Will

Pacing is awkward, but can't beat value for money

Reviewed: 04-16-24

EDIT: Updating my review from 3 stars to 4 because I tried Pimsleur up to lesson 11. For self-study, Pimsleur goes very fast through the particles with no explanation. In my opinion, even if you look up the things you don't understand, this SLOW drill with Paul Noble provided me such a good jumping-off point for Pimsleur. I suggest you get through around 3/4's of Paul's book before doing Pimsleur, if for nothing else other than so that Pimsleur's difficulty doesn't demotivate you.

FYI: I'm also using 1000 Essential Vocabulary for the JLPT N5 from Amazon, Anki decks, and Japanese from Zero. Everything is working together for success, but the only thing that has enabled me to speak naturally in Japanese is Pimsleur. In that sense, I don't think it can be avoided (unless you get a teacher.)
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**Pros:**
The course offers great value for the investment. It excels in teaching grammar. They have us builid and rebuild sentences an annoying amount of time which I hope will be beneficial in the future. While I typically expect more vocabulary from such programs, the sentence structures presented here are probably worth the focus, as we have never seen sentences like this before.

Value! The explanation of words and grammar points is great, and with the low cost book, it makes it a cost-effective program. The audio performances are generally great, despite a slightly raspy tone at the end of the Japanese phrases. I found studying with this program to be a relaxing experience.

One minor regret I have is not adjusting the audio playback speed earlier; I tried taking my time with it, but it takes too much time (more on this later)

**Cons:**
Despite learning a lot of vocabulary, the time commitment required might not justify the output for everyone. Those who value efficiency might find programs like Pimsleur more suitable.

Having completed Pimsleur’s Spanish courses levels 3 to 5, I found them to be more time-efficient. The Paul Noble method involves extensive sentence construction, which can be repetitive and time-consuming—a potential turn-off for seasoned language learners. I suggest increasing the playback speed to double for a more efficient learning experience.

ALTHOUGH, I must admit, at times, I thought I had memorized the sentence constructions well, only to realize I hadn’t, despite their frequent repetition.

The course's pacing could be improved. The spaced repetition system (SRS) rhythm feels disjointed, possibly due to the lack of daily segmented lessons. This makes it a low-pressure course beneficial for flexible schedules, but it might contribute to slower progression initially.

Word introduction is slow, particularly at the start, but there are moments (like in chapters 6-9 and now at chapter 11) when the vocabulary intake suddenly increases, which is overwhelming but a welcomed change.

Lastly, I understand Japanese to be a very performative language, in a similar way that English is very expressive in real life. Some commonly recognized pitch accents in phrases like "onegaishimas" should have that sing songy pitch accent we know and love, however the performer chose not to do that. Given that the conversations we're learning are boring right now, it make sense; but it would likely be more memorable if the pitch accent were more expressive and we weren't learning "I want to go to the park, because I want to play tennis." I don't think this will be a big deal in the grand scheme, but worth mentioning.

Overall, while this course has its drawbacks, its unique approach to grammar and sentence structuring and its relaxed pacing make it worthwhile for those who prefer a thorough and laid back learning style.

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1 person found this helpful

It’s not pimsleur BUT

Reviewed: 01-10-18

But if you get these in your anki flash cards (yes you have to do the work, but these are some great phrases.) it is a great addition to an intermediate speakers Vocab.

Wish it was “quick and easy” lol
Wish it had stories.

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From a guy, just trying to understand lol

Reviewed: 12-01-17

Wow... is it like this? I’m just shocked. Thank you for this book! I’m glad this was my first introduction to Iliza, she talks about growth. The practical advice for women is great; none of that vanity fair nonsense lol

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Sometimes you're on the edge of your seat! (Worth it)

Reviewed: 05-08-17

This was incredibly inspiring. I had no idea things like this were going on. Highly recommended for persons with a wanderlust. So many of us want to work remotely like Langston did. This book really breaks the stereotypes of the typical African American in the 1900s. Also, very cool to hear him talk about places you've been before during a time you probably missed!

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Me gradué!! I graduated!

Reviewed: 10-10-16

I found the motivation to go through this by booking a solo trip to Colombia (no training wheels. I was alone). I finished unit 3 while in Colombia and I could communicate just fine! (Supplemental tutoring to help through chapter 4 and 5 to explain what's going on makes a difference!) starting chapter 4 was hard for me. Once you finish 4, finishing 5 is easy! Because of pimsleur, Language exchange sites eventually became a waste of time; But I love that I have language exchange friends. If you make pimsleur a habit, you can do it too!

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5 people found this helpful

Love it

Reviewed: 02-27-16

You can practice in your car. You can get the sentences wrong a thousand times. And they correct you each time to ingrain it in your memory. I use this in tandem with apps that let you practice with native speakers all over the world! It's great

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It was worth it to finish reading, for me

Reviewed: 07-29-15

The book is amazing for the first half. After a while you notice the trends. Later it gives more and more new subjects I hadn't thought about as it pertains to wealth until your paradigm has totally shifted. And thankfully it gives advice!

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Essential

Reviewed: 04-28-15

If you don't have a mentor and you want to run a label, or you're an artist and want to know the pitfalls of some of your favorites that have come and gone, this is required reading.

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So much wisdom and life lessons

Reviewed: 02-28-15

If you ever needed a father figure who knew that there was was much more to life than people think, and would show you what it was like to go out and respectfully take life by the horns, it's here. Great book (and really great audiobook)!

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