I have been looking for an app like this for a long time. It’s difficult to find material that bridges the gap between beginner vocabulary/phrases and advanced text. This app is the perfect way to improve comprehension and vocabulary. It’s difficult to read Russian, because I’m never quite sure if I’m pronouncing new vocab words correctly. Having the option to listen and read, with or without the aid of English text, has made a HUGE difference in my comprehension. There are plenty of stories for each level, and you can tap and re-listen to any section, in case you miss something. This is a simple but extremely useful app. I don’t usually subscribe to things, but a few dollars per month is WELL worth the money. I figured I would only do one month, but immediately realized that it would be worth the money for a longer time, since they are constantly adding new material. Additionally, I emailed them about a question, and received a reply within only about an hour. I would highly recommend checking out Russian Reader. Great app, and solid customer service. 5 stars, all day.

The Russian Reader app boasts a large array of stories for beginner and intermediate students, all of them with available audio for you to read along with (and improve your pronunciation with), and all of them charmingly illustrated. The app is designed to give you so many stories that reading can become a regular habit, without the need for you to search on your own constantly for stories which will match your level. Additional stories are published in the app very often, and so you never have a scarcity of things to read. The stories are categorized by their difficulty, and any new learner will be afforded material perfectly suited for their level. One of the great features of the app include the many videos describing tricky or unique grammar points throughout the story. I have improved rapidly in my ability to engage with a Russian text, and to enjoy myself in stories told in a language other than my own. I highly recommend the app to any learner

I have done all the language apps and even had a traditional language tutor. Though I made progress memorizing words, I wasn’t actually learning the language. As I read more about TPRS and language acquisition I saw a heavy emphasis on reading and learning from listening to stories. Searching for different options, I was lucky to find RR. RR has a large number of stories (beginner to advanced) read by native speakers and include direct, word for word translations. Using this regularly by first listening without the text, then listening with the text, then reading it myself and trying to work out the meaning from the words I already knew (the beginner texts build on vocabulary and grammar from previous stories) I have made far more progress than with other language learning apps. RR is also continually developing new content which is great to see. I would definitely recommend this for anyone trying to learn Russian.

I’ve studied a couple foreign languages before and I am a huge fan of “content-driven instruction”, but this can be difficult early on, when you don’t have enough vocabulary to understand any real content. This app provides a great answer to this quagmire, and a good alternative to flash cards and rote memorization-based apps. Aside from a couple small, weird UI issues—such as having to click off the English subtitles every time you turn the page—the app works great, but most importantly, the content is excellent.The stories are short and cute and include plenty of useful vocabulary and expressions right off the bat. Most importantly, the vocabulary and expressions REOCCUR throughout the stories, which is key for memorization. The pronunciation of the audio is clear and perfectly paced.I personally have been working through stories by first reading a listening page-by-page, often stopping to Google/investigate grammar points I don’t quite understand, then listening to the story a few more times over the following days to internalize the vocabulary and expressions. Hi can listen in the car or on a walk, and I also often shadow the audio—repeating what the reader just said—which is easy to do with the pace of the narration.I hope this app continues to add more excellent content. The weekly video updates from the developer are awesome so I know more content is coming and to keep me motivated. I also really appreciate the little embedded video lessons by Petr and hope to see more of those in future stories.