Pimsleur audio-based language learning courses are a great option for people on the go. If you commute more than half an hour to work or want to learn a language while working out, Pimsleur is for you.
Summary
Pimsleur language courses are worthwhile if you have little time to sit and read. The lessons give you listening and speaking practice and the methods discussed below are highly effective. They use native speakers and high quality recording, so it is a great place to start.
When learning a new language, you should begin speaking as soon as possible and Pimsleur gets you started.
You will need to supplement the Pimsleur course with reading and a language partner if you want to become a true language Jedi.
My advice is to sign up for the 7-day free trial of the Pimsleur Premium. That way you can try out for yourself everything Pimsleur has to offer for free.
See how much you get out of the method and whether you think paying for premium is worth the extra money. And if the Pimsleur method is for you.
Try a free 7-day trial of Pimsleur
How Does The Pimsleur Method Work?
Pimsleur works so well because it uses four techniques effectively: Graduated Interval Recall (also known as Spaced Repetition), the Principle of Anticipation, limiting the Core Vocabulary and Organic Learning.
The first thing you should know about these techniques is that they are not magic, but they kind of feel like they are. Bottom line is that they work.
When I studied the Mandarin Chinese course, I noticed how easily I picked up the new phrases. I also noticed that, when I returned to a lesson I had studied a week or two before, the phrases seemed etched into my memory and I could recall them easily and quickly.
Spaced repetition is part of the special sauce. Pimsleur noticed that repeating phrases at increasingly larger intervals led to better memory retention. A word or phrase is repeated a few times in succession, then at increasingly larger intervals such that the information is reinforced in the memory before it is lost.
This graduated interval recall makes it so you can retain vocabulary longer with less effort.
You will notice that Pimsleur repeats phrases and prompts you for a response in such a way that the answer almost springs out of your mouth. This is the principle of anticipation and incorporates challenge and response. You are asked a question in English, then prompted for a response in the target language. The correct answer is confirmed. When it is confirmed you hear the correct pronunciation as well as the correct phrase in the target language.
Giving you new phrases in a question and answer format in conjunction with spaced repetition builds the natural tendency to recall the answer and relates the answer to the question. So you anticipate the answers and your mind ties the answers to the questions and the answer almost jumps to mind, seemingly without effort.
So the secret to getting the most out of a Pimsleur language course is not to concentrate on memorization, but keeping your focus on responding to the prompts and speaking out loud in each response.
If you stay focused for the entire lesson, the results are impressive. It may not seem that way right after you finish a lesson, but when you come back in a few days time, you will notice the difference.
Pimsleur limits the number of words introduced, or core vocabulary, in each lesson. The idea behind this approach is to build up a small number of core structures and vocabulary. Once the foundation has been established, it is easy to add additional vocabulary now that you have a framework to plug them into.
The fourth pillar of the Pimsleur approach is organic learning. The idea here is that new vocabulary words are given context so that when the context is brought up in the future, the relevant vocabulary word will automatically spring to mind.
Pimsleur Subscription Pricing
Pimsleur now offers a subscription service for the IOS and Android apps as well as a desktop version. The price is $14.95/month for the regular subscription and $19.95/month for the premium subscription.
Cancellation is easy and customer service is friendly and professional.
You are given a free 7-day trial before the subscription actually begins.
Pimsleur Audio vs. Pimsleur Premium
Pimsleur started out with audio courses in the 1970’s. They are at their best when you are unable to do anything but listen. For audio only courses they are among the best, but still audio only does leave you wanting for reading and writing, which you will definitely need in your quest of mastery of a language.
A couple years ago, Pimsleur decided to try to fill in the gaps by creating an Android and an IOS app and adding features that help with the written language. The audio is still there but they have added features which give you a little more exposure to the written language.
You can use the app with either Pimsleur audio or premium. Both let you download the lessons for offline listening and include reading lessons.
Both can be used in conjunction with Alexa.
You can install the app on up to four devices with three household members.
The added features are available in their premium subscription.
Included in the premium features are the following:
- Skills Categories – The phrases are broken down into categories (e.g., Meet+Greet or Survival Skills). Skills accumulate as you complete each lesson.
- Bonus Packs – additional phrases that are not included in the original course.
- Flash Cards – pick the lesson(s) and whether you want to go from English to target language or vice versa.
- Quick Match – you get a phrase and select the matching phrase in the target language. Although it is called “quick,” there is no countdown timer.
- Speak Easy – a visual breakdown of the dialogue or a selected lesson with pauses so you can speak before each exchange is repeated out loud.
- Speed Round – phrases from the selected lessons float down the screen. You choose the lesson(s) you wished to be tested on. The goal is for you to select the matching translation from the bottom of the screen before the target phrase drifts down there.
Pimsleur’s premium plan is currently available in these languages: Spanish (Latin American), French, Italian, German, Chinese Mandarin, Russian, Japanese, Portuguese (Brazilian), Norwegian, Korean, Tagalog, and English for Spanish.
Is Pimsleur Too Boring?
One thing I read in other reviews is that Pimsleur is boring.
My thought is that unless you hire your own full-time tutor who also owns a staff of circus performing language instructors, complete with flying trapeze artists with flash cards, you could be bored learning a language.
Unless you have some imagination of your own.
Obviously, if you have a trained tutor whose native language is your target language and/or you can afford to live in a country whose language is your target language, then it will be easier to learn the language. Immersion, when you are forced to speak the language — and you don’t mind making the effort — is ideal.
But language courses like Pimsleur exist because people don’t have those ideal conditions. And even then, you still need to use your imagination if you want to learn quicker and speak better.