By meredithkreisa Last updated: June 30, 2022

7 Russian Immersion Software Programs That Get Real Results

Want to learn the Russian language like a boss?

Using Russian immersion software will definitely help you get the promotion towards fluency.

In this post, we’ll look at seven great Russian immersion software programs. Let’s go!

Instant Immersion
FluentU Russian
Rosetta Stone
Rocket Languages
Transparent Language
Living Language
Pimsleur
Why Use Russian Immersion Software?

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Instant Immersion

The enticing name of this program is backed up by some helpful tools and content.

Instant Immersion focuses on introducing beginning-level students to the Russian language. It’s a useful crash course for anyone looking to gain basic Russian communication skills quickly.

It offers three total levels. The first level focuses on the basics like common, simple words and phrases. The second level focuses on speaking. The third level focuses on holding a conversation and navigating business settings.

This program offers a particularly useful feature for perfecting your pronunciation. Russian sounds can be challenging to get perfect, so Instant Immersion offers you the option of recording yourself speaking and comparing it directly to a native Russian speaker. This is a great way to learn those complicated sounds and make yourself sound more like a native speaker.

Additionally, the software aims at making the learning experience fun by interspersing games and quizzes along with video lessons.

Prices may vary, but through the Instant Immersion website, you can download the first lesson for $29.95 or dive into all three lessons for $49.95.

FluentU Russian

FluentU has released a flexible Russian immersion program to improve your skills through native content.

On this program, you can watch authentic Russian videos, from modern pop culture goodies like movie trailers and music videos, to classics like clips from Cheburashka cartoons and old Russian ballads. You’ll find everything in between, too: news segments, inspirational talks, children’s songs, vlogs and more.

These videos have interactive captions: If you hover over a word while watching, you’ll see a context-specific meaning. You’ll also find pronunciation and grammar details, images, example sentences and examples from other videos where that word appears.

Captions appear in English and Russian, and you can turn either one on or off to suit your needs. And unlike in many other online video sources, on FluentU you can be sure that the subtitles are accurate since they’re verified by language experts.

Before each video, you can see a word list to prepare yourself for the clip and read the transcript for additional assistance. Plus, each video includes quizzes afterward to practice what you’ve learned.

If you come across a new word or term, you can save it for later to a custom flashcard deck. When you’re ready to practice, the personalized exercises will help you hone your writing, reading, listening and speaking skills.

FluentU is available through the website on your web browser or as an app for iOS and Android.

Rosetta Stone

Rosetta Stone is perhaps the most well-known language immersion software. And with an impressive client list that includes NASA and the US State Department, is it any wonder that it has become a popular option among language learners?

Rosetta Stone’s program focuses on using immersion to teach you Russian through exposure and examples like you learned your native language. Rosetta Stone was designed by linguists to use engaging activities to maximize your learning while keeping you entertained. Plus, Rosetta Stone’s speech recognition software allows you to compare your pronunciation to that of native speakers. If you need extra help or want to practice your skills, Rosetta Stone even offers live tutoring.

Rosetta Stone is available online via subscription or you can purchase the software as a download or on CD, so be sure to choose which is best for your needs. If you use the online subscription, you can access Rosetta Stone resources from anywhere using their app. If you purchase the software, you get the benefits of having it forever with no time limits and having access to it without the internet. Additionally, purchasing it allows you access for up to five family members.

Prices vary, but through the Rosetta Stone website, you can purchase the first level for $79, the first three levels for $129 or the first five levels for $159. If you prefer to use the program on a subscription basis, prices range from under $7 per month to just over $16 per month depending on your subscription length. And if you're a student, they do offer an excellent student discount.

Rocket Languages

Rocket Languages aims to help beginning Russian students advance to an intermediate level by incorporating a wide variety of lessons such as audio lessons, cultural lessons and writing lessons.

You’ll learn useful Russian words and phrases in addition to grammar rules. Rocket Languages also aims at helping you practice both speaking and writing Russian. For instance, you can record your pronunciation and compare yourself to a native Russian speaker. There are over 4,000 voice recognition phrases, so there’s plenty to practice!

With 104 lessons that total 144 hours of lesson time, Rocket Languages offers a nice amount of material for your learning needs. You can use the program online or contact their customer service to purchase a 20 CD pack of the program that also comes with online access. This is a good option if you want to use the program off-line.

For as low as $99.95, you can purchase lifetime access to this program. Try it for free here!

Transparent Language

Transparent Language offers a number of products including audio courses, live instruction, mobile apps and software for children. This wide array of options means that there’s a great tool for any learner.

However, their online program is particularly notable, especially if your goal is to use language learning software to immerse yourself in Russian. Transparent Language’s online Russian program offers a comprehensive array of resources including materials to help you improve your pronunciation, speaking skills, vocabulary, writing and grammar.

Transparent Language’s online program also offers you options: you can choose your own path or follow their path. You can follow their path by following the lessons in the order in which they’re presented. However, you can also blaze your own trail by picking and choosing lessons out of order—perfect if you have an urgent need to focus on specific word groups or grammar topics. The program tracks what words and phrases you’ve learned, so you can also see how far you’ve come.

A unique feature of Transparent Language’s online Russian program is that it also offers typing activities. Since the Russian alphabet is so different from the English alphabet, typing in Russian can be quite the adjustment, so practice activities will really help with this.

Additionally, many learning activities (including multiple choice questions) are also speech-enabled to help you practice your pronunciation and improve your speaking skills.

Monthly subscription prices for Transparent Language’s online Russian program vary based on length of subscription but start at $16.66 per month. The program is designed to be compatible with virtually any device.

Also, don’t forget to check out Transparent Language’s free Russian learning resources for an extra leg up!

Living Language

Living Language aims to help you learn Russian “effectively and efficiently.” With options including an online course, apps and combination packs of books and audio CDs, their are plenty of options to help you do just that.

If you’re looking to learn Russian via software immersion, though, Living Language’s online program is the option for you. There are 46 lessons that use audio conversations, games and puzzles to make each lesson engaging. You can also track your progress to see how much you’ve learned, which is a great motivator.

There are programs for beginning through advanced Russian learners, so anyone can benefit from Living Language’s Russian program.

Prices start at $12.50 a month based on subscription length. Additionally, if you subscribe for a year, you get two e-tutoring credits.

Pimsleur

Pimsleur offers useful tools like MP3s, CDs and software, so there are some great options for anyone looking to learn Russian.

Pimsleur’s Russian program is a good choice for anyone looking to learn Russian via software immersion. It aims to help you hit the ground running by getting you speaking on day one with the ultimate goal of helping you speak Russian like a native.

Pimsleur’s software aims to help you learn Russian in a natural fashion by using real-world contexts to improve your accent and help you learn functional grammar rules and vocabulary. The software program is also scientifically designed to help you enter vocabulary and grammar rules into your long-term memory.

Pimsleur’s software costs $150 per level or $300 for all three levels, but they’re almost always offering some kind of discount for interested learners. Check out the official Pimsleur site to try a free trial lesson and see what discounts are available for you!

Why Use Russian Immersion Software?

Immersion will help you learn Russian more quickly. It’s a well-known fact that immersion is the best route to learning a language. Since Russian has so many sound systems and grammar rules that vary greatly from English, surrounding yourself in Russian through immersion software will help you learn the language much more quickly than just casually studying the language.

Additionally, immersion software can provide you with an experience that replicates living abroad. If you live in Russia, you’ll be surrounded by the Russian language—whether it’s watching Russian TV, listening to Russian music, watching Russian movies or talking with locals. It’s a difficult experience to replicate when you live in the US. Thankfully, immersion software programs seek to do just that by using varied activities to replicate what it would be like to live in Russia.

Finally, immersion software focuses on teaching you functional skills. Online Russian courses are a great way to learn the rules of the language, but to master Russian, you really need to do more than study the basics—you need functional skills. Most traditional learning programs focus on studying grammar rules and vocabulary. Most immersion programs, on the other hand, focus on listening and responding immediately. This focus on dialogues and real language will help prepare you to hold conversations with native speakers.

Give some of these Russian immersion software programs a try, and be the boss of your own learning!