Learn Spanish Travel Spanish Blog

     

     While we were in Buenos Aires, one of our fellow guests at Giorgio’s House had been learning Spanish with Rosetta Stone.  In fact, his only experience in learning Spanish was with Rosetta Stone, and he did very well.  He was by no means fluent, but he was somewhat conversant.  I never heard him with any of the big tests (like talking on the phone), but he was able to communicate with our two hosts fairly well.  And I thought his accent was acceptable.  That alone is a huge testimonial for Rosetta Stone. 

     Rosetta Stone Español comes in several formats.   The main one is computer based cd-rom.  It’s interactive video, audio and text, levels 1,2 and 3.  The newer versions come with an audio cd that you can download to mp3 players, etc.   There is a Latin America version and a Spain version. (After our Buenos Aires trip, I think there needs to be an Argentina version as well).   Or you can also buy a monthly subscription that is downloaded to your computer. 

     It starts out with the basics.  In a portion of the program, you’re shown a picture and then asked to choose from a list of words to match the word with the image.  If you know no Spanish, then you’re just guessing at the correct answer, of course, but it tells you when you’re right.  The lessons get more difficult as you progress, and move up to phrases, whole sentences and conversation.  Rosetta Stone says that this is how you learn as a child, and I suppose it is.  It’s a little more complicated than that, especially in the later levels, but that’s pretty much the idea of the learning style. 

     I like Rosetta Stone Español well enough.  As I’ve said in other reviews of other products, no one program is going to make you fluent, and NOTHING is going to teach you to speak Spanish overnight.  But Rosetta Stone is perfect for a couple of things.  If you want to learn on your own, without classes or immersion schools, then Rosetta Stone, in conjunction with other programs like Pimsleurs, Destinos, Coffee Break Spanish, etc. would be very useful. OR, if your goal is just to learn enough Spanish to be a good tourist, then Rosetta Stone would be sufficient.  You don’t get any real interaction, but you wouldn’t with any program of this type.  

     I have a bit of a problem with Rosetta Stone in that I tend to get bored with it if I’m not using anything else.  Sometimes the basic is a little too basic, but you move through it at your own pace, so that shouldn’t be too much of a problem.  And of course you have to set aside the time to do it.  Minimum half an hour per day.  Minimum.  (There’s always a catch, isn’t there?)

    The biggest problem is the cost.  Level 1 (with the audio companion) on the Rosetta site (http://www.rosettastone.com/personal/languages/spanish-latin-america) is $259 (new).  You  can save $288 by buying all three levels for $549, but I still find that to be a little steep.  It depends on your budget, I suppose.  I saw the same package on Ebay for $499 with free shipping.  I haven’t seen the whole package “used” on Ebay, but you can get “used” versions of each level.  The monthly online subscription is $199 for six months on the Rosetta Stone site. 

    Before you fork over the bucks, try their sample lesson.  See if your library has it.  Read other reviews.  Some people don’t like it at all, others love it.  I’m in the middle.  Here are a couple of other reviews of Rosetta Stone:  http://www.language-learning-advisor.com/review-of-rosetta-stone.html

http://learn-spanish-software-review.toptenreviews.com/rosetta-stone-review.html

http://www.infomercialratings.com/product/rosetta_stone_reviews

Let me know what you think.

Tags:   Learn Spanish · Learning Spanish · review of Rosetta Stone · Rosetta Stone · Spanish1 Comment