The 18 Best Russian Learning Resources

If you're learning Russian, then good news – we're currently in the golden age for language learning. In the past, learning another language used to mean:  

• going to a class
• listening to tapes
• hiring a tutor

Today, however, you can find loads of great Russian learning resources. But it’s hard to know where to start when learning a language like Russian with its unfamiliar alphabet, case-based grammar, and different pronunciation.

That’s why this article will go over 18 different Russian learning resources that you can use to learn Russian. Some of these are freely available while others require a subscription or payment. Most are online, but some are offline.

This list is just a drop in the bucket for what’s out there, but it will give you a lot of variety in Russian learning resources.

Learning The Alphabet And Pronunciation Of Russian

These two Russian learning resources will help you get to grips with the basics of Russian.

1. Russian Pronunciation Podcast

Russian pronunciation podcast is a great tool for anyone at the start of their Russian learning journey.

The host, Daria, goes over different sounds in the language to help you both hear and pronounce Russian correctly.

She is excellent at demystifying Russian phonetics and showing you that you can pronounce the language with just a bit of practice.

2. Russian Cyrillic

One of the first challenges of starting Russian is learning the Cyrillic alphabet. Russian Cyrillic is a fun app that will teach you to read кирилица (Cyrillic script) in no time.

If you’re starting from scratch then I highly recommend it as a starting point for reading.

Russian Podcasts And Videos

These Russian learning resources will help you immerse yourself in Russian.

3. RU-Land Club

Podcaster, Youtuber, and writer Nikita Minchenko has created a huge catalogue of Russian-learning material over the years at RU-Land Club.

Although she decided earlier this year to stop making Russian-language content, you can still find hundreds of podcasts and YouTube videos that you can use and get loads of great information from.

Her content includes grammar and vocabulary as well as interesting topics like history, cultural customs, food, and the geography of the Russian-speaking world.

These usually are based on a text that is read at the beginning, then explained line-by-line in English, and read aloud again at the end.

4. Russian With Max

Max has a gift and a skill for talking about more complicated topics while simultaneously explaining new vocabulary.

This keeps his content interesting and learners engaged as the material is almost exclusively in Russian. 

Like RU-Land Club, Russian with Max has podcasts, videos, and other material. For free, you can listen to the podcast and watch his YouTube videos (with both English and Russian subtitles available).

If you get a paid subscription, you can enjoy loads of bonus material (both videos and podcasts) and also get a transcript for podcast episodes as well as exercises, worksheets, and vocabulary lists.

5. The Word's Worth

This podcast remains one of the most interesting resources for learning about how Russian is spoken today.

On any given episode of the podcast, the host might talk about one specific preposition, a phrase, or how to say that you’re indifferent in Russian (there are a least two dozen expressions!).

Each episode has a transcription you can read on the Moscow Times website and is a great way to learn about the more colourful side of Russian.

Check out this post about Russian podcasts for more ideas for resources to listen to in Russian.

Russian Websites And Audio Courses

The next Russian learning resources on this list include audio courses, as well as a blog and even a US government website.

7. Russificate 

The site is both a great blog full of good learning material as well as a place to get Russian lessons via Skype.

The learning material on the Russificiate blog is completely free and covers grammar, vocab, and useful cultural knowledge.

Although the blog has been discontinued, it remains a goldmine of good information.

8. Michel Thomas

The Michel Thomas audio-based method of learning another language is unique. The idea is that you’re listening in on a Russian language class with a teacher and two students.

The pace is relaxed, but not slow and for some people it really, really works.

It’s a great starting point for beginners who want more audio input since it’s structured around gradually building up phrases without lengthy discussions of grammar.

9. Foreign Language Service Institute

The FSI, run by the US government, has an extensive library of learning materials for learning different foreign languages, including Russian.

These are made of audio files and are a treasure trove of content for learners with hours and hours of material.

The only caveat is that the files have a very old-school feeling with a huge focus given to rote memorisation and drills.

Russian Reference Materials

It’s always good to have some good-quality reference materials for when you need to look up a word, phrase, or piece of grammar.

10. Yandex Translator

Instead of Google, a lot of the Russian speaking world uses Яндекс (Yandex).

And by extension, many Russian speakers use яндекс переводчик Yandex Translator which has consistently proven to be high quality and very reliable for translating between English and Russian.

11. 501 Russian Verbs

Barron’s 501 Russian Verbs is one of the best reference tools for anyone learning Russian and I personally recommend it to anyone who wants to really dive into the language.

The premise of the book is quite simple – it goes over the 501 most commonly used verbs in Russian.

This includes full conjugation tables as well as plenty of examples to show a verb's various meanings or uses.

The 50 most common Russian verbs each have extended sections that show a deep dive into how a verb is used literally, figuratively, and idiomatically.

12. Context Reverso

The premise of Context Reverso is simple – type in a word or phrase and see its translation in several sentences in context.

This is one of the best apps for seeing words as they are used in context.

This means you can learn when to use words like пересечь (to cross over) or идти через (to go across). Contexto Reverso is particularly good when you need to see how a metaphorical phrase will translate either from or into Russian.

Russian Language Learning Apps

For those who learn best by repetition and spaced-repetition, there are loads of great apps to learn Russian.

13. DuoLingo

If you’ve spent any time learning another language, or even just thinking about it, then you’ve run into DuoLingo.

The basic premise is to teach users to learn another language in a sort of game-style learning where you advance to different levels based on what you know.

It’s a great starting point for beginners, especially when used with other resources.

However, DuoLingo only goes so far and you should probably look for something more challenging at the intermediate level.

14. Busuu

Busuu has a structure and feel that’s similar to DuoLingo, but with a whole lot more. One of the app's strengths is its community of active users and learners which gives it a more personal touch.

Additionally, you can learn a lot more for your specific needs and level with Busuu.

15. Russian Dungeon

No app has quite merged gamification and Russian vocabulary like Russian Dungeon.

Here you play as a knight exploring different dungeons which lead to you learning new words in Russian.

It’s unconventional, but it’s a lot of fun and will definitely help certain words stick in your mind.

16. Lingvist

Lingvist is a spaced-repetition app that’s genuinely fun to use.

It works well for beginners but it’s particularly useful for intermediate students who want to solidify what they know and take it further.

The real strength of Lingvist is that its algorithm is very good at knowing what you do and don’t know and tailored exercises to you accordingly. On top of that, it also has several comprehensive grammar explanations that you can use for reference.

Books For Learning Russian

Finally, let's take a look at a couple of offline Russian learning resources that you might enjoy using.

17. The New Penguin Russian Course

Written by Nicolas Brown, this book is a full Russian course for beginners that has had students recommending it for years.

It’s a great starting point for anyone at the beginning of their Russian-learning experience. Its great strength is that the content throughout is engaging and digestible.

You can buy a physical version or read it online here.

18. Zlatoust Library

The series of books made by Библиотека Златоуста (Zlatoust Library) is excellent for anyone who wants to break into reading Russian-language works of fiction.

Each text is a book or story that’s been adapted for learners. This includes some simplified phrasing and reference notes for any vocabulary that’s uncommon or difficult.

The Zlatoust Library offers materials for five learning levels, so you can find something that works best for you. You can find their books in most online shops.

Putting Your Russian Learning Resources You Have Together

Not all of the Russian learning resources on this list are going to ‘click’ with you. We all learn differently and have different interests and motivations. 

That being said, I highly recommend trying out different combinations and seeing what fits. You didn’t learn your first language through a single method or app and you can’t learn another that way either.

Give things a shot, but don’t get discouraged if you don’t see immediate results. Learning a language takes time. At the same time, don't be a hoarding villain, accumulating resources but never using them!

Of course, you can always try the StoryLearning® method when you want to learn Russian by reading stories. You can read Russian books or short stories in Russian to help you learn more vocab and absorb grammar through exposure to good stories.

Now that you know some of the best resources for learning Russian, it's time to go out and try them for yourself! So, enjoy and as always Удача из удач! (Best of luck!)

Olly Richards

Creator of the StoryLearning® Method

Olly Richards is a renowned polyglot and language learning expert with over 15 years of experience teaching millions through his innovative StoryLearning® method. He is the creator of StoryLearning, one of the world's largest language learning blogs with 500,000+ monthly readers.

Olly has authored 30+ language learning books and courses, including the bestselling "Short Stories" series published by Teach Yourself.

When not developing new teaching methods, Richards practices what he preaches—he speaks 8 languages fluently and continues learning new ones through his own methodology.