Pimsleur is well known as a pioneer in auditory language learning. With 50 years of experience in teaching all kinds of students, including government agencies, the Pimsleur method (more on that below) is internationally respected. I was interested to see if the famed method would help me succeed in learning Hebrew too. 

Pimsleur Modern Hebrew Course Structure and Content

First things first, Pimsleur’s Modern Hebrew course is just that. If you’re looking for any discussion of Biblical Hebrew, you’re less likely to find it here.

I must say that Pimsleur is a masterclass in structured auditory learning. With 30 units in each level’s course, each lesson is strategically planned to last around 30 minutes (one of Pimsleur’s marketing gimmicks), and I felt this was manageable for making Hebrew learning a part of my daily routine. The lesson’s content builds on each other, meaning that each lesson builds on the one before it, which I felt made for a really solid foundation and helped me to familiarize myself with vocabulary and concepts before moving on to more difficult grammatical concepts.

The first few lessons are based around the basics of Hebrew, including small talk and other essential daily phrases. I felt that these were a little repetitive initially, but I can’t help but feel in hindsight that they were also pretty useful in making sure that I had the basics down.

The farther I went in the course, which for me was around day four or five, I was very aware that the vocabulary I was being exposed to had really expanded, and the topics got a lot more specific, including shopping, travel, and even discussions about Israeli festivals and traditions. For example, one of the lessons was about the Israeli market, or “Shuk.” Instead of just being another lesson about vocabulary related to marketplaces, I found myself being taught how to bargain with stallholders, as well as ask for prices and make any small talk in order to help my bargaining attempt succeed! I really liked how this fun approach gave me more of a real-life context for learning the language.

Otherwise, the Modern Hebrew course at Pimsleur is based on five levels which progressively become more difficult, and each level has 30 lessons. By the time I reached the fifth level, I found myself being taught to discuss current events and express opinions on cultural topics such as the Israeli music scene, art, and more. Looking back, I was surprised at how easily I’d mastered such complex topics when I struggled so much with learning Hebrew by myself.

Pimsleur Modern Hebrew Learning Methodology

The “Pimsleur Method” is the backbone of this course. What it means is, that you’ll be asked to repeat your learning, apply your learning to real-world contacts (as I mentioned above with my Israeli Market lesson), and focus on active recall rather than passive learning. Unlike other modern Hebrew language learning platforms, especially self-led ones, why you’ll be off to memorize vocabulary lists and then use those words later, the Pimsleur method really pushed me, almost in a gamified way, to actually think rather than visualize.

I also really like how the Pimsleur method really focuses heavily on the correct pronunciation. This has been a real sticking point for me, as an English speaker, trying to get around the unique sounds of Hebrew, such as the throaty ‘kh’ sound. With whole lessons dedicated to getting not only these sounds correct but also working on my accent, I really felt that my Modern Hebrew was progressing in all aspects.

Pimsleur Modern Hebrew Unique Features

Pimsleur’s Method also relies on the real world and ensures that all learning is applied to real-world scenarios. Every lesson revolves around different specific scenarios from the real world. For example, there’s a lesson about navigating around Tel Aviv, where you need to ask for directions, find your way to local tourist sites, and even at one point make small talk about Israeli cuisine. It made for a really fun approach while also being very useful.

Another unique feature is how deeply the Pimsleur method relies on cultural immersion and teachings. Every lesson comes with a cultural introduction, introducing me to the world of Israeli customs, traditions, holidays, and even the socio-political landscape. 

Otherwise, Pimsleur’s premium plan gives you access to “Reading Lessons” to help you grow used to the site of Hebrew script. These lessons are designed to improve pronunciation and understanding of the language’s structure, which although wasn’t my favorite aspect of the course, I can’t deny it really did help me with my Hebrew reading.

Pimsleur Modern Hebrew Flexibility and Accessibility

Pimsleur’s Modern Hebrew course is super flexible and adaptable. I really liked how the mobile app functioned, which allowed me to download the course offline (which was a game changer during my long commutes and if I passed through any areas with dodgy internet connection). One extra aspect I hadn’t anticipated was the driving mode on the mobile app, allowing me to keep my Hebrew lesson going even while I was driving!

If I could give one note for improvement, it would be having some interactive transcripts or extra reading material for learners to browse in addition to the audio-based lessons. So far, these are only available with Pimsleur’s premium subscription. 

Pimsleur Modern Hebrew Instructor Quality

While Pimsleur doesn’t follow the traditional instructor-led model, the quality of the audio lessons was absolutely fantastic. The voice actors, often (but not always) were native speakers, and were very easy for me to follow. Their pacing is a little slow but this is deliberate, which really gave me the time to process what they were saying and understand it. For example, every time they made sure to make a clear distinction between the guttural ‘kh’ and the softer ‘h’ in Hebrew, which is very difficult, particularly for native English speakers.

Another cool aspect was how there was a range of accents represented, including American-spoken Hebrew, more traditional Ashkenazi accents, and some heavier Sephardic accents too. I found it a really nice little authentic touch that I haven’t previously encountered in any other Modern Hebrew course. 

Pimsleur Modern Hebrew Course Platform

Navigating the Pimsleur platform was super easy, on both the website and the app. Lessons are organized chronologically, and there’s a handy progress tracker. 

If I had one bone to pick, it would be that the platform could look a little bit more modern, but this is really a very small criticism. Every section was very clearly labeled, and it allowed me to easily pick up from where I left off. But where I was really impressed was with the platform’s customization options.

I could easily adjust the playback speed of lessons, slowing down the sections I found the most challenging, but also speed through the content I already had learned. I thought this was a really interesting level of personalization that I hadn’t seen before, and was a really great addition to help even out any imbalances in all gaps in my learning knowledge, for better or for worse. 

Pimsleur Modern Hebrew Student Interaction and Engagement

The Pimsleur course is a self-led course, and therefore a solo journey. This isn’t a bad thing, and I think even more social learners who enjoy having people around them will find something to love here. Due to the focus on the spoken aspect of learning the language, it feels like you’re talking among a group of friends.

But, if you really want community engagement while learning Modern Hebrew, Pimsleur might not do it for you. Unlike other online language learning platforms, Pimsleur doesn’t include any community forums or discussion boards for you to share your experiences, meet new friends, or practice your conversations. If I had one big nitpick, it would be this, I really felt it lacking, and I’m not even that much of a social learner.

Pimsleur Modern Hebrew Cost and Value for Money

I’m not going to sugar coat it: Pimsleur is expensive, although I think it’s worth the price tag. Okay, so maybe that’s a bit of a harsh statement. The truth is, each of the five Pimsleur levels can either be sold separately for $150, or you can buy a Bundle of the first two levels for $300 or the first three levels for $350, which if you do the math you’ll realize is the better value option. Although this may sound steep, it’s important to note that buying the premium levels gives you lifetime access.

Whether or not you’d actually need lifetime access to Pimsleur’s Modern Hebrew course is debatable, after all, if you really put the work in, you probably won’t need some of the earlier levels at least, because they’ve become too basic for you. 

Pimsleur also offers a monthly subscription model if you’re not quite ready to commit yet. The audio-only subscription gives you access to the mobile app, allowing you to have full access to the audio lessons without the other interactive features, such as digital flashcards, cultural highlights, and other features I mentioned above.

If neither of these options sounds right for you, then there’s a 7-day free trial available for all languages across the audio-only or premium subscriptions. You can try any and every lesson and feature during the seven-day period, but you’ll need to take out a subscription and then remember to cancel it before the 7 days are up.

Although I think that the course is a fantastic investment, it’s just that: an investment. It might be too expensive for you, especially if you learn at a quicker pace, and in that case, then Pimsleur offers the EMI (Equated Monthly Installment), which allows you to spread the cost over several months in payments, which might make this course’s price tag more accessible to you. 

Additionally, I noticed that Pimsleur offers promotional discounts every so often, especially during the holiday season. These discounts can go up to as much as 50%, so it’s really worth keeping your eyes peeled.

The Bottom Line on Pimsleur Modern Hebrew Course

Pimsleur’s Modern Hebrew course is absolutely fantastic if you’re an auditory learner, or don’t mind self-led courses. I felt it was a fantastic option for a structured, immersive experience in the world of Hebrew, with a real focus on the real world. 

I do think there were some things missing that were very important to me, such as the lack of community engagement, and interactive other features. But, if you can look past the price tag and these two things that were missing, at least for me, then you really can’t go wrong with Pimsleur. Its promise of learning a new language with just 30 minutes of consistency daily really seemed to work for me, but I understand that this won’t be the same case for everyone. After all, you get out what you put in… and it is quite a commitment both financially and time-wise.