- Headstart
HeadStart is an approximately 100-hour introduction to Russian. No registration is required.
- Gloss
GLOSS has approximately 1000 hours of material (649 lessons in total) with a large number of listening and reading lessons from ILR levels 1 to 4. These are regularly updated, and many lessons provide excellent automated and detailed feedback once activities are completed and submitted.
Each lesson also provides a lot of additional resources, such as dictionaries or additional links related to that specific lesson. No registration is required.
- Online Diagnostic Assessment
The Online Diagnostic Assessment (ODA) is a tool for reading and listening that covers ILR levels 0+ to 4. This can be used to assess your current abilities. (Be aware that the results may differ from DLPT results.) This assessment can take anywhere from 1-4 hours. No registration is required.
DOD Resources
- Joint Language University
The Joint Language University (JLU) has materials from many sources, to include the National Foreign Language Center (NFLC), DLI, and NCS, and it ranges from ILR levels 0+ to 4. Requires registration.
- National Foreign Language Center
The National Foreign Language Center (NFLC) has excellent listening and reading exercises as well as activities formatted as tests beginning with ILR level 2. The interface is very easy to use. Requires registration.
Dictionaries
- Google Translate
Google Translate is a basic online dictionary. Input can be words you enter in, words you speak, or images/live camera feeds that you enter using the camera feature.
- Yandex translate
Yandex Translate is an onine dictionary hosted in Russia. It is part of the Yandex suite of tools and apps.
- Reverso Context
Reverso Context is a dictionary for words and phrases in context.
- Multitran
Multitran is a highly recommended dictionary for words or phrases in context.
- Forvo
Forvo is a great dictionary that provides pronunciation assistance.
- Wiktionary
Wiktionary has resources to help you with word formation, roots, etc.
- Slang Dictionary
Slang Dictionary contains links to other slang dictionaries and articles on Russian slang.
- Academic
A compendium of subject based terminological Russian-Russian dictionaries and Russian-English/English-Russian dictionaries.
- Otrezal
Resource for proverbs, phraseology, aphorisms etc, with audio and long-form explanations. Advanced level.
- Kartaslov
Corpus-driven: synonyms, word association, collocation. Offers a wealth of analysis on any word or phrase. Incorporates machine-learning into its product and asks for opinions of morphology and other things via bot.
Flashcards
- Quizlet
Quizlet is a flashcard program that requires an account for maximum utility. Flashcards are best accessed using the app.
- Anki
Anki is a flashcard program that requires an account for maximum utility. This link provides additional information about how to use Anki: https://ankiweb.net/about
- Memrise
Memrise is a flashcard program that requires an account for maximum utility. It is best used from the app.
Learning Sites
- All Language Resources
A great variety of podcasts, apps, YouTube channels, and other learning resources collected in one place. Has reviews for resources. Contains even older DLI and FSI courses on many languages. Great for all levels of learner.
- 3 Ears
Fantastic site covering a myriad of topics. Videos come with transcripts/subtitles where you can read along while listening and also hover over any word and see its meaning in English.
Chrome/Browser Extensions
Search Engines
- Yandex
Yandex is a Russia-based web search engine. It often produces different results than Google.
- Rambler
Rambler is a Russia-based web search engine. It will often produce different results than Google.
- Real Russian Club
Real Russian Club is a Russian learning blog at a basic learning level. It is based in Moscow.
- Russian with Anastasia
Russian with Anastasia is a Russian learning blog at a basic to intermediate learning level. There is a heavy focus on conversation and dialogue, rather than solely monologues.
- Easy Russian
Easy Russian is a blog at the basic level that focuses on interviews and questions about Russian life. It is part of the EasyRussian group and has subtitles in Russian and English.
- Be Fluent in Russian
Be Fluent in Russian is a Russian learning channel at a basic learning level. There is a heavy focus on the correct use of words and phrases that are often confused or used mistakenly, with English explanations and Russian examples.
- Russian Progress
Russian Progress is a Russian learning channel at the basic to intermediate levels. It is focused on listening at near-authentic speeds.
- Venya Pack
Venya Pak is a lifestyle and learning blog at the Intermediate to advanced levels. It focuses on American life from a Russian-speaker perspective and includes many lessons on how to learn English for Russians and how to learn Russian for English speakers. It is produced for native Russian speakers.
- Comprehensible Russian
Comprehensible Russian is a learning channel at an introductory to basic level with slow spoken speeds. It covers a variety of basic topics such as the alphabet, along with cultural topics like family, housing, the seasons, etc.
- Russian with Max
Russian with Max is a learning channel at the basic to intermediate levels, with some advanced videos that focus on all aspects of Russian language and culture. This is a perennial favorite.
- Evening with Urgant
Evening with Urgant is a popular evening talk show.
- VDud
VDud is a channel hosted by Yuri Dud who has interviews with interesting people.
- Stop a Douchebag
Stop a Douchebag is a show where the hosts go around harassing people who park improperly.
- Orel i Reshka
Orel i Reshka is a show where the hosts travel to interesting cities and places. It has Russian and English subtitles.
- The Gvozdi Show
The Gvozdi Show contains skits and sketches.
- Ruslan Usachev
Ruslan Usachev contains news and information about various events.
- Mudrenytch Translates
Mudrenytch Translates contains short, basic videos about history, from laypersons rather than experts, at the intermediate to advanced levels.
- Firefighter Russia
Firefighter Russia has fun and interesting videos about firefighters in Russia and around the world.
- SoLiD
SoLiD contains mostly Meals Ready to Eat (MRE) reviews that touch on a lot of interesting social perspectives. These are extremely high-quality, well done videos that sometimes include English subtitles.
- Varlamov
Varlamov contains videos about city planning, current events, and other topics. Some of them have English subtitles.
- Anton Ptushkin
Anton Ptushkin contains travel blogs and long, high-quality episodes. The latest videos all have English subtitles.
- Super Sus
Super Sus contains crazy underground adventures and other fun stuff. Some of the videos have English subtitles.
- Skiships
Skyships contains information on Russian aviation history. There are no English subtitles, however they do have an English channel with mostly the same content.
- Art’s Animations
Art’s Animations contains incredible multilingual subtitles for every video.
- Marty Airsoft
Marty Airsoft contains videos related to simulated warfare games like Airsoft and MilSim, along with tactical gear reviews. Most videos have English subtitles.
- Unknown Russia
Unknown Russia contains high-quality, medium-length documentaries.
- Person on the Map
Person on the Map contains high-quality, medium-length documentaries.
- OneTwo
OneTwo contains short comedy sketches.
- CTC
This CTC YouTube channel contains a lot of different shows of several genres for kids and adults.
- THT
This TНТ YouTube channel is similar to the CTC channel; they are both among the largest non-news TV channels in Russia.
- TB-3
TB-3 is a standard cable package Russian channel with a lot of sci-fi shows, as well as shows of other genres.
- 6 Frames
6 Frames is a sketch comedy show spoofing everyday situations and historical figures.
- Kitchen
Kitchen is a sitcom about a restaurant - it starts out quirky and morphs into more of a soap opera later in the run.
- Two Fathers, Two Sons
Two Fathers, Two Sons is a sitcom reminiscent of 2 and a Half Men.
- Happy Together
Happy Together is a Russian Married with Children. There is no playlist link, but plenty of episodes are available on YouTube by searching on the name.
- KBH
KBH is an extremely popular sketch comedy game show, with LOTS of cultural references and funny songs.
- Let's Get Married!
Let’s Get Married! is talk show focused on dating.
Movies
- Russian Film Hub
Russian Film Hub is a directory of free Russian films available online. Almost all movies are free and supported by Youtube so technical issues are minimal.
- Star Media
Movies and shows with English and Russian subtitles, produced by the Star Media group.
- ArtDoc
Large library of documentaries on a myriad of topics.
Podcasts
- PNCAST
Massive repository of videos for the science project turned into podcasts on a huge number of topics/themes. Requires an RSS reader or Chrome browser, also contains links to the original videos that were turned into “podcasts”.
- Business Russian
Business Russian has business podcasts that offer a basic primer on how companies are formed and run in Russia, with transcripts provided. It's generally best to search for these in your podcast app.
- Very Much Russian
Very Much Russian is a series of short podcasts on all manner of topics at the intermediate and advanced levels. It provides transcripts and parallel Russian/English translations.
- Taste of Russian
Taste of Russian has many free podcasts at the intermediate level that do not require registration. More advanced podcasts are available with registration.
News
- NTDTV
News site with slower speed than most, especially useful for basic to intermediate level.
- RIA News
RIA News is a Russian state-owned news agency.
- Meduza
Meduza is a Riga-based online newspaper and news aggregator.
- BBC Russian
BBC Russian is the BBC's Russian service.
- Novoya Gazeta
Novoya Gazeta is a Russian Newspaper with a focus on investigative journalism.
- Deutsche Welle
Deutsche Welle is a German public international broadcaster.
- Snob
Snob is a news and culture site representing what it calls "global citizens" who speak Russian. Covers all news-related topics and has podcasts, videos etc.
- Global Affairs - English
Global Affairs "English" - contains articles and editorials on Russia/Russian geopolitical issues at the advanced level.
- Global Affairs - Russian
Global Affairs "Russian" - contains articles and editorials on Russia and Russian geopolitical issues at the advanced level.
- Inosmi
Inosmi is part of Russia Today and it translates foreign articles into Russian. It is at the advanced level and is great for learning names and new words.
- IZ
IZ is a state-owned news and media outlet. It has a constant video feed covering news events in short form.
- Euro News
Russian-funded news and media outlet. Also features a live news feed and articles on every topic.
- RTVI News & Youtube
News channel whose primary audience is Russians outside of Russia.
- TV Rain
News channel focused on news, culture, and documentaries. Has some premium features, subscription required for audio on live feed.
- Edition
Russia-based news channel on youtube.
- Voice of America
The classic VOA.
- Radio Free Europe
Independent news service.
- 7x7
Blog and news on Russia with excellent English translations from Russian media with links to the original articles.
- Takie Dela
News and stories from “provincial Russia”.
- Caucasian Knot
News focused on the Caucasus region.
- The Village
News and articles focused on the St. Petersburg region.
- Media Zone
News site with associated podcast.
- OVD info
News and articles focused on political and religious persecution in Russia.
- Colta
News and articles about art, literature and culture.
Russian Education Resources
- Obrazovaka
Obrazovaka contains short lessons for grades 4-11 on all school topics.
- Arzamas Academy
Lots of educational materials on all manner of history, culture and more. Has videos and reading, often blended together. Intermediate to advanced.
Linguistic Resources
- Russian National Corpus
The Russian National Corpus is a robust tool to dissect and research the Russian language.
- Gramota
Gramota is a website for Russian educators, intended for natives. It covers grammar and other educational issues and has an active messageboard.
- Emphasis
Gives all forms of a word and shows the stress.
- Michele Berdy “The Word's Worth” in The Moscow Times
Michele Berdy writes on culture, current events and various aspects of intercultural communication for the Russian and English-language press.
Online Commercial Courses
- Pushkin Institute
Pushkin Institute has fairly high-quality courses from beginner to advanced. Requires registration.
- Learn Russian
Learn Russian has sequenced courses. Requires registration.
Social Media/Reddit
- VK
VK is a Russia-based social networking site like Facebook.
- OK
OK is a Russia-based social network like Facebook.
- Pikabu
Safe for Work (SFW), with memes and current events.
- Learning Russian - Reddit
Learning Russian - Reddit is a basic-level learning community.
- Reddit Pikabu
Reddit Pikabu contains memes, news, light Not Safe For Work (NSFW)-tagged content and several related subreddits.
- A Normal Day in Russia
A Normal Day in Russia contains memes and news.
- Sports
Sports is your basic sports news website. It contains something for all major sports worldwide.