Learn 4 tools and techniques to stop translating in your head and start thinking in Going through lessons is enough to get by and learn the basics of , but to truly become fluent you need to be able to think in . This will allow you to have conversations with ease, read smoothly, and comprehensively understand natives. To do this, you need to go beyond just completing daily or weekly lessons. We naturally translate in our heads because it's viewed as the easiest way to learn the definitions needed when learning a language. This way of learning can actually hinder your skills and fluency later on. If your brain has to make neural connections between the word you're learning, what it means in your native tongue, and the physical object... Show more

1. Schedule your time. One of the most important factors in keeping your motivation up is developing it into a habit. Whether it be 20 minutes or 3 hours, schedule time to study every day and stick to it. Regular exposure solidifies what you learn and keeps you progressing. To make sure you stick to your routine, a great idea is to build a schedule for your day and decide that every day/Monday/weekend, you study from 6pm to 8pm. Just remember that 30 minutes a day, every day, is better than a binge 8-hour study session at the end of the week (though it’s obviously better than nothing). 2. Learn a word a day with our great Word of the Day learning tool. Trying to learn everything at once and getting overwhelmed by the sheer number... Show more

“To have another language is to possess a second soul.” - Charlemagne Learning a new language is an achievement anyone can be proud of and it's exciting and beneficial at all ages. It offers many practical, intellectual and aspirational benefits. A wave of new research shows the incredible psychological benefits of learning a second language. These benefits extend far beyond being able to order a cup of coffee abroad or ask directions to your hotel. 1. Learning a Foreign Language Boosts Brain Power Medical studies have shown the positive effect learning a second language has on the brain. A foreign language is a whole new system with distinct rules, etymology, and meaning, which are just a few of the complexities of a language.... Show more

We have a great and inspiring story Charles Fuller, a minister. His goal for studying Russian is to be able to eventually share the message of his religion in Russian.   "Здравствуйте! Меня зовут Чарльза Фаллера.   I am a minister, currently in seminary, preparing for the pastorate. I started trying to Russian last fall, when I began to feel led to go to Russia to share the love of God. I had seriously considered purchasing a well known brand of language software, but it is very expensive and I have very little money. I looked at and listened to several of the different podcasts that are available. Some are better than others. Russianpod 101 is, by far the best.    While I certainly have much to learn, I hope to be ready by... Show more

 Добрый день! Welcome to the new section of our blog, The Mail Bag.  This is where we'll share stories from our listeners in the endeavors with Russian.   We hope stories from fellow students can help motivate and inspire you to begin learning Russian or give you that extra needed push and renewed sense of strength when you think it's impossible to get become more proficient! This week we'd like to introduce you to Gill Brown, from .  Gill had this to say about her studies: "I started learning Russian for fun in January 2008 when I purchased my first IPOD!  A friend had downloaded a very easy Russian course which came as a podcast which was basically 3 minutes a week.  I thought it would be fun to try out these podcasts and... Show more

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from everyone here at RussianPod101.com! We're grateful to have listeners just like you, and we're eagerly waiting for the upcoming year to learn Russian together! And when the New Year comes around, be sure to make a resolution to study Russian with RussianPod101.com! Have a healthy and happy holiday season. From the RussianPod101.com Team!