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Brennan
Brennan
Irina is the best foreign language teacher I have ever encountered. I am a high school science teacher, and I have learned two other languages: I took Spanish in middle school and high school, earning a 5 on the AP Spanish exam, and I minored in German in college. I have years of experience tutoring in these languages, and I feel that I have a very good understanding of how to teach foreign languages to English speakers.
I say this to hopefully lend credence to my review of Irina as a tutor. I began learning Russian one year ago, and I started working with Irina over 6 months ago. In this time, I have learned the alphabet, the grammar rules for present/past/future tense, the 6 grammatical cases, and most of the other fundamentals of the language. I have been able to hold conversations with my high school students whose families are from Russia, interact in Russian-speaking communities on Reddit, and speak with people in my local Eastern European market.
Irina uses her education and experience to craft individualized lesson plans that quickly and effectively build a framework of understanding that matches the level of effort and experience that you come in with as a student. During the summer, I meet with her for three hours a week and we go through concepts at a more intensive pace, whereas during the school year we meet once a week while still maintaining a reasonable pace that keeps me advancing and learning. Irina is funny and compassionate, but she won't sugar coat anything and she will very honestly identify your strengths and weaknesses so that you know you won't be embarrasing yourself when you're ready to speak with natives. She is always on time, prepared, and consistent with the quality of her instruction. Her prices are also more than reasonable, as a good language tutor in the US can cost more than $50-100 per hour depending on your geographical location.
Tools like Duolingo are fun for practice, but in order to achieve true fluency, finding a real tutor or teacher is essential. I absolutely recommend Irina to anyone who is interested in learning Russian in a way that is individualized and targeted for growth. Feel free to look me up online if you're concerned that this may be a bot review: https://dnaacademics.com/instructor/brennan-mercker/
February, 2026
Omar
Omar
Irina is an excellent tutor! She has helped me learn so much in a relatively short time, and her explanations are always clear and practical. She gives great practice that really reinforces what we cover, and she’s very attentive to my questions. Irina is also extremely responsive, she always replies to emails quickly, which makes learning smooth. I highly recommend her to anyone serious about improving their Russian (trust me, if you thought your grammar was already good, she'll find mistakes!)
February, 2026
Jacob
Jacob
Irina is a fantastic tutor. She is very knowledge and helpful, and has tremendous patience with teaching English natives the Russian language. I had come in with some minor knowledge, and she adjusted the lessons to my level, on the fly, and it was really impressive to see that. Her website, quizlet, and lesson notes, are VERY well thought out and easily accessible, and they all match everything you're currently learning. Her practices are also fantastic, and can be challenging, if you're not paying attention (she will also tease you a little bit about it so be prepared)! She has a great sense of humor, and is very understanding. I can't recommend her enough!
June, 2025
Henri M.
Henri M.
Irina is an amazing teacher. She is passionate, generous with her time, patient, and very funny. She makes the journey of learning Russian feel like a walk in the park. I highly recommend!
July, 2025
Lauren S
Lauren S
I could not ask for a better Russian language teacher than Irina. She is a skilled and thoughtful instructor, who challenges and encourages me to do my best. Plus, she has endless patience for questions and truly cares about her students’ progress.
Her custom lessons are always engaging, and she clearly takes a lot of care in preparing her lessons. I’ve learned so much from Irina, not just about grammar and vocab, but also about Russian culture and the subtleties of the language.
She has helped me immensely with conversational skills, pronunciation, writing, listening comprehension, and reading.
Every lesson I’ve had with her has been challenging in a good way. As someone who loves Russian literature, it has been a delight to study with someone who clearly explains the nuances of different words. My only regret is that I did not start lessons with her sooner!
May, 2025
Madeleine
Madeleine
I've really enjoyed working with Irina! She puts a great deal of thought into how she teaches, and I always feel that she genuinely wants me to understand the material. Her explanations are very thorough, and while they occasionally go deeper than I need in the moment, I appreciate her commitment to clarity.
She creates customized homework and meets me exactly where I am, offering patience, encouragement, and flexibility. At times, I wish we could move on more quickly when I am stuck, but I know it comes from her dedication to helping me truly grasp the material that we keep swinging at it until I understand it well. Something I really appreciate in the long run.
I really love the accessibility of the lesson materials. As one of her students, I have my own webpage with everything she has taught me.
And since I am not very comfortable with technology, she takes the time to walk me through how to access resources like the dictionary and the website.
The stories we use to practice grammar are both engaging and helpful, and she consistently reinforces new concepts and vocabulary through questions and conversation. What is even more amazing is how much she cares about teaching not just the language, but also how it’s actually used by native speakers. She often shares the history behind words and explains cultural context, which makes the learning process really rich and engaging.
Irina challenges me with personalized teaching and work, I could not ask for a better teacher. I’ve seen real progress in being able to apply Russian to my everyday living activities, which has made learning feel more personal and accessible.
April, 2025
Mark
Mark
In every lesson with Irina, I am both challenged and taught at a personalized pace. Russian is a complex language, and Irina is an expert, not only in the language itself, but also in how to teach you that language with a curriculum that is customized for you and your needs. Learning new things always generates questions in the mind of the student. Irina is always ready to answer those questions and then use them to guide you to better understanding. The format she uses to present information, the materials provided, the personal feedback, and the practice work are all clear and well structured. Not a minute of lesson time is ever wasted. If you're looking for someone to guide you to understanding of the Russian language, Irina is the teacher you want.
January, 2025
Ivet
Ivet
Irina is an amazing teacher. I feel she gives it all for me to learn. She is funny and it does make you feel good about yourself even though I am like a baby learning a new language. She is great at communicating with me, explain the topics as many times I need it when I don’t understand. She also give me great homework’s and materials that I can download as a PDF file to go back and study anytime I need. She is very interactive in the class. She post things very clearly and writes as she teaches in a board at the same time you are learning and seeing each other. Her class is very interesting and interactive. I am very happy and excited every time I have to get into a new class. I feel I am making progress from day one. She adapt to my speed and give me a lot of encouragement. Thank you Irina ! See you soon ❤️🙏
November, 2024
Gabrielle
Gabrielle
I love studying with Irina. Her patience and sense of humor make learning fun, and she's a master at timing. She introduces just the right amount of information exactly when it’s needed, so that each new concept fits into place like a puzzle piece, without being overwhelming.
November, 2024
Sara
Sara
Irina is a very competent and attentive teacher. She will create a customized learning journey for you, taking into account your existing knowledge, strengths, areas of difficulties and goals. If this is what you're looking for, she's the perfect teacher for you!
October, 2024
Abbey
Abbey
Irina is one of the most passionate teachers I've ever had, and that's coming from someone who has two college degrees (so I've had lots of teachers). She always checks in to make sure I'm feeling OK with the pace of progression and that I'm understanding the content. She WANTS you to succeed, and you can really tell how much she cares. She gives you everything you need to learn - practice worksheets, flashcards, copies of lessons, and basically 24/7 email support. She's super funny and only a little intimidating 😌 I feel really good about the progress I've made so far and I intend to stay with her for as long as it takes to reach fluency! 😌
August, 2024
Rodrigo
Rodrigo
Irina is a patient teacher who goes out of her way to make sure you are getting the most out of your lessons. She recognizes your strengths and weaknesses and caters the course to your exact needs.
June, 2024
Heather
Heather
Irina is a talented, experienced teacher who goes at a pace that is comfortable to you. It is money well spent, and for her money well earned. She definitely takes care of her students, and shows them the grammatical nuances of both English and Russian. She utilizes video, writing, reading and speaking to promote language fluency. I appreciated learning from her, and if anyone's serious about learning a new language-I know they will as well.
May, 2024
Henry
Henry
Irina is a fantastic teacher with deep knowledge of the Russian language. She has a unique ability to explain the intricacies of complex Russian grammar in an easy to understand way that's suitable for students of all levels. As an advanced student of the Russian language, I am pleased to say Irina has been invaluable in helping me improve my skills, particularly my speaking ability. I highly recommend taking lessons with her.
June, 2024
Andrew
Andrew
I am incredibly glad to have Irina as a teacher--the lessons are so well organized for a beginner like me to take step-by-step, she explains everything clearly, applies to real-world context, and reviews to ensure that you don't forget the material. There isn't a lesson that Irina fails to make me smile--she is personable, funny, and sensible. I always feel comfortable asking even the most random question about Russian whether its from culture, media, or homework--during our lessons and outside as well. Also, I really appreciate the personal website where I can review notes, homework and websites--I wholeheartedly endorse her instruction.
April, 2024
Adam
Adam
Exactly the sort of tutor I was looking for after a long absence from my Russian lessons - very personable and easy to talk to, but extremely professional & serious about results. After ending lessons with my previous tutor, I got very rusty, in large part due to a lack of motivation. Irina is great at keeping the pace up; maintaining motivation; and really getting into the logic of grammar. Furthermore, homework is well thought through & learning material is meticulously logged and easily accessible on a personal student website. A great all-around tutor, but especially good if you need motivation and focus!
April, 2024
Audrey
Audrey
I've been wanting to learn Russian for several years and the moment I contacted Irina and we had a conversation, I knew she was going to be my teacher. She piecemeals our sessions so it isn't so overwhelming and tailors our sessions according to my needs. By the way, this isn't an easy thing for an instructor to do. Coming from an academic family, it's actually quite difficult to find an instructor who is structured yet can easily shift plans according to a person's needs. The lessons go by quickly and I highly recommend Irina. And the bonus is, if you're paying attention, Irina has a great sense of humor!
March, 2024
Per
Per
Irina is a great teacher, you'll notice she has a lot of experience working with beginners like me. She is always well prepared and good at explanations. You'll get a lot of well structured material to work with for self studies.
March, 2024
Andy
Andy
Irina's lessons are very organized, clear, she provides plenty of additional material to increase your own ability to learn Russian. I am enjoying the lessons a lot - she is very realistic about the pace of learning and truly teaches the fundamentals needed to succeed with learning Russian!
February, 2024
Laure
Laure
Irina is a great teacher! She always adapts to your needs and pace. Her explanations are very clear and easy to follow. She also provides excellent material, that is well structured. Very importantly, her lessons are a lot of fun which is very motivating!
January, 2024
SK
SK
The single most important dimension of Irina's instructions is organization: she has her own materials for every single topic. Most tutors will pull instructional content from a third party source, but because Irina has her own exercises, explanations, vocabulary lists, interactive media, and a personalized website for each student, she is able to offer a more nuanced and nimble teaching experience. She will go at your pace and will speed up or slow down as necessary.
Ultimately, having a great instructor such as Irina is only half the battle in learning a language as difficult as Russian (at least for English speakers, who don't have facility with or exposure to declension and complex verb conjugation).
The other half is being a committed student, and Irina has been more than happy to keep me accountable and disciplined. Whenever I experience doubt about the continuation of my studies in Russian, she offers practical advice about how to maintain focus and motivation. I endorse her instruction without reserve.
December, 2023
Camille
Camille
Irina is an amazing tutor, especially if you, like me, have no prior Russian knowledge. She helps break everything down into processable chunks, so that even learning a complicated language, like Russian, can seem achievable!
She has tons of lesson material planned and available and clearly dedicates time to helping you reach your goals.
She's also very nice and funny, and lessons are always enjoyable, as opposed to stale classroom learning. I highly recommend her!!!
December, 2023
Josie
Josie
Irina is the best teacher you can get when it comes to learning Russian :)!! She's very friendly, super funny (I had something to laugh about every lesson), well prepared and professional. With her, learning Russian makes fun, although the language itself can be quite challenging. (Don't get me started with those cases 😩) Irina is very patient too and always asks if you have a question or if you need help with anything. And if you remember a question after the session, you can just simply text her and she'll help you and respond VERY soon. :) Does this woman ever sleep, I can't tell. 😄
During the lesson she already has everything digitally prepared based on your needs. And if you say something oddly, you don't have to worry, she'll help you with the pronunciation by correcting you. I personally started learning a bit of Russian for my coming holiday trip. Irina recommended the tourism course to me, which suited perfectly to what I was looking for.
I really enjoyed our time together and appreciate all the work you put into teaching others. 🙏Thank you very much or wait...should I say большое спасибо? 😌
December, 2023
Aurika
Aurika
At first I didn't know what to expect, as I found Irina just by chance - but then I realized that she is truly the best teacher to help me expand and speak Russian fluently. Also, to learn how to do something I love - start reading Russian books! About Irina as a teacher, she is incredibly nice, is always patient, and I'd say is perfect for any level. She is truly a master at Russian teaching - I recommend!
November, 2023
Ahmed
Ahmed
I meet many teachers, but Irina is the best, highly recommend 👌
November, 2023
Eman
Eman
I only had 2 lessons with Irina, and she is the best tutor I have ever had. She knows what I need, prepare personalized material for my needs and keep encouraging me. I'm really glad that I found her and looking forward to having 100 lessons with her. СПАСИБО ВАМ БОЛЬШОЕ, ИРИНА!
October, 2023
Jorge
Jorge
Irina is really passioned with tutoring the classes aren’t boring and she makes learning Russian more enjoyable and easier. I’m still learning and that is the reason I’m continuing with Irina
October, 2023
Blanka
Blanka
Working with Irina is pure pleasure.
September, 2023
Genia C.
Genia C.
Irina is very enthusiastic about teaching Russian. She is able to explain grammar well and make a lot of connections and comparisons with the English language to help me better understand. I am enjoying our lessons!
August, 2023
Brandon
Brandon
Irina is a very polite, organized, and thoughtful tutor! She will help to identify your goals, and arrange lessons appropriate to your level. She is always willing to answer questions, and help to make sure that you understand the material covered in the lesson. She really makes lessons fun, and enjoyable! I would highly recommend this tutor!
July, 2023
Rick
Rick
I'm truly grateful for having Irina as my Russian teacher. As an English speaker, learning Russian seemed tough, but Irina made it enjoyable. Her teaching style mixed structured lessons with interactive activities, making learning engaging. She explained complex grammar clearly and used relatable examples. Irina is passionate about teaching and Russian, which motivated me. She adapted lessons to my pace and provided helpful feedback.
February, 2023
Ted F.
Ted F.
Huge shoutout to Irina – the Russian guru I never knew I needed! Russian grammar? She cracked it wide open with real-life examples. Irina didn't just teach; she turned me into Russian language warriors through immersive sessions and personal feedback. With Irina I've gone from привет to full-on sentences. Join her class and let the Russian adventure begin!
October, 2022
Juliette L.
Juliette L.
I can't help but share how amazing my Russian lessons have been with my wonderful teacher! Learning from Irina has been an absolute joy. She make even the trickiest parts of Russian feel like a fun adventure. Every session is like chatting with a supportive friend who happens to be a language expert. I'm genuinely excited every time we have a lesson. So grateful to have such a patient and kind teacher on this language journey!
March, 2022
Sam
Sam
I'm really pleased with the lessons. They were engaging and well-paced. It's been a long time since I've enjoyed learning so much. Looking forward to more!
November, 2021
Philip
Philip
She’s very detailed and passionate about teaching and the language. You won’t be disappointed. She’s extremely organized and very responsive. She offers many additional tools to help with the process and she definitely goes out of her way to ensure that you are getting what is needed to learn.
June, 2021
Certified Russian teacher Irina | Certified Russian tutor Irina | Irina Makarova | Native speaker
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