Dutch Phase 1, Unit 01-05

By: Pimsleur

Narrated by: Pimsleur

Length: 2 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's Summary

The Pimsleur® Method: the easiest, fastest way to learn a new language. Completely portable, easily downloadable, and lots of fun. You’ll be speaking and understanding in no time flat! Each lesson in Dutch Phase 1, Units 1-5 provides 30 minutes of spoken language practice, with an introductory conversation, and new vocabulary and structures. Detailed instructions enable you to understand and participate in the conversation. Each lesson contains practice for vocabulary introduced in previous lessons. The emphasis is on pronunciation and comprehension, and on learning to speak Dutch.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2007 Simon & Schuster (P)2007 Simon & Schuster

Critic Reviews

"Pimsleur programs provide plenty of positive reinforcement that will keep learners on track, and we found that Pimsleur gave us more proficiency and confidence in speaking the new language than any of the other language programs we reviewed." ( AudioFile magazine)

Adequate

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

This program seems adequate if you want to learn basic phrases in a new language. The words/phrases are introduced clearly and the pronunciation is broken up into individual syllables so that you can clearly hear how to make each sound. There is a good amount of repetition and enough time in most cases for you to repeat the sounds/words/phrases when prompted.

This was my first experience with an audio-only program, and I suppose it will do exactly what it says... help you learn to speak and understand the language. However I am a very visual learner. I found that after learning to say the words/phrases, I also wanted to see the words that I was saying, and know how they are spelled. The "reference guide" that accompanies this program is simply a 14 page blurb introducing the Pimsleur teaching concept. It contains no "reference material" at all for the units or language that you are studying. If you are a visual learner then this might be frustrating to you.

Has Dutch Phase 1, Unit 01-05 turned you off from other books in this genre?

No

What aspect of the narrator’s performance would you have changed?

Not performance per se, but as noted above, some brief glossary with the spellings of the words we have learned would be valuable.

Could you see Dutch Phase 1, Unit 01-05 being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Rutger Hauer? He can teach me Dutch anytime...

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

Gold Star BEST Language Course

This course is hands down the best spoken language resource I have ever gotten my earbuds on. I look forward to each day's lesson, it's in digestible chunks, I truly feel comfortable and proficient with the material. This course brings up the old lessons to review just at the perfect time to keep it fresh. I cannot recommend Pimsleur enough.

The only Cons:
1.) These courses will not get you ready for your trip this weekend necessarily, be at least 2 weeks out to get some basics
2.)Obviously this will do you worlds of good with oral skills but does not reference spelling for written
3.)Dutch program only goes to Unit 30! They do not have the later phases! So if you had hopes like me of those, accept that (For now at least) this is only a 6 week maximum course!

Pros:
Absolutely everything else!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Effective Language Learning

Having previously used the Pimsleur Haitian Creole program, I was not surprised to enjoy the Pimsleur Dutch as well. Pimsleur produces some of the best language learning tools I've ever found and I've tried a lot of methods.

I have to say that while Dutch is my ancestral tongue, the pronunciation does not come through genetics. Who would ever have intentionally invented some of those sounds & words?!! In any case, if you want to speak Nederlands, this is the course for you.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

Great learning tool

I have tried several audio languages, however this was the first one I thought I would actually learn and retain it. Love this program

Poor content and presentation

Pronunciation repeated only once, fast. Very few useful things to learn. I don't recommend this to anyone . Waist of money. There are so many other and better courses.

perfectly suitable

this has geared me up for my trip to Holland, it's a solid start and pretty good value.

Robotic and unsubstantial

For the amount it costs I was really expecting more than one conversation to be taught.