---
product_id: 50234596
title: "The New Penguin Russian Course: A Complete Course for Beginners"
price: "€ 41.63"
currency: EUR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 8
url: https://www.desertcart.fi/products/50234596-the-new-penguin-russian-course-a-complete-course-for-beginners
store_origin: FI
region: Finland
---

# Perfect binding for durability 528 pages of deep dive Comprehensive grammar & alphabet The New Penguin Russian Course: A Complete Course for Beginners

**Price:** € 41.63
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Summary

> 🚀 Unlock Russian fluency with the ultimate beginner’s blueprint!

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** The New Penguin Russian Course: A Complete Course for Beginners
- **How much does it cost?** € 41.63 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.fi](https://www.desertcart.fi/products/50234596-the-new-penguin-russian-course-a-complete-course-for-beginners)

## Best For

- Customers looking for quality international products

## Why This Product

- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Key Features

- • **Build Vocabulary as You Learn:** Integrated word lists alongside lessons help you grow your Russian lexicon naturally and effectively.
- • **Structured for Steady Progress:** A perfectly paced course moving from basics to conversational level, designed for daily practice and long-term retention.
- • **Trusted by Thousands of Learners:** 4.6-star rating from 1,850+ reviews proves this is the go-to guide for serious Russian beginners.
- • **Grammar Made Logical & Accessible:** Clear explanations of complex Russian grammar, including all six cases, tailored for beginners aiming for fluency.
- • **Master Russian from the Ground Up:** Starts with a solid foundation in the alphabet and handwriting, ensuring you read and write confidently.

## Overview

The New Penguin Russian Course is a 528-page, perfectly bound comprehensive beginner’s guide that teaches Russian from alphabet to conversational grammar. Praised for its logical structure and deep focus on spelling and grammar, it’s designed for dedicated learners aiming to master Russian beyond holiday phrases. With a 4.6-star rating from over 1,850 reviews, it’s a proven resource for building lasting language skills.

## Description

Buy The New Penguin Russian Course: A Complete Course for Beginners by Brown, Nicholas J. (ISBN: 9780140120417) from desertcart's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.

Review: The best beginners book. - I've tried a few Russian Courses (including the BBC Talk Russian), but they didn't seem quite right. These courses were more aimed at learning to speak some basic Russian (holiday) phrases, rather than a good understanding of the language itself. In learning this way, though, I think you actually make it harder for yourself (even to learn the holiday basics). If you're thinking of choosing between the BBC course and this one, I'd suggest this. The BBC course gives you a very basic understanding of the Russian alphabet (one page!) and then focuses on teaching holiday phrases. This may seem ideal (if you're just going to St Petersburg for a week), but it isn't very easy this way. To learn the alphabet simply from a list of letters and then expecting you to read words through listening to them isn't the best way. In this (Penguin) course, there is a very good opening chapter (see the "Look Inside") that teaches you the alphabet properly. This is critical! (And it doesn't take long to learn). You need to understand how to pronounce the letters, and understand them in context, before you can move on to learning phrases. True, you do get to "hear" the words in BBC Talk Russian, but learning how they sound is no substitute for being able to remember Russian words accurately from their spelling. Whereas there is light emphasis in the BBC book on both learning through spelling and listening, there is strong emphasis here on learning through spelling. The good thing is that Russian (unlike English -- think: "thorough") is a very literal language, and most words sound exactly like they are spelled. You don't really need to learn them by ear (it helps to fine-tune your understanding, but you're far better (given how quickly this book teaches it) learning how to read Russian properly first). It's like learning to read a map and navigate: would you prefer to be presented with a key to the map and road systems and then simply learn the routes you needed, or would you be better being talked through the symbols and roads in logical sections and given a good grounding in the basics to navigate any route? This is a fairly comprehensive course, that aims to take you to "A-Level" standard. It's something you can constantly pick away at, but if you're simply looking to learn some holiday Russian, you would still be better (in my eyes) using this book to get a good basic understanding of the alphabet and grammar -- and then learning a few lists of holiday phrases (or then using BBC Talk Russian) after. The way the book is laid out is perfect, and has clearly been written by somebody who knows how to teach languages. For example: as you are learning the alphabet, you are also given lists of useful words to spell (in Russian), so not only are you learning the alphabet, but you are growing a vocabulary as you go). The book is perfectly structured, and moves from the alphabet to handwriting to learning phrases to grammar in a logical and easy to digest way. Throughout, you are also given useful titbits that help you to see the language in action. If you put in the work, then this book will reward you well. It is ideal for beginners; if you just want to learn holiday Russian, then use this book to understand the basics for a couple of weeks and then move onto holiday phrases. You will learn how to form basic sentences (rather than just learning phrases). You will develop a ground-level understanding of the language, whereas if you put your efforts into the BBC book, you will simply learn a list of automated phrases. The bottom line is that Russian isn't the simplest language to get by in, but if you put the time in this book will make it easy to learn. Use this book daily (and revise constantly), and you will soon be confident in basic Russian. It will also take you far further if you work through the whole book, to the point where you can comfortably type, write and speak Russian to conversational level. One last thing: there is an excellent site for practising the Russian alphabet (and other aspects of Russian), and if you search "practice russian" you should find it. Best of luck, and I hope this review was helpful if you're wondering where to start.
Review: A comprehensive grammar guide for beginners - One year ago when I began to devote myself to learning Russian, I didn't know one solitary word of this beautiful and sometimes grammatically complex language. I followed the good advice of previous reviewers and purchased this text book immediately. I can say one year later on, it was a very wise choice. This book is layered in a very logical and easy to understand manner. The six grammatical cases in Russian are excellently explained, as are all the chapters on the basic essentials, such as the alphabet, handwriting, verb conjugations, numbers etc. The one thing any newcomer to learing Russian must remember: You need dedication, practice, time and then more practice. If you have these ingredients then this book will be a perfect guide and will help you immensely in your quest to learn this remarkable and fascinating language. The only downside to this book is that it can't pronounce the words for you, and believe me there are many instances when pronouncing a Russian word using english letters is near impossible to sound correctly. What you might think is the right sound for a Russian word, can sometimes be quite embarrassingly off the mark. But don't let this put you off, you can't get any more from a beginner's guide. I can boast that after learning seven or eight hundred words and six grammatical cases (N.A.G.D.I.P or (L))in one year, with limited time spent in Ukraine is quite an achievement(as I have never studied any other language!) and I owe it to this remarkable book. By the way your knowledge of English grammar will also benefit from reading and studying this text.

## Features

- Pages Count - 528. Binding type - Perfect.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | 20,067 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) 34 in Grammar, Structure & Syntax 47 in Vocabulary Reference 146 in Language Training by Language |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,850 Reviews |

## Images

![The New Penguin Russian Course: A Complete Course for Beginners - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81ia4eujoQL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The best beginners book.
*by R***8 on 7 February 2011*

I've tried a few Russian Courses (including the BBC Talk Russian), but they didn't seem quite right. These courses were more aimed at learning to speak some basic Russian (holiday) phrases, rather than a good understanding of the language itself. In learning this way, though, I think you actually make it harder for yourself (even to learn the holiday basics). If you're thinking of choosing between the BBC course and this one, I'd suggest this. The BBC course gives you a very basic understanding of the Russian alphabet (one page!) and then focuses on teaching holiday phrases. This may seem ideal (if you're just going to St Petersburg for a week), but it isn't very easy this way. To learn the alphabet simply from a list of letters and then expecting you to read words through listening to them isn't the best way. In this (Penguin) course, there is a very good opening chapter (see the "Look Inside") that teaches you the alphabet properly. This is critical! (And it doesn't take long to learn). You need to understand how to pronounce the letters, and understand them in context, before you can move on to learning phrases. True, you do get to "hear" the words in BBC Talk Russian, but learning how they sound is no substitute for being able to remember Russian words accurately from their spelling. Whereas there is light emphasis in the BBC book on both learning through spelling and listening, there is strong emphasis here on learning through spelling. The good thing is that Russian (unlike English -- think: "thorough") is a very literal language, and most words sound exactly like they are spelled. You don't really need to learn them by ear (it helps to fine-tune your understanding, but you're far better (given how quickly this book teaches it) learning how to read Russian properly first). It's like learning to read a map and navigate: would you prefer to be presented with a key to the map and road systems and then simply learn the routes you needed, or would you be better being talked through the symbols and roads in logical sections and given a good grounding in the basics to navigate any route? This is a fairly comprehensive course, that aims to take you to "A-Level" standard. It's something you can constantly pick away at, but if you're simply looking to learn some holiday Russian, you would still be better (in my eyes) using this book to get a good basic understanding of the alphabet and grammar -- and then learning a few lists of holiday phrases (or then using BBC Talk Russian) after. The way the book is laid out is perfect, and has clearly been written by somebody who knows how to teach languages. For example: as you are learning the alphabet, you are also given lists of useful words to spell (in Russian), so not only are you learning the alphabet, but you are growing a vocabulary as you go). The book is perfectly structured, and moves from the alphabet to handwriting to learning phrases to grammar in a logical and easy to digest way. Throughout, you are also given useful titbits that help you to see the language in action. If you put in the work, then this book will reward you well. It is ideal for beginners; if you just want to learn holiday Russian, then use this book to understand the basics for a couple of weeks and then move onto holiday phrases. You will learn how to form basic sentences (rather than just learning phrases). You will develop a ground-level understanding of the language, whereas if you put your efforts into the BBC book, you will simply learn a list of automated phrases. The bottom line is that Russian isn't the simplest language to get by in, but if you put the time in this book will make it easy to learn. Use this book daily (and revise constantly), and you will soon be confident in basic Russian. It will also take you far further if you work through the whole book, to the point where you can comfortably type, write and speak Russian to conversational level. One last thing: there is an excellent site for practising the Russian alphabet (and other aspects of Russian), and if you search "practice russian" you should find it. Best of luck, and I hope this review was helpful if you're wondering where to start.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A comprehensive grammar guide for beginners
*by D***X on 13 February 2004*

One year ago when I began to devote myself to learning Russian, I didn't know one solitary word of this beautiful and sometimes grammatically complex language. I followed the good advice of previous reviewers and purchased this text book immediately. I can say one year later on, it was a very wise choice. This book is layered in a very logical and easy to understand manner. The six grammatical cases in Russian are excellently explained, as are all the chapters on the basic essentials, such as the alphabet, handwriting, verb conjugations, numbers etc. The one thing any newcomer to learing Russian must remember: You need dedication, practice, time and then more practice. If you have these ingredients then this book will be a perfect guide and will help you immensely in your quest to learn this remarkable and fascinating language. The only downside to this book is that it can't pronounce the words for you, and believe me there are many instances when pronouncing a Russian word using english letters is near impossible to sound correctly. What you might think is the right sound for a Russian word, can sometimes be quite embarrassingly off the mark. But don't let this put you off, you can't get any more from a beginner's guide. I can boast that after learning seven or eight hundred words and six grammatical cases (N.A.G.D.I.P or (L))in one year, with limited time spent in Ukraine is quite an achievement(as I have never studied any other language!) and I owe it to this remarkable book. By the way your knowledge of English grammar will also benefit from reading and studying this text.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Quite good for its size, but it has one big flaw
*by A***R on 23 August 2016*

The book has a typical no-nonsense approach, without pointless drawings, so it covers quite a lot for such a small book. The layout and style used to be much more common than in modern textbooks: introduce new vocabulary for every chapter, start with one or more grammatical themes, offer several examples and a dialogue, and then give exercises to practice. The grammar in introduced with simple explanations, avoiding unnecessary jargon, and it has a reasonable amount of examples to illustrate them. The total vocabulary used is about 1500 words, which is reasonable for a beginner, although you are expected to take it from there and expand your vocabulary considerably unless you intend to keep your Russian to a very simple and straightforward exchange of short, simple sentences, rather than a proper conversation, or the ability to read normal literature. Of course, the book is not intended to be the only resource to learn the language, so you need to complement it with other materials, especially sound. Another good thing about the book is that it starts introducing the Cyrillic script, and in chapter 2 introduces the cursive writing as well, which looks almost like a completely different writing system to the untrained eye, but it is something essential for anyone who is serious about learning the language. The downside is the pronunciation. Ideally, the book should offer the option to purchase a CD/mp3/tape or whatever, because Russian is not exactly an easy language to pronounce for a non-Slavic speaker; this is why I gave it 4 stars, and why I hesitated to even give it 3. The book describes how to "pronounce" the letters of the Russian alphabet, but the explanations are extremely inaccurate, and your pronunciation will be atrocious if you just follow the explanations. For example, it says that the Russian K sounds like in "kangaroo", but this is wrong, because the k in kangaroo has an aspiration, whereas the Russian K never has aspiration. The book should have picked a word like "sky" that doesn’t have an aspiration and it is practically identical to the Russian one; this might sound like nit-picking, but the difference is very significant to Russian ears. Same thing with T: the example says it sounds like "tan", but it actually sounds like in "stand", where there is no aspiration. It also says that Ш sounds like something in Welsh, which is not true (you can find the sound in Chinese, though), and ж is supposed to sound like in “pleasure”, and although it is not too far off, the tongue should be curled backwards. Russian has several sounds that don't exist in English, so saying that it sounds like X or Y in English is just useless, because you'll pronounce the wrong sound. Without sound files, the book should have provided a serious phonetic transcription like the IPA, even though most English speakers don't know it, and provide a 3-5 page explanation on how the symbols are correctly articulated; at least you would have an accurate transcription of the real sounds if the ideal resources are lacking, i.e. recorded sounds by native speakers. Have you ever struggled to understand a foreigner trying to speak your language, because a lot of sounds were very… weird? Chances are they also used a book in their language that said "The letter R in English sounds like XXX in Chinese/Vietnamese/whatever". Now you know how you'll sound without sound files or accurate transcriptions.

## Frequently Bought Together

- The New Penguin Russian Course: A Complete Course for Beginners
- Russian Grammar QuickStudy Laminated Reference Guide (QuickStudy Academic)
- Russian Grammar Made Easy: A Comprehensive Workbook To Learn Russian Grammar For Beginners (Audio Included)

---

## Why Shop on Desertcart?

- 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016
- 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories
- 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price
- 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members)
- 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection
- ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews

**Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.fi/products/50234596-the-new-penguin-russian-course-a-complete-course-for-beginners](https://www.desertcart.fi/products/50234596-the-new-penguin-russian-course-a-complete-course-for-beginners)

---

*Product available on Desertcart Finland*
*Store origin: FI*
*Last updated: 2026-02-03*