Rosetta Stone

elpistolero

Has anyone actually successfully learned spanish or another language using rossetta stone?

Saffers

I personally haven't used Rosetta Stone (I learned through classes and lots of practice with native speakers), but I've heard mostly mixed reviews, especially bad customer service and tech support.

I'd say it depends on whichever way you learn best... Hopefully someone else who has actually used Rosetta Stone can give you better advice.

Good luck with learning Spanish!

johndoe99

went to France a few years back and gave the French version a go several weeks beforehand, it gave me enough phrases and basic language, that managed me to get by. But I never studied it fully, have to say though it was an easy software to use for the novice.

sNarah

Mastered no, but got a very good grasp on the language from it though.

How long did it take to get a good grasp? I've a year to try get the language down before South America.. I can't take classes or anything here so fully reliant on software and books.

Skuxx

elpistolero wrote: »

Has anyone actually successfully learned spanish or another language using rossetta stone?

It depends what you mean by successfully learned! You will never become fluent by listening to CDs and reading books, you need to spend a period of time living in the country talking the language to become fluent! What the CDs will do is give you enough basic learnt off phrases to get you by on holidays!

holystungun9

If you can stump up the cash, I'd recommend it. I went to Costa Rica, knowing pretty much no spanish. I had maybe 8 one to one classes but that is no preparation. Even if you learn the sounds and can read your little phrase book well, the hardest point is catching on to what is being said by the other person. I now speak Spanish fairly well but it has been a long road.
Typical me, as I started getting to grips with Spanish, I wanted to start learning German. I got the German Rosetta stone and found it to be an easy way in to this complex language. I was using this in combination with my own workbook so I could get in the practice of doing little exercises too.
I think the best way to learn is by using every method (when possible), i.e. Rosetta or similar, work books, group/private classes.
The listening part is very important when learning a language and it needs to be practiced. So Rosetta and cds with a workbook help.
If you can be disciplined and do 20 min.s of your Spanish five days a week you will really advance and be well set up to tackle S.A. Best of luck.

eyerer

Since there is no book to accompany Rosetta Stone CDs, can you print out the screens from the software you can get?
I dont want to sit at my computer learning, i would rather have the mobility offered by my walkman and a book/printouts to match.

If not, does any other good European Spanish audio cd set come with matching text?

Eoghanacht

I downloaded all the free Coffee Break Spanish podcasts from ITunes and listened to these constantly on my Ipod walking about town. Helped me a lot with the language. It's a good program from Radio Lingua International based in Glasgow.