The 6 Best Russian Flashcard Apps
Like Russian games or YouTube learning channels, flashcard apps are fun and easy to use.
They help you learn useful vocabulary without having to crack a book or attend a class.
I’ve tried plenty of them and I’ve found 6 of the best Russian flashcard apps for any level.
Contents
- 1. Best for Travelers: SpeakEasy Russian Pro
- 2. Best for Learning in Cultural Context: FluentU
- 3. Best for Gamified Learning: Flashcards for Kids in Russian
- 4. Best for Spaced Repetition: ReWord
- 5. Best for Personalized Flashcards: Anki
- 6. Best for Learning Vocabulary: Learn Russian 11,000 Words
- Why Use Flashcard Apps to Learn Russian?
- And One More Thing...
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
1. Best for Travelers: SpeakEasy Russian Pro
Price: $3.99
Available on: iOS
SpeakEasy Russian focuses on Russian for travelers. These helpful flashcards will teach you useful travel phrases that you may need if you’re visiting Russia.
SpeakEasy Russian’s flashcards are grouped thematically. For instance, there are categories for greetings, basic phrases, travel essentials and more. Each flashcard has two sides so that you can quiz yourself between the Russian and English phrases.
As a bonus, this app comes with a phrasebook, so you can easily look up key phrases whether you’re online or offline.
You can download a free edition or purchase the full app for about $4. The free edition offers over 130 phrases, while the full edition offers over 850.
2. Best for Learning in Cultural Context: FluentU
Price: $$
FluentU teaches you Russian through short video clips from authentic Russian media—including movie trailers, music videos, cartoons and more—with transcripts and interactive subtitles.
You’ll learn Russian vocabulary as it’s actually used by native speakers and then review it with flashcards, quizzes and more.
Each flashcard contains the English translation, its part of speech, audio pronunciation, an associated image, example sentences and videos where it’s used. This means you’ll learn new vocabulary in context and form mental associations to help you remember it.
3. Best for Gamified Learning: Flashcards for Kids in Russian
Flashcards for Kids in Russian offers flashcards to help you learn Russian words. While it’s very graphics-oriented in order to appeal to children, it’s a great app for everyone ages 7 and up!
The flashcards that Flashcards for Kids in Russian provides are grouped thematically with topics ranging from transport to products to clothing.
Each flashcard features an image along with the spoken and written Russian word. This app is unique in that it doesn’t show the written English word. This is a useful way to connect the word to its meaning rather than merely translating it in your head.
As a bonus, additional learning games can help you test and/or reinforce your learning.
Flashcards for Kids in Russian offers a free download with 60 words. Additional content requires in-app purchases. With in-app purchases, you can get as many as 1500 words.
4. Best for Spaced Repetition: ReWord
ReWord is a highly effective language-learning app that can help you memorize Russian words and improve your vocabulary.
It’s perfect for anyone who wants to learn Russian for work, travel phrases or want to watch Russian movies in the original languages and understand the plot. With an extensive built-in dictionary, the app categorizes thousands of words and phrases—encompassing both frequently used terms and thematic topics.
You can also customize your learning journey by adding personalized flashcards and tailoring your study materials to suit your preferences.
ReWord has a free version or you can upgrade to a full version for $1.99 per month.
5. Best for Personalized Flashcards: Anki
Price: Free
Anki is completely personalizable with options for different flashcards, audio, images, explanations, translations and almost anything else you can think of.
The app also allows you to share the decks you create and learn with decks created by other users. That means there are hundreds of flashcard decks to learn Russian available!
Many of them include native audio and/or images, and they’re often updated since users keep adding flashcards to their decks.
6. Best for Learning Vocabulary: Learn Russian 11,000 Words
This app uses flashcards and games to help learners pick up new vocabulary.
Since the focus is entirely on vocabulary, this is great for intermediate-level learners who already know the grammar basics but are looking to be able to discuss a wider array of topics.
Vocabulary is grouped thematically and there are seven levels and over 120 topics and subtopics.
The first few lessons are free. After you’ve completed them, you’ll have to buy a subscription to continue learning.
Why Use Flashcard Apps to Learn Russian?
Flashcards apps are easy to use. They’re designed to be easy for you, so you don’t have to put a lot of work into learning the program—instead, you can focus on learning Russian.
Additionally, flashcard apps are incredibly convenient. Like Russian dictionary apps, flashcard apps are easy to use on the go whenever you have a few minutes. You might not have 30 minutes each night to study, but you probably have 30 seconds while you wait in line, and studying even a little bit every day really starts to add up.
Finally, flashcard apps help you learn or reinforce learning quickly. Lots of Russian learning apps can help you perfect your Russian, but flashcard apps are best for learning a little bit of information very fast. Whether you want to pick up new vocabulary or reinforce words you’ve already learned, using flashcard apps will help you make quick progress.
Give these Russian flashcards apps a try—you’ll be speaking Russian in a flash.
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
And One More Thing...
If you love learning Russian and want to immerse yourself with authentic materials from Russia, then I should also tell you more about FluentU.
FluentU naturally and gradually eases you into learning the Russian language and culture. You'll learn real Russian as it's spoken by real Russian people!
FluentU has a very broad range of contemporary videos. Just a quick look will give you an idea of the variety of Russian-language content available on FluentU:
FluentU makes these native Russian videos approachable through interactive transcripts. Tap on any word to look it up instantly.
Access a complete interactive transcript of every video under the Dialogue tab. Easily review words and phrases with audio under Vocab.
All definitions have multiple examples, and they're written for Russian learners like you. Tap to add words you'd like to review to a vocab list.
And FluentU has a learn mode which turns every video into a language learning lesson. You can always swipe left or right to see more examples.
The best part? FluentU keeps track of your vocabulary, and gives you extra practice with difficult words. It'll even remind you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned. You'll have a 100% personalized experience.
Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)
