Basic Modern Hebrew Simon & Schuster's Pimsleur, (2006)
An Audio Course on 5 CDs
ISBN 10: 0-7435-5079-X
ISBN 13: 978-0-7435-5079-6
Reviewed by Simon Bonim - April 13, 2009
Basic Modern Hebrew is an introductory, all-audio, Hebrew program that introduces learners to Simon & Schuster's interactive, Pimsleur Comprehensive Hebrew programs. It contains the first ten lessons found in Level 1 of the Pimsleur's Comprehensive Hebrew program, and it gives you a fun and informative introduction to the Hebrew language, including basic phrases, words, and sentences. The Pimsleur Method has a sound reputation as an outstanding means of learning to speak a foreign language. Their all-audio Hebrew programs continue to uphold Pimsleur's long standing reputations for excellence, and is perfect for those new to Hebrew, as well as those seeking to improve their conversational skills.
There are currently three levels in Pimsleur's Comprehensive Hebrew program. Each level features fifteen hours of instruction divided into 30, 30-minute exercises. The Hebrew taught throughout this course is Modern, conversational Hebrew. As such, this is not the grammatically correct and rigid Hebrew that you would learn in a normal classroom setting. Rather, it is the Hebrew spoken by the average man or woman on the street. In this program, you learn Hebrew by following and participating in guided conversations.
The Pimsleur Comprehensive Modern Hebrew programs are ideal for tourist and business professionals looking to gain a working knowledge of basic, conversational Hebrew. It is also ideal for use by students of all ages who are studying Hebrew, and who are looking to practice there speaking and listening skills. They are equally useful to independent learners as well as those studying Hebrew in a classroom setting. The Pimsleur Comprehensive Modern Hebrew programs will rapidly improve your ability to speak and understand spoken Hebrew. As you work through these programs, you will effortlessly learn the basics of Hebrew grammar, sentence structure, and you will find that your Hebrew vocabulary will grow rapidly. As this is an audio program, it does not, at least in the Basic Modern Hebrew program, teach you how to read or write Hebrew. As such, if you are not studying written Hebrew while working through this program, I recommend that you at least familiarize yourself with the Hebrew alphabet, this will greatly increase your understanding of the information presented in this program, and it will give you a head-start should you decide to study written Hebrew at a later time.
Unfortunately, although the Pimsleur programs have a reputation of being excellent learning tools, they also tend to be on the expensive side. This may make some learners reluctant to give these programs a try. If you are unsure about whether or not this program is right for you, you will want to try out Pimsleur's Basic Modern Hebrew. This program contains the first ten lessons contained in the Pimsleur Comprehensive Modern Hebrew: Level 1 program. The cost is reasonable, and if you want to continue on with the Comprehensive Modern Hebrew program, Pimsleur is currently offering a $50 rebate to those that purchases the Basic Modern Hebrew and then go on to purchase the Comprehensive Modern Hebrew: Level 1 program.
The Pimsleur method teaches you grammar simultaneously as you increase your Hebrew vocabulary. This Hebrew program features two native Hebrew speakers, one male and one female, both of whom speak clearly and at a rate that those unfamiliar with Hebrew will be able to understand and copy what they are saying. Basically, by mimicking their speech patterns, you will develop over time, a native sounding accent. Instructions are provided in English, and I found the lessons to be enjoyable to work through. Each new lesson builds upon the previous lessons, so you need to proceed through this course in order. I highly recommend this program to anyone seeking to learn modern, conversational Hebrew, or for those needing to practice their Hebrew conversational and listening skills, or who need to tweak their pronunciation skills.
Interested in the Learn to Speak and Understand Hebrew with Pimsleur Language Programs' Comprehensive Modern Hebrew programs? If so, the following links will provide you with more information on each of the programs in this series:
Learn Hebrew Now! Version 10, by Transparent Language.
With a vocabulary of more than 15,000 words, and the ability to record, playback, and compare your speech with that of a native Hebrew speaker, this is a multi-media Hebrew learning program that teaches all aspects of modern Israeli Hebrew, including reading, writing, speaking, and listening comprehension.
Encounters in Modern Hebrew, By Edna Amir Coffin.
Comprising three books, this series provides students with an invigorating, college-level introduction to Israeli Hebrew. By the time students have completed all three books in the series they will be ready to take advanced Hebrew language courses. The three books combined are equivalent to two - three years of college level study of Hebrew.
