Langenscheidt's Pocket Russian Dictionary: Russian-English/English-Russian

I had to return this because it did me no good without having knowledge of the Russian alphabet. Maybe when I'm more advanced I would find it helpful. Langenscheidt's language books are normally very good and I'm sure this is too, but I was just not ready for it.

I like it very much. It's got the most important Russian words, so I can use it to learn vocabulary. Great !

While my Russian grammar is relatively solid, I have been noticing a lack of vocabulary knowledge. In an effort to remedy the problem, I purchased this dictionary. Needless to say, it has done wonders for my Russian vocabulary.

I work in a restaurant as a server, and I carry this dictionary around (usually in my pocket, it fits nicely) and basically just look up any word, item, phrase, etc. that pops into my head. For example, tonight I saw someone wearing a yellow shirt, so I looked up the words "yellow" and "shirt".

In addition to vocabulary help, it has some VERY useful and very comprehensive grammar tables in the back, listing all of the major case endings and verb conjugations. These tables go a long way in helping you form phrases and complete sentences with the words you look up.

Physically the dictionary seems very sturdy. I've been using it for several weeks now and the binding is holding firm. The cover is also made of a nice plastic material. This has obviously come in handy since I work in a restaurant. I've spilled sauce on it, dropped it on a wet, dirty kitchen floor, and abused it in many other ways, and it always comes out clean-as-a-whistle.

The dictionary doesn't have every word, and in some cases it lists two words without adequate explanation about which to use in which instance. But this has to be expected in a pocket dictionary. My recommendation is to use this on the go, and keep a heavy-duty, full dictionary at home so you can clarify any questions regarding word usage.

For anyone trying to master Russian I highly recommend this dictionary. Use it well and often and you will quickly multiply your vocabulary and even increase your grammar knowledge.

I bought this dictionary right before my first Russian course, and I was impressed by it's cool/durable cover, small size, etc. but not impressed with its content. Although the interface and layout make words very easy to find, my problem is that it's not easy to find out if something is an adjective, pronoun, noun, etc. So, it gets a "D" in the grammar department, but I would suggest it as a quick reference for going on a trip or something of that nature. Other than that, I would go with the Oxford version if you really want to learn the language and have the words "defined."

I'm entering my third year of Russian study, and I am becoming frustrated with this dictionary. It is the only one I used the first two years, and it served me well during that time. The small size is convenient, and the grammar tables in the back have been invaluable. However, I have found (especially in the English to Russian section) many inaccuracies, and the Russian to English section lacks many words that are necessary--even fairly basic ones. If you want a good jumping-off point, this will suffice, but pretty soon you would be better off buying a reference grammar and a more complete dictionary.