When comparing Bliu Bliu vs Pimsleur, the Slant community recommends Bliu Bliu for most people. In the question“What are the best sites for learning foreign languages?” Bliu Bliu is ranked 14th while Pimsleur is ranked 17th. The most important reason people chose Bliu Bliu is:
Rather than simply expecting you to remember vocabulary, Bliu Bliu gives you practice reading real content in your target language.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Gives you real-world practice
Rather than simply expecting you to remember vocabulary, Bliu Bliu gives you practice reading real content in your target language.
Pro Unique way of adjusting lessons to your level
You can tell Bliu Bliu which words you are comfortable with and which you aren't by rating them as "easy" or "hard".
The site keeps track of these and gives you pieces of writing that use a good ratio of words you know and words you don't.
The more familiar you get with the language, the more difficult the reading becomes.
Pro Graduated interval recall
Spaced repetition in and between lessons are timed for maximum recall. This also means you can't skip days between lessons, or work ahead. Each level takes one month.
Pro Very effective for beginners
Pimsleur is based on proven memory science, it's not perfect, but it is very effective. Intermediate learners may not get as much out of it.
Pro Learn while you commute
Pimsleur uses daily 30-minute audio lessons. You can probably fit this in while you're driving to work.
Pro Principle of anticipation
Rather than simple listen-and-repeat, you also have to translate phrases and answer questions in the target language during the lessons.
Pro Teaches pronunciation well
Uses the backchaining technique with native speakers.
Cons
Con Not all translations are accurate
Each word is translated individually by google, which only displays one definition. If a word has more than one use, it may show you the definition of the incorrect word.
Con No way to interact in case of questions
If you happen to have a question, you are out of luck. The only resource for you is to resort to Google.
Con Not a great starting place for complete beginners
The site will test your knowledge of your target language after signing up. If it finds you are just starting out, it will suggest you come back after you know a bit more vocabulary.
Bliu Bliu throws you right in by giving you things to read in your target language, rather than giving you structured lessons.
Con No writing practice
Pimsleur is an audio-only course. This can be easier for beginners learning languages that don't use the Latin alphabet, but for serious language learners, it's a gap they'll have to fill using something else.
Con Expensive
All the CDs for one language cost nearly a thousand dollars. The .mp3's are about half that. Your local library may carry the CDs, those that don't may be able to get them via inter-library loan (ask your librarian). You can also find them used and re-sell them for nearly as much (depending on how long you want to wait), after you finish. Be certain to get the same edition for all levels.
Con Too slow-paced and repetitive for some learners
If you learn quickly, you may find that the 30 minute lessons covering only a small handful of vocabulary move too slowly for you.
Con Limited vocabulary
It teaches hundreds of words. A great start, but not enough to achieve the thousands required for fluency, even with all three levels. Pimsleur deliberately focuses on the most common words of the target language for maximum recall.