Russia - Best way to learn Russian

Help! I'm going to need to learn more than just basic Russian in a short amount of time. Other than hiring a tutor (since I haven't found one where I live), which method has anyone here used successfully that you'd most recommend? Pimsleur, Rosetta, others? Even starting with just basic Russian will be important. All advice appreciated!

Help! I'm going to need to learn more than just basic Russian in a short amount of time. Other than hiring a tutor (since I haven't found one where I live), which method has anyone here used successfully that you'd most recommend? Pimsleur, Rosetta, others? Even starting with just basic Russian will be important. All advice appreciated!
you don't mention where you live, but usa is pretty heavily inflitrated with russian speakers. you would probably be better off with one of the organized courses, or a russian language tutor than just a russian speaker off the street.

From personal history I assert definitively the fastest way to learn a language is to move in with a very attractive person of your desired persuasion, said person being a native speaker of your target language. Works quickly and pleasurably.

Barring that the fastest way for spoken competence is Berlitz; more expensive to begin but cheaper in the long run. Go total immersion ans you'll not regret it.

Как сказал великий Ленин "Учиться, учиться, учиться!"

Or, in English:

As the great Lenin said "Study, Study, Study!"

Sorry, it's a very common Russian saying - sort of along the "How do you get to Carnegie Hall" variety :)

From personal history I assert definitively the fastest way to learn a language is to move in with a very attractive person of your desired persuasion, said person being a native speaker of your target language. Works quickly and pleasurably.
^:D:cool:;):-:

Hard to beat that advice, with the caveat that be sure your VAPOYDP doesn't speak English well, or else that may become your default language.

Another tip is to rent some movies, and watch them repeatedly. You should be able to find the Soviet classics ... more modern films that are worth repeated viewings and that got released in the West (e.g., zone 1) include the Thief (Vor), Tycoon (Oligarkh), Night Watch (Nochnoj Dozor) and Prisoner of the Mountains (Kavkazsky Plennik). First watch with subtitles, then without.

Also, for the low low low price of $10.85 you can order The Big Silver Book of 555 Russian Verbs (http://www.amazon.com/Big-Silver-Book-Russian-Verbs/dp/007143299X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1290725382&sr=1-2) ... if you mastered them all, you'd know Russian quite well.

Как сказал великий Ленин "Учиться, учиться, учиться!"

Or, in English:

As the great Lenin said "Study, Study, Study!"

Sorry, it's a very common Russian saying - sort of along the "How do you get to Carnegie Hall" variety :)

^^^^^

Hello OP,

I found a Turkish tutor on Craigslist who turned out to be wonderful. (Actually I had to post that I was looking for a tutor and she contacted me.) I suggest CL. The tutor should be listed under "lessons." You get one-on-one lessons. Also, if you're a position to do so, hire this tutor two or three times a week. If not, once a week is fine. Then stay for two hours. One hour goes too quickly and you'll have to re-learn what you didn't practice from the previous session.

I also listened to Pimsleur (which I highly recommend) that I played while I was driving.

David

Try contacting your local University - lots have students from overseas, who would love to earn some extra cash from tutoring! Study guides / courses are ok, but nothign beats one-to-one IME.