. And when I read that this is what Pimsleur says is the problem with traditional learning, that made complete sense! I typically listen to audibles and podcasts so now I just listen to Pimsleur instead and it is very natural. Driving to work, on an airplane, walking around the store, doing the dishes, cleaning the house, cooking. I can listen anywhere and I’m actually remembering new words and have started using it at work already. LOVE THIS APP. If you’re hesitant…. I’m telling you just do it.

2 years ago, Dr.Potoshi

I’ve learned so much so incredibly fast!

I’ve always wanted to learn a second language, but for some reason, I always thought that I didn’t have the intelligence to do it. well, I certainly learned that intelligence can be very subjective, because I have learned so much in such a small window of time and the more you keep going, The more fun you start having with it. i’ve decided that I want to learn how to speak Finnish, the national language of Finland. Something else that really took me by surprise was the fact that as you start learning words, you start making those neuronal pathways between where the original word in your mother tongue language is stored in the word that you learn through your second language, and once that connection is made it stays there, and in the beginning, you’ll start to hear the words, and then the English version of the word Will pop into your head as the definition. And then, as time goes on even more, and you’re learning more and more advanced words, you literally start to think in the new language. all I can say, is I recommend this program to anybody who wants to be able to start speaking a new language right away within the first lesson because it is true. You do learn how to speak some bear essential words in the first lesson.

4 years ago, TwilightCitizen

Almost Perfect

I’m learning Tagalog, now into my tenth lesson of the first course. Having doubled down with this app and a few other language training apps, I can tell you that you WILL learn with Pimsleur. The training seems rooted in conversations that are both relevant and easy enough to follow along. My one main gripe—and what keeps me from giving Pimsleur a full five stars—is that there is no text to accompany the feature spoken dialogue of each lesson. Supplementary text-based training modules follow the feature spoken dialogue, and it is only by then that I sometimes learn I was speaking incorrectly throughout the whole lesson. For instance, in today’s lesson—in which I learned some words for telling the time of day—I repeated the word “balang” several times. Later, in the text-based training that followed it, I learned that I SHOULD have been saying “pa lang”. “Balang” and “pa lang” sound similar enough to be confused with each other by a new learner like myself, but these are entirely different words. Text to accompany the feature dialogue training would handily prevent such confusion from happening. And, it would obviate the need to have Google translate or some similar app handy to attempt word discovery while training. Pimsleur, add text to accompany the dialogue, and I’ll give you five stars. Everyone else, if you’re seeking to learn a new language, Pimsleur should be among your top picks. Just keep my caveats in mind.

5 years ago, Electrical Enginerd

Content: Great. App: frustrating

First off, credit where it’s due: over the past 5 months I worked through Italian 1-5. I’ve been in Italy now for three weeks and am having a much easier time integrating at work thanks to what I’ve learned with Pimsleur. I have been almost constantly frustrated with the app’s seeming dislike of working offline, and its tendency to delete lessons I’ve already downloaded. Thus if I live in an area with poor cell reception but have WiFi at home, I might go out for a walk hoping to do a Pimsleur lesson already downloaded to my phone, and two minutes into my walk find that the lesson is suddenly no longer there. When this happens, the app tends to display a message to the effect of ‘Functionality updated. Re-download lesson’. I’ve found this extremely inconvenient. Finally, the lesson download functionality itself is inconvenient: say you want to download Level 1, all 30 lessons. You have to individually select each lesson. Ok, no big deal. But then you want to do something else while the messages are downloading: nope. If you switch screens within the app, if you try to open a different app, or if your screensaver kicks on, downloading stops, so you have to restart your download. Obviously, despite the frustration, using the app is still easier than buying the CD’s and carrying around a CD player. But come on, Pimsleur. Your developers can do better.

12 months ago, ModelMirela22

hi please update app for year one million updates languages and more video apps for music videos and romantic songs hi please update apple translator app with the best of everything translation with all 7,149 languages please update the apple store every 2 weeks and every month and every year Best App Ever Happiest customer ever in the whole world it even has Dazaga language ❤️💋🐻 Hi there needs to be bosnian cyrillic albanian cyrillic spanish cyrillic azeri cyrillic armenian cyrillic languages and abkhazian language please add that language too and please add translator guru videos for studying languages and their dialects and please add dialects for all languages and please add the option to know what languages are popular in what part of village city or town from each country and what dialect is spoken there and please add the almost extinct croatian language spoken by 200,000 people in croatia and Slavonian language spoken by the Slavonian people in Slavonia part of Slavonia and Herzegovian language too Bosnia has Herzegovian people too not just Bosnian people Hi please update google translate app today please make it better to include sidewalk play couch play Fuschesia RVPG disc and PVDP 20k video graphics discs for computer that would really improve lots of lives in a good romantic way also u just won the lottery with this new video discs and update best app ever

4 years ago, Mr Pablito_99

Great app... but some difficulties.

This app is amazing in the way it teaches you a new language! I have already completed French 1-5 and speak it fluently conversationally and I am now working on Russian. Just like in French, there were some misplaced texts/audio and mistranslations every here and there but they hardly appeared (literally only like 2, MAYBE 3 mistakes per level). However, once I reached Russian 4, the mistakes become more and more common. Some include flash cards with half the phrase missing and appearing in the next card, speakeasy conversations being mistranslated and the biggest eye sore, the speak easy text itself! For whatever reason, a lot of the text bubbles have words with no spacing, sometimes there are whole sentences with no spacing! With Russian using a whole other writing system and the words being normally longer in text AND not to mention it’s a language I don’t know and am learning, trying to read the text becomes horrendously difficult to the point that I have to resort to reading it in Latin letters which defeats the purpose of learning. Itsessentiallyliketryingtoreadthisasanenglishlearner. I still gave this app 5 stars because it’s effectiveness is nearly unparalleled and despite the setbacks, I am still learning Russian very quickly but please Pimsleur, address these problems!

1 year ago, PurelyObjective

BY FAR THE BEST.

I am not the kind of guy who just loves a good, juicy, book on grammar. (I’d rather go to the dentist.) I’m extremely active, travel a lot, and I communicate for a living. I go to Central America a lot and NO ONE you’re going to encounter in daily life is an expert in Spanish grammar in Central America, as is the case with English in the USA. I have had the luxury of having access to R. Stone and the Bbl app. Nope. Pimsleur? YEP. It’s different. It’s way better. It’s not a pain. I don’t get annoyed. I learn EXTREMELY QUICKLY. And it’s almost weird; I live in an area of Los Angeles where there are tons of Spanish speakers and I find myself walking around listening in on other’s conversations without even meaning to. It’s pretty fascinating. (Apparently… I am considered attractive to some in the Latin American culture… who knew... :-) I no longer need the basic stuff but you know, who wants to only know how to order a beer and where the bathrooms are in conversation? It’s nice to talk about the things that people really care about, so I’m refreshing now and will go as advanced as the course goes. I’ve had the Pimsleur audio course for years, and I have now abandoned everything else except for the Pimsleur app. It. Is. Different. Better. Do iiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!!!!

5 years ago, Harry1596

Best language app/site I’ve used

I’ve used multiple sites and apps to learn Japanese and while they are good for learning random words short term, they didn’t help me learn conversational speech and grammar. This app started off exactly how you would in school, it gives you the basics- hello, thank you, where is ____, it is here, it is over there, good night, etc. The progress as you go on also makes complete sense. You could take the first few lessons and be ready to at least get around Japan with basic words. After a couple weeks you can almost speak conversationally. And the way it is set up, 30min lessons and they recommend you do one lesson a day, I generally do 1 every other day due to how busy I am. It helps keep me on track and it gives me a start and end point for each day unlike most apps I’ve used. I also highly recommend getting the $20/month version instead of the $15/month simply because the flash cards, reading, speed rounds, and speak easy options that come with the $20 version are something you can do in public without looking crazy or interrupting quiet spaces, and it’s also a HUGE help in learning the new language. Sorry this review has been all over the place. I hope it’s been helpful regardless. Good luck!

2 years ago, houxyholly

More practical than other options

I tried out this app with the cyber monday half-off one month deal and I really wish the full price was more practical for me (a student) because I have loved working with Pimsleur. Other apps on the market make you have to stay looking at your phone the whole time and this makes committing half an hour a day aside from all other tasks. I do pimsleur while cleaning, painting, cooking, or driving and it makes it so much more efficient and also more intuitive to come up with sentences while talking aloud. I used D*olingo daily for a full year and I feel as though I have made way more progress with practical applications and use of my target language with Pimsleur. My only complaint about the app is 1. Sometimes the speaker does not pause long enough to allow me to think through and say the more complex sentences and pauses way too long for one-word responses, it seems like that would be an easy fix. Also I think that the situations could be a little more interesting/fun/creative to be more practical - though maybe when I get to the higher levels this will be the case. Great app, please make a student pricing!!!

1 year ago, alix2468

Best for being conversational and getting around

I did French for 7 years from middle school and into college. I always did well with reading and writing but listening comprehension and speaking were always really hard and I was never confident in either. It’s likely why I decided to give up on a French major. Anyway, a couple of years ago, I was finally going to go to France and decided to pick up French again so I was ready for my trip. I did the entire French curriculum with Pimsleur (5 months) and, despite the pandemic delaying my trip, I can say my fluency and accent were better than they ever were when I did all those years of French in school. I was complimented by several native speakers while I was there on my accent! About 2 months before my actual trip (a full year later) I did pick up Duolingo to do a refresh and actually stayed with it, doing one lesson every day for 650 days to complete that curriculum and I can say, Pimsleur was significantly better suited for speaking and understanding than even all that time with Duolingo. I’m going back to Paris in two months so decided to pick up Pimsleur again to hone my ear 😊 it’s definitely worth the money.

5 years ago, thizzordie07

Great supplemental practice, but not a stand-alone

This app is really good at what it does. Like all language apps on the market, they use the theory of not explaining the grammar or tense that is happening. It's situational audio learning. You hear the audio and learn the tense and grammar in the context of a real sentence. This is a good way to learn a language naturally, but for me, it wouldn't be enough without traditional learning. Pairing this app with a traditional language education will accelerate you. You can learn grammar in school or online and learn the "rules" explained in English, but then practice the target language in a natural, conversational way. I'm using it to learn French. French has so many rules. Like many languages, you need to know the genders of words, the order of adjectives, nouns, pronouns, possessive words, tense rules, etc. Without knowing some of the rules, it's hard for some people to pick up on the nuance when you just hear audio. But paired with some "rule learning" I have to give this app 5 stars. They are thoughtful about how they teach the language, and you can tell a lot of thought went into the curriculum. I would recommend this to anyone who is learning a language and wants to speed up the process.

3 weeks ago, Long1897

Wish I had tried this one first

This method really focuses on putting your lessons into practical conversations. I had previously learned quite a bit of the language I was studying, but when I visited Italy I really struggled to keep up with the actual speed of conversation. Usually people then would just speak English to me and that was really demoralizing after all my hard work. I feel much better prepared to actually have conversations now. Plus I REALLY love being able to do lessons in the car. I have a long commute so I have plenty of time to do the lesson each day. With the apps that required a lot of reading and clicking a response I could never find time to do them. Also I feel like I learned the lesson much better by hearing and speaking it first then going back (when I’m not driving of course) to do the reading and pronunciation drills that come with the lesson. Reading it first or simultaneously really screwed up my pronunciation. I am really pleased with this app. Honestly, I feel better able to speak the language after a month of Pimsluer than I did after a year of studying with the other apps and textbooks.

2 years ago, SweetTG34

ADHD and I’m retaining this!

I think the hardest thing about learning new languages for me has been overthinking and getting lost in assignments and alphabets and whatnot. Having ADHD made it simply impossible in a classroom setting and private lessons just never held my attention. Well this is structured perfectly. The 30 minute lessons are easy to follow and it’s fun. You stay engaged and the repetition is perfectly placed. It feels like a perfectly productive private lesson (again I tried private lessons) The tools allow you to practice each phrase and record your pronunciation for accuracy and so what I do is listen to the lesson, perfect my pronunciation with the voice coach, then listen to the lesson again and try to follow it perfectly (so it’s a game I play with myself). Throughout the day I use the voice coach just to keep it all fresh so when I start the next lesson the following day, I’m prepared to move on. I don’t have to do this though bc They cover what you learned from the previous lessons throughout the next to keep it all fresh. It’s really brilliant. I’m speaking it perfectly and I’m retaining it! That is mind blowing to me. Well done.

3 years ago, pie_dncr

Amazing, however I wish there was more levels for Filipino

I used Pimsleur’s Filipino course back in November 2020 through January 2021 for 2 months. The concept of this app is amazing. It has you pay attention to how words are pronounced and makes you rely on how words are said rather than just a list of them, requiring more of your brain energy to process each word. The levels are definitely worth it, and the transitions between each lesson by using previously taught words as review for the beginning of each lesson helped me to recall what I previously learned. The only thing that the app lacked was the lack of levels for Filipino, in fact I noticed that there were courses that didn’t have as much levels as there were for more popular languages, such as Spanish and French that had 5 levels. Filipino only had 2. I understand that there may not be as many learners for Filipino/other lesser-used languages compared to Spanish, French, Chinese (Mandarin), German, Korean, and Japanese. However, I’m sure that learners of other languages that are using this great app would love to see more levels for the languages that aren’t as primarily sought after. Thank you so much for this app!

2 months ago, splunkr

Voice coach occasionally hears ghosts.

Overall I think this is the best program for learning a new language but the voice recognition still had a few problems. It usually gets it right but once in a while it “hears” something totally different from what you say. You can listen to the playback and just have to wonder how it comes up with what it scribes. And there are a few phrases you cannot get 100% no matter what you say. You can even record and playback the native speaker from the app and still get only 97%. For my final comment on the Voice Coach I would like to suggest that’s the app not be quite so strict on word for word. Sometimes the sentence to translate can be said differently especially if the original has ambiguity as to gender or level of formality or even has a pronoun that can be inferred,( ie ‘nosotros’) from the verb. I understand this raises the complexity of the programming somewhat but it would help greatly for a learner trying to speak naturally without trying to just memorize particular phrases from the lessons. On a side note, there is another problem with the voice coach. On level 5 lesson 2 it verbally has a completely different sentence than what is written.

1 year ago, MonmouthME

I Rely on Pimsleur

I started using Pimsleur back in the 90’s when I was getting ready to take an important trip to Brazil. I only spoke English and had no knowledge of Portuguese. I used it for months while working in my classroom after work and on my commute. I spent six weeks in the country and found that my Pimsleur practice really worked. I was able to communicate and understand in a way that allowed me to both have fun and do research. Years later, I had the opportunity to study and tour Japan for three weeks. Again, I knew Nothing about the language, but Pimsleur really came through. I travelled in a group of 200 American educators (I teach music) and unexpectedly people in the group would call me for help as they noticed I was the American who could “communicate” (I still count myself as a beginner) in Japanese. Now, I’m working on French for the first time in my life and have the advantage of Pimsleur on my phone. I’m using other French language apps, too, but Pimsleur is the most convenient while working or driving and I think it’s the most thorough. I’m so glad the reading resources are available, too on the app.

1 year ago, jorDAN2898

Very effective approach. Would like more.

I love how Pimsleur is so effective at teaching in a way to enable users to start speaking confidently within 30 days, or lessons. The format and science-based approaches are very effective. But I’d like to be able to continually improve my knowledge and expertise of each language surpassing those 30 lessons. If there were additional features to allow users to study the alphabet, vocabulary, grammar, culture as it pertains to the languages, and other effective aspects, I think it would be even more helpful and intriguing. It would make sense to have these additional aspects available only after completing, or separate from, the original 30 lessons, so that people are still fulfilling the primary objective of Pimsleur which seems to be helping people begin SPEAKING a language. Whether they would be a part of the all access pass, an additional subscription, or even an separate app, I’m not sure exactly how that would work, but I think it would be great. At the very least, having some guidance and direction on which resources to turn to after completing each course to increase mastery, whether offered by Pimsleur, or other sources, would be nice.

5 months ago, I offer

Good app A+

If you want to start a language, or are in need of refreshing what you know, this Pimsleur approach is excellent. You listen to conversations, which is THE way to start! Via these conversations, and the info the commentator/instructor gives you, plus accompanying reading lessons at end of each chapter you’re going to have a good head start. I myself had a few French and Spanish beginner lessons years ago, and Pimsleur helps me remember what I forgot plus keep learning. But I started Swedish from scratch with Pimsleur, and I have to say, I’m impressed with how practical their program is for very beginners as well. I put 1 earbud in and listen when walking the dog/ playing fetch/ cleaning, etc. In my car I use CarPlay and listen. Since you don’t have to be doing the visuals most of the time, you can incorporate it with your daily activities- and make them more enjoyable plus give you a sense of accomplishment. Reviewing the Spanish helped me to be able to use it more with my patients, and the French at times as well. But I was totally surprised when I got a patient who spoke Swedish! ( here on the East Coast USA)

2 years ago, Mrfatcheeks

Best language learning app available

I have tried all of the apps in depth, what makes this language app the most advanced is not only hearing the words constantly and in different ways with different sentences, to sharpen your comprehension skills but also its the style of practice, most other apps have tests and writing, things that don't grab your attention and at times feel like a pain. This app is like having a constant conversation with yourself, it makes breaking through mental blocks easier because it doesn’t feel like work, you can listen while you drive, lay down for bed, or just throw it on as if was a tv show. This app is truly the best when you factor that combined with the results. I learn as fast, if bot faster than any app out there, exercising half the effort and mental strain. Truly a wonderful program to any serious learner, even if you have other methods of learning, pimsleur is a fantastic compliment to any other program too, as it is such a unique method of learning mimicked by no other app, in a world of spanish apps that all seem extremely similar….

2 years ago, cyberneuromancer

you get what you put in

I rarely ever leave reviews for apps. Pimsleur is legit. It has to be used consistently to see the most return. This app is very important because it is listening based, the same way you will encounter your target language in the real-world. In the real-world, you will not have captions/subtitles to read and they will speak quickly. Pimsleur gives you the chance to hear and speak. I am learning german and am at an intermediate level. I attribute my pronunciation and accent most to Pimsleur. Pimsleur is specifically good at two things; hearing crystal-clear, native speakers speak and perfecting your pronunciation and accent. A huge DISCLAIMER: pimsleur should not be used alone. If you only use pimsleur and expect it to do the heavy lifting, you will have huge gaps in your understanding. It can’t teach you everything. Use other apps, take classes, speak with native speakers, watch shows in your language, etc. Pimsleur is an amazing app that I recommend to everyone that is trying to learn a language. Use it in conjunction with other sources and you will be on your way to success!

8 months ago, Goyo Lencho

Love the Pimsleur method!

The Pimsleur method of spaced repetition coupled with having the student predict how one might say a phrase in the target language is sheer genius. The simulated conversations and situations build competence and confidence quickly. Other methods are just too slow. I initially used the program to learn Chinese. After completing level 4 of Pimsleur, I was able to get a perfect score on the Level 2 HSK exam sponsored by the Confucius Institute and my local university. A few years ago, I was invited to give an English language seminar in Kazakhstan. Before my trip I used Pimsleur to learn Russian. I finished level 5. My very first Russian conversation upon arrival was with my taxi driver. We talked for an hour about the first Kazakh elections that had just taken place since the fall of the Soviet Union. Last year I used Pimsleur to learn Italian. While I only had time to complete level 3, I was able to converse quite well. Thank you Pimsleur!!! In the interest of full disclosure, I am a professional linguist. I teach Spanish and Portuguese. I give language seminars around the world.

11 months ago, Scottological

The best

When I started spending several months a year in Paris, acquiring practical French speaking and comprehension skills became necessary. (I had taken a few years of French in school, but had forgotten nearly everything.) I tried all the methods and all the apps, but the one that clearly benefited me the most was Pimsleur. Other methods, especially Michel Thomas, work great, too, for broader comprehension of the language. However it is Pimsleur that taught me how to speak (and understand) the real, idiomatic French I encounter every day. Frankly, the lessons themselves can be a little boring, especially when doing them every day. Nonetheless, they are amazingly effective. Stick with it, and you’ll be able to handle common, everyday situations with ease in relatively little time. I’ve encountered no problems with the app itself, and it provides great supplemental material that the audio-only version available on Audible and elsewhere just doesn’t provide. All in all, I absolutely recommend this app, and especially the Pimsleur method itself.

2 years ago, finish what you start...

Love it

Working into level 4 now and I love it. Be aware that it gives you no grammar instruction or really rules at all. It’s simply listen-repeat-listen-repeat teaching style. It works really well. I had Spanish in high school 25 years ago. I bought a separate grammar book so as simple principles like past tense and future tense some up I look them up to remember the “why” behind the sentence structure/conjugation. Pimsleur is designed to not have any of this, but I think incorporating this grammar study in as well has really helped me. I’d highly recommend it. My only criticism would really be that it gets repetitive. I’m 94 lessons in. That’s a solid 45 hours. It gets boring at times that’s for sure. Same thing over and over So I typically listen/repeat while at the gym every morning and then some driving around. But I don’t really know how they would mix it up because it does get so repetitive I have taken a break for a week here and there, but for the most part I’ve stuck strong to the one lesson every day for the last 3-4 months.

3 years ago, KellyIsraelli

Actual speaking practice!

I have been raving about Pimsleur to anyone who will listen since I started using it in February 2020. I love it because it fits into my schedule since I can practice while washing dishes, straightening up, putting on make-up, etc. It also actually gets you speaking unlike other language apps. I took a break from live French lessons until I had finished the Pimsleur French course. After returning to a live lesson, my French teacher complimented me on how much I had improved in my speaking skills. My listening has also dramatically improved. Before Pimsleur, I would need her to write out almost everything, but now I can understand around 90% of what she says and only occasionally need her to type something. My only request is that Pimsleur makes flash cards based on spaced repetition. I use another app for spaced repetition flashcards and it’s so much more efficient than regular flashcards. Thanks Pimsleur, for finally providing an app that fits with my schedule and actually helps me to speak!

11 months ago, MATJR89

Great content but app could use improvements

Overall, I’ve enjoyed using Pimsleur for learning new languages. It’s a great tool for practicing conversational language acquisition, particularly pronunciation and auditory recognition — my Russian-speaking friends have said I sound native when using words or phrases I’ve learned with Pimsleur. However, I would like to see the addition of new content, e.g., Ukrainian. I’m planning to relocate to Ukraine, and it would be great to have 5 complete levels, especially since Russian will be viewed less favorable there in the future. Also, in terms of the app, I would like to have the option to disable transliteration on all practice exercises (flash cards, speed round). It would also be great if we could build a custom deck of flash cards combining cards from various lessons and bonus packs, especially since it’s difficult to work the bonus cards into the typical workflow when studying. I would like to be able to focus on all challenging words/phrases in a single location on the app, adding and removing them as I see fit.

2 years ago, zxcroaq

Cheap option??

While I can’t afford this app, it did provide me with a free lesson. The lesson was so good; I think that the lesson was good because it’s not a robot voice. They actually have real people showing you how to pronounce words. I think this is awesome, they also have other sections that make you remember what you learned, this makes you understand the language better.(they do work and the lessons are 30 minutes) [ you can tell that a TON of work went into this app ]. I am a high school student who wants to study abroad, this app can help a lot of people if it were free or even cheaper. Although I do understand why it would be expensive, I also understand that there are millions of people trying to lean a new language and there aren’t a lot of app that are this effusive. ( soo to the creators of this app, awesome job…but I do think this app would be more successful if the app had an option where you could learn for free; where the section gives you the same amount of lessons and maybe only the matching game). Great app if you can afford it :)

4 years ago, Briwel

Best way to learn a language

Pimsleur is hands-down, the single best way to learn a different language and begin to actually think and converse in that language. If you just want to learn the word for beer, the word for house, and how to ask, “where is the bathroom?” then by all means, use those other programs. However, if you want to have a solid foundation with the ability to have meaningful conversations and the launchpad to effectively continue learning long after the program, by interacting with the culture itself, then just buy the full Pimsleur program for your desired language. The app itself is well thought-out and has very few issues. Once in a while it will forget which lesson you last completed, making you scroll manually to the correct lesson. The only other thing I really wish for is that the appropriate reading lesson would be linked directly from the audio lesson. But for learning, there’s simply nothing better, and I’ve tried the other big names as well. This is the only one that “stuck.”

1 year ago, SilaElise

Privacy but more effect than Duolingo!

I wanted to start learning Haitian Creole to better communicate with my boyfriends parents. At the time I had been using Duolingo & I found that it was good for vocabulary words but not so great for speaking and applying skills in everyday conversations. Any time I’d tried to practice with my boyfriend he’d say “no we would say it like this…” I had another app to supplement but it was only push and repeat words/flashcards . And it wasn’t sticking. I found Pimsleur through an ad around Christmas time. I tried the first lesson and immediately loved that I was being engaged in a realistic conversation. since it was on sale I bought the lesson pack- and completed all of them. I feel much more confident and excited to use what I learned and his mom is very pleased with how much I’ve learned to quickly! She was so surprised saying “oh you speak kreyòl now! You are Kreyòl! I am so happy” This is my first time writing a review for an app, so you can imagine I am happy with my results. I just wish there was a **level 2 Creole** available because I am ready for more! In the meantime I am going to go through the lessons a second time and more consistently. I didn’t do the lessons back to back 30 days straight, but it was still very effective. Next decent sale I will go for Japanese! It is pricey and I wish it was cheaper… but i recommend it to anyone that wants to learn! Side note: If you’re looking for a brand ambassador sign me up! Lol

2 years ago, alexanderg97

ALL you need.

Language learning is a superpower. The easiest way to learn is to have conversations with people, so through verbal repetition and listening you can be successful in your new language. THIS is what Pimsleur does. It has so many languages that you can learn; listening to these audios, and learning how the words you just learned look like on paper after is the most natural and effective way when you start any language. This app is a 10/10. I have tried so many and this is the best one. Be consistent with the audios, try to do them everyday, combine this with maybe some basic reading on your own, and some podcasts so you can listen more in your target language and believe me in a month you’ll see the difference. This is what I did for my third language and what I plan to do for my fourth now. Be passionate about the language you are learning, be curious, and with the help of this app you’ll be speaking in no time.

9 months ago, zolasgreat

Minor add ins to teachings would help

I love this app I have learned about 7 lessons of both Egyptian Arabic and Eastern Arabic dialect. Anytime I speak to someone who knows the language they’re highly impressed and want to know where and how I’m learning the language. HOWEVER as much as I’ve learned Pimsleur doesn’t teach sentence structure at least in lesson 1 so that way you can to begin to create your own sentences beyond the phrases they teach. Nor does it every establish what letters you’ll typically see for male vs. female which we all know is important outside of the English language. An example is a T is often tacked on to Arabic feminine words or the ending changes to add an “i” not one time does it address that. I feel like the app teaches but it doesn’t teach you foundational knowledge to feel independent from the app. That would be my main concern and they should definitely add that in for the harder languages such as Arabic. Very simple change.

5 years ago, GGorska

Maybe MP3 is Better?

Pimsleur has been one of my language learning go-tos for many years (Russian, Spanish, Romanian, Italian) But when I reported that the app freezes up when you stop and start, the helpdesk informed me that I was Doing It All Wrong and would Fail to Learn because I was stopping after the prompt in order to have more time to respond. Language learning is my hobby, so I know that everyone needs to use tools in the most effective ways for them. I slow down Pimsleur to 75% or 80% while I’m in the shower, and when I’m working directly with the program I stop the app to have time make my responses, exactly the way I patiently wait for my English students to put together new sentences. (If I didn’t do this, I would feel like a failure and lose my motivation, plus I’m not willing to listen to those lessons more than twice!) So consider downloading the MP3 and using a more flexible MP3 player that will correspond to your own language learning preferences. In the meantime, I do indeed recommend Pimsleur for starting a new language (but be sure to use other resources as well.)

2 weeks ago, CA LUV

A system that works great but a frustrating app

Overall, I highly recommend this app. It really works and you’ll be learning a new language very quickly. However, there are a few things that make the process frustrating. For one, some lessons take too long because they prompt you with some very basic words that you’re then expected to repeat, in some case with AND without some optional terms. For example, don’t bother prompting me to say “And you?” on Lesson 9. That’s a waste of time. More importantly, the voice coach (pronunciation/challenge) is a great concept (game-ifying learning), especially for kids. However, you get dinged for a) including/not including optional words (like “usted” in Spanish), which it applies inconsistently as it may “require” it in one sentence but not want you to use it in the next, and b) you saying “nine” but it auto-detecting “9” and considering it a “missed” word. If the game is not played fairly, people will not be as interested in playing.

2 years ago, VoidCatPancakes

Best language learning app i’ve used!

I could not recommend using this app enough to anyone out there wanting to learn a new language. Plus they aren't limited to the big ones they have tons of smaller languages that many people wish to know. Im so glad I signed up for the monthly, each lesson is a bite sized memory lesson on pronunciation and useful phrases. Each course I believe has it’s first lesson free so if you’re not sure yet, just download the app, and check out the first course to see if the way they teach is what works for you! Personally I'm learning Icelandic and I'm having a blast while at work reciting the words and phrases. Solid course to pick for anyone desperate for any Icelandic learning tool. (I know theres next to nothing online about how to truly learn Icelandic in an audio or video format.) Please give it a go, I promise you wont regret the download! Thank you to the Pimsleur team for making such a great tool!

2 years ago, Ark.exe

It’s pretty good by far

I’ve been trying to learn Japanese for about 5 months now using Duolingo Kanji garden Write! Japanese and some other ones which are nice and all that but I never felt like the things they shove in my face all at once stuck with me and I felt rushed and panicked when doing some of them, but this is app is so nice because it's really at your pace and you can go back whenever you need to and they don't shove everything at you at once which I’m so thankful for and this app is the only one that went step by step to help me say a word I struggled alot useing the other apps because of struggling to say a word with no help I love this app and my mother dose to I do recommend this app for anyone trying to learn a language and just started. Now thanks to this app I can now have a short conversation already at lesson one and understand that short conversation Duolingo could never.ありがとうございます^_^。

1 year ago, The real Moocakes

Sharing is too difficult

Not sharing friendly, too expensive, not enough time between prompts, more for people who learn language easily already. Explanations: Would love to be able to share this app with my family as we all try to learn a language together. Pimsleur is a very high price monthly comparative to other language apps so being able to share would make the cost more reasonable. However, you have to share your password in order to do so. If you have purchased the app through Apple then you have to share your Apple ID. Yikes! Not something anyone should be forced to do. Highly recommend Duo Lingo instead for sharing. I’ve learned so much more and faster with dl too. Pimsleur became a secondary way to practice speaking but for the cost and without a better way to share it isn’t worth the money. Spend your money elsewhere. Also, Pimsleur does not give ample time between prompts to form sentences. So it is a bit frustrating, which is discouraging. With some app and time adjustments this could be an amazing platform for advanced language learning.

10 months ago, RMF222

Pimsleur Language App is Smart and Effective

I am a humanities professor and have studied several languages. 15 years ago I tried to learn Japanese in a conventional way attending class, doing homework from numerous books and listening to cassette tapes. Things progressed slowly but because I did not visit the country when I intended to, I lost most of that early capacity. I’m planning a trip for next year and decided to restart using this app. It is exceptional because it utilizes multiple approaches, recording my attempts to speak, and offering feedback, game oriented flash cards for building vocabulary, and nice historical notes on culture. Easy to use while I’m driving or airport waiting or listening to a boring lecture.. The monthly subscription also allows me to switch to other languages I may need to refresh. I’ve used Rosetta Stone and numerous other products but this one is clearly superior.

1 year ago, keepnsharp

Best language learning program you could ever ask for!

I’m taking a trip to Spain and wanted to be able to converse with the locals in a friendly and congenial manner. I’m a complete novice at this and have never spoken another language besides English. This course is very comprehensive in the way it teaches. Sentences are first spoken in English, then spoken in Spanish, (in this case.) The sentence is also simultaneously written in Spanish so that you can see the words that you’re learning. Additionally, as you dig deeper into the program, there are flash cards to test your comprehension, a voice recognition section to help with pronunciation, and several other sections that really help you to learn and comprehend. My only wish is that I would like to have audio cds of the lessons so that I could practice while driving. Other than that, this program is truly amazing, and very well thought out!

3 years ago, Justbet13

Great language app to renew your ability

This app is GREAT if you have any prior formal training in a language. I’ve used it to recover 40-year-old German! I do think it has helped me tremendously that I can picture the words and sentences and identify the grammar rules because I once knew them. My husband, with no background in German beyond gesundheit and sauerkraut, has learned some but it is very slow going and frustrating. He brings his questions to me. I’ve dabbled with other languages that I have never studied and find it hard to determine where one word ends and another starts. They do have written support materials, but they augment rather than follow and support specific lessons. While I find them helpful, they just confuse my husband. Anyway, I give it 5 stars because it has worked beautifully for me. Highly recommend for renewing lost language ability. Not so much for novice speakers.

1 year ago, Bill-234456

Great App

I thought I’d give the Pimsleur app a try to prepare for an upcoming trip to France, and now 4 months later I’m totally hooked! I do a new lesson every day or two, and learn something new everyday. As opposed to memorizing things in a book, listening and repeating with the app seems to stick in my head. I’ve learned pronunciation is EVERYTHING in speaking and understanding French. I hated French in high school, but now I love it. And I feel like learning a new language at my age is good for keeping the mind sharp. Pimsleur lessons are well planned and introduce the language slowly and painlessly! Update: It’s now been almost 8 months and I just completed the third series of 30 lessons. I continue to do 2-3 lessons a week, surprising myself as I tend to start and quit projects. I truly feel like if I stick with Pimsleur I’ll gain a basic but useful competence in French, which I’ll be able to build on.

3 years ago, Magnumsource

Great for what it is...could be much better...

I’ve found nothing better for learning to speak the language with basic conversation. It’s fantastic for that. But these original ‘tapes’ have not been that well adapted to modern platforms. The iPad version for example doesn’t turn sidewise. The reading lessons pdf and the verbal spoken portions don’t sync easily so there is a constant jiggling to get everything in sync..the reading lessons should be hyperlinked so you can page around and that would not be an easy change. It would be helpful also to look up what they are saying. There are many phrases which are spoken so quickly that I end up rote memorizing them without being able to parse the words. Finally, why stop at Level 5? Why not go up several more levels? And why not expand the concept into more conversations at each individual level?

3 years ago, joanthanmb

Truly helps with listening and speaking

I’ve used (and continue to use) multiple methods and approaches in studying Spanish, and all have been effective in some degree. But after completing one full unit of this program, I’ve been very clearly reminded that truly hearing and speaking it is by far the most powerful way of really learning to communicate. That’s the foundation of this method, and it really seems to work for me. Even though much of the material in Unit 1 of this course (Castilian Spanish) was technically review for me, it still really helped, emphasizing listening, both to the finer points of pronunciation, and just constructing phrases. Best of all, I genuinely feel more confident in my ability to actually understand and speak better than before, which is honestly a great relief. I’m going to continue with unit 2. It’s pricier than some other programs, but to me it’s well worth it.

2 years ago, TheSouthIsHot

Adults Don’t Learn Language the Same as Children

Pimsleur assumes that an adult who is STUDYING a new language will learn the same way a child does merely by listening. THAT IS NOT TRUE. Children learn language by association. They are completely immersed in an environment where they constantly see and hear adults and older children moving their lips, speaking sounds, making facial expressions, and pointing at things. Moreover, children can interact with and touch things in the environment in which they are learning language without the hindrance of already knowing a language. An adult STUDYING a second language will naturally initially filter the foreign language through a translation into their first language and associate the foreign word and sentence structure with their native word and sentence structure. Spewing sentences in a foreign language without a literal translation that shows adults word-for-word how the foreign language structures it’s sentences is merely a frustrating, laborious, and fruitless means of passing the time. And to heap on more frustration, it’s nearly impossible to hear what the voices are speaking: did he just speak with a “b” in that word or a “d”?

3 years ago, Ramblinbec

Excellent for speaking and listening

This program is the perfect program to hone speaking and listening skills. And with the premium version, you can also see the texts and practice vocabulary flash cards and play games to increase your chances of success. The words are broken down nicely and the rates of exposure and repetition seem to be perfect for retention. The phrases and vocabulary are centered around normal conversations that one might have in the target language. The speed and rhythm of the speech is also more at conversation pace which increases the chances that one will actually understand what’s being said when listening to a native speaker. Excellent program. I have three language packages from Pimsleur. One to keep me current on a language I already know pretty well, and the other two to learn new languages I’m interested in. I highly recommend this program.

10 months ago, Akami_Channel_YouTube

Key app for language learning

I used Pimsleur to learn French and Japanese some 14 years ago. I became a translator in both languages and am now married to a Japanese woman, having lived in Japan now 12 years. I am now starting to learn Korean as I am working in a Korean restaurant and want to learn. There are many apps out there for language learning, but Pimsleur for me is the only one that is a must. It is the only one that actually gets me speaking. Sure, you're not going to be pronouncing things perfectly in the beginning. You can't be afraid of that. Just gradually improve. For western languages like French or Spanish, one lesson per day might be fine. You might want to space it out a little more, review lessons, and of course, you must supplement this with other ways of studying. That is true of all study methods/apps. Learning Japanese is many times harder than French, and for Japanese I probably listened to each lesson (and spoke out loud!) five to seven times per lesson! Yes! Asian languages are harder! Once per lesson will not be enough. Also, do not cram 30 lessons into 30 days. This will not work! It is simply too fast. Be patient, review lessons, and supplement with other study methods. Most importantly, SPEAK OUT LOUD! You have to practice with your mouth and vocal cords like they are musical instruments. Because they are! 🤗

2 years ago, Breannamarie22

Phenomenal App - I feel like i’m finally learning something

This app is so perfect in that it only focuses on speaking and listening which is the most natural way that people learn languages. There’s no need to worry about reading and writing, i can feel my confidence and ability improving. I was sort of turned off by the price, but after having it for 2 weeks im blown away. I would recommend having supplemental aid if you need to read or anything but this is perfect on its own. And it also gives you access to over 50 languages, so right now im learning Chinese, Italian, Korean, and Japanese. It is astounding how much my Japanese has improved in the past week, despite me taking formal classes and lessons for over 3 years. This is the perfect prep for traveling abroad or improving your speaking and listening ability. Totally worth the price! Thank you so much developers!!

4 months ago, LavenderLifts

Love it!!

I’ve been trying to learn Spanish for over 10 years. My husband is Hispanic, so I had picked up some just from being around him and his family, but could only understand snippets and hadn’t really felt comfortable speaking. I decided to give this app a try and I love the way the lessons are structured. I also like that the focus is on speaking and understanding as that’s what I really need. I just pop in my headphones and do my lesson while I do chores, lessons take about 30 minutes. My husband and in laws have made comments that I understand and speak way more comfortably since starting the app. It’s makes a really big difference if you actually make time every day. I personally like to repeat the lesson until I feel like I fully grasp the content, so I usually do one or 2 lessons a week. I honestly have no complains I love this app!!

2 years ago, Jjaarr114

Regular user

Big fan and avid user of this app as well as many other methods of acquiring a new language. Currently on level 5 of Spanish when the new voice coach feature was introduced. Up until now, I have found very few issues or concerns. The occasional typo for instance or misplaced accent mark for instance. I consider proper pronunciation paramount to the learning process and perfecting that aspect as to become as close to a native speaker as possible. The voice recognition def needs a lot of work and think it was prematurely released. I understand it’s still in beta, however it will pick up on any word spoken and mark it as correct so long as it remotely sounds like the correct spelling. It’s not taking the proper pronunciation of the Spanish alphabet into account at all, which I find less than encouraging and counter productive and otherwise goes against the excellent quality and reputation of your program.

12 months ago, dhdnebenenrne

Worth the cost

(New review after 2 weeks) Yeah sorry have to update my review. I’m lowering my initial rating, even four stars seems a little generous. I don’t know why but the Egyptian Arabic is very feminine dominant. It will teach you the make tense of the words but more often that not it won’t. I often have to teach myself these words through google and asking people who speak the language. Im a male and most of the words if feminine you just add an extra sound at the end. That is pretty easy to grasp just adding that sound if need be. What is not easy to understand is just giving the feminine version and moving on assuming I’ll just figure it out. First thing to do before starting a new lesson is skip to the end so you can unlock the word practice so you can look up the words (if your male) they probably will skip over. It’s very frustrating realizing most of my vocabulary I’ve learn only applies if I’m a women or talking to one which I’m not and wry likely won’t be so it’s an entire waste of my time. (Old review) It does cost money but the (Egyptian) Arabic is very good and is not a common language on these apps. I used Rosetta Stone and Duo Lingo for Spanish which was pretty good but I also didn’t know about this app back then either. The Arabic on those apps in my opinion isn’t as good because it just teaches standard Arabic which no one really speaks.

1 year ago, starcrossedlover

App is a scam

I just downloaded the app because it says it’s free to download. I’ve wanted to learn a few languages for a while now. So I thought I’d give this app a try since I’ve seen adds for it. However, after downloading and setting up an account it tells you that you can try it free for 7-days then you have to pay for a monthly subscription. That’s not free and it’s forcing people to get a subscription. I don’t have a lot of money right now and I thought while I have more free time than normal I could start to learn one of the languages I’ve wanted to learn maybe someday when I have more money upgrade my account not be forced into it after 7-days. There is also no way to delete your account if it’s free and not on a paying subscription until after the 7th day when you get charged and then they state they won’t refund subscriptions. There is a possibility you can cancel a free account only by calling in. It’s appalling to refuse subscription refunds especially if you force people into it even if they may not want a subscription or cannot afford it.

Description

Is your goal to ACTUALLY SPEAK a new language? Millions of people have learned to SPEAK a new language with Pimsleur - the scientifically proven language learning app. Pimsleur is uniquely focused on conversational language skills, unlike many other language apps. Our focus is on the language learner’s conversational goals, so we won’t have you matching words and images on a screen, we actually teach you how to speak from day 1. You will be able to hold your first conversation within 30 minutes! THE PIMSLEUR METHOD: For 50 years, we’ve been helping people rapidly learn languages in 30 days. Do you want to learn Spanish for your trip to Mexico? Do you want to learn Japanese for a trip to Tokyo? Pimsleur is the language learning app for you. And best of all, you can learn Japanese, Spanish, French, and more … while driving, at the gym, or while cooking dinner. No Internet needed with offline mode. Plus the built-in hands-free mode makes it easy to learn a new language anywhere, anytime, even in the car! Pimsleur language courses are available for 51 languages, so you can learn Japanese, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Chinese Mandarin, Korean, Norwegian, Hebrew, Tagalog, Hindi, Arabic, Portuguese, Russian and English. Pimsleur also integrates beautifully with the Amazon Alexa for working through lessons at home. TRY IT FREE: Download the app and try a free lesson today in one of 51 languages. Discover why we’ve been in business for 50 years! PIMSLEUR PREMIUM APP FEATURES: CORE CONVERSATIONAL LESSONS Enjoy the enhanced continuity of 30-minute Pimsleur conversational lessons you can take anywhere, or do at home with Alexa. READING LESSONS Learn to read your new language – easily, but not at the expense of your goal of speaking the language! SPEAK EASY CHALLENGE Role-play while reviewing written transcripts of the conversations. DIGITAL FLASH CARDS Practice vocabulary and dive deeper into the written language. SKILLS CATEGORIES Review and practice sentences and phrases by topic. SKILL-BUILDING TOOLS Relax, have fun, and test your new skills with the Quick Match and Speed Round. SYNC PROGRESS Learning stays on track as your progress is automatically synched across all your mobile devices including Amazon Echo. UNINTERRUPTED LEARNING Stream or download and listen offline. There are no ads. You listen and learn without interruptions. *Not all features are available for all languages. For more information or a complete list of languages, please visit our website. CHOOSE FROM 51 LANGUAGES Learn Spanish, French, Japanese, German, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, Hebrew, Korean, Mandarin, Chinese, Arabic, Turkish, Polish, English, Indonesian, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Polish, Farsi, Greek, Tagalog, Norwegian, Thai, Finnish, Czech, and many more. Your Privacy Choices: https://simon-privacy.my.onetrust.com/webform/42b48037-2185-4e2d-96d2-a4301bbc3f8a/b3c0395b-4ed8-404f-b14b-3d388bec653d California Notice: https://www.pimsleur.com/c/privacy-policy#US SUBSCRIPTION PRICING AND TERMS: Pimsleur Terms of Use: https://www.pimsleur.com/c/terms-of-use#_Toc1489408 Pimsleur Privacy Policy: https://www.pimsleur.com/c/privacy-policy