: ( learner repeats ) "Menya zovut Ivan."

Instructor: "Now it's your turn. Repeat after me: Privyet! Kak vas zovut?"

: Since Russian uses a different alphabet, transcripts help bridge the gap between hearing "Privet" and seeing "Привет".

The first 10 lessons of Pimsleur Russian teach you phrases phonetically. Without a transcript, you might hear “Spaseeba” and be fine. But to read a menu, you need “Спасибо.” A transcript bridges the gap between the sound and the symbol.