Rosetta Stone review
This is an interactive page to read comments and make comments on Spanish courses.
The first comment about Rosetta Stone is by me. It’s just to get the ball rolling. This page is really for users to offer feedback on courses to other Spanish learners.
So, please feel free to comment by clicking on the ”leave a response” link below.
January 21st, 2007 at 9:37 pm
This comment is by me, Marcus Santamaria, this is my website. This part of the site is to offer you a forum to read reviews and write reviews on Spanish courses. So please feel free to add your own comments.
Anyway, here’s my review of Rosetta Stone.
Rosetta Stone uses a learning concept that they call Dynamic Immersion. It’s a little difficult to explain how it works, yet once you try it, it’s easy to understand the concept. So the best thing is to try their demo, which I’ll tell you how to get in a moment.
I have mostly used the listening part of the Rosetta Stone course. It does also have writing, reading and speaking exercises which I haven’t used enough to comment on here.
Rosetta Stone is an excellent language course. It will be part of my resources when I learn my next language. However, there are some flaws.
They use the same format for all the languages they offer, yet all languages are not the same.
For example; the course starts with the gerund sentences using the “ing” ending. The problem is that these are not used nearly as much in Spanish as in English.
The listening exercises, (at least in the lower level, I haven’t tried the higher levels of the course yet) are all in the third person. Yet if you go to a Spanish speaking country, you’ll want to speak in the first person about what you need, what you want etc. So for me the first person is a better place to start than the third person.
I don’t think Rosetta Stone is a complete solution to learning Spanish (nothing is) by itself. I would present Spanish in a different order than they do. Nonetheless, Rosetta Stone is an excellent language course.
There are many great things about the Rosetta Stone course, it’s interactive, it helps a lot with adjusting your ear to the speed of Spanish, and it’s fun.
I would definately recommend that you at least try it. They offer a free online Spanish demo, so you can experience using their method without committing to buy anything.
Here’s how to get a demo of Rosetta Stone.
After you click this link,
under “Available languages” choose the regional Spanish that you want to try.
About halfway down the next page on the left, (it’s only a small link) you’ll see a link that says; Why wait? Try our free online demo now.”
That link plays a free online Spanish demo. Although it’s short, when it finishes it gives you the opportunity to try the full demo (also free) which has a lot of interesting content.
January 23rd, 2007 at 12:46 am
I tried Rosetta stone demos and because I am a visual learner I loved it.
When it came to to the price though i was put off instantly.
However when I consider long-term memory recall, it did help me. I remembered the pictures!
For other couses such as Spanish is Easy, i need to keep listening over and over to refresh my memory.
I’ve kinda neglected it and listen to it again today and started to wonder why is this word used instead of the normal one. Maybe i ought not worry. Still I’m enjoying your course methods.
When i listen to Spanish people talking, they are speaking muy rapido that I can catch only words here and there, but rarely put the whole sentence together yet. I’ve been learning around 8 months now.
January 23rd, 2007 at 12:48 am
Rosetta Stone is colourful and therefore attractive to children. The format/layout is good for youth who like playing games and the repitition of words is very good for vocabulary building. The audio section is good for those who want to get the correct pronunciation.
I can’t give a full assessment because I really done know the best way of how to teach a foreign language
January 23rd, 2007 at 12:48 am
Following your recommendation, I have experimented with the Rosetta Stone and overall find it useful as it is fun, incorporates a visual (haivng both pictures and written text is very helpful) as of course is the audio. The repititive nature of the drills is also helpful.
Having said all these positive things, I agree with you that it is not an effective stand alone product for people like me. That is, I would need to supplement it with a program where some memorization of verb conjugation and vocabularly would expedite the process.
I currently have Peton’s Spanish 24 Compact Disc program which I like but am also exploring other potential programs.
Thanks much for your help.
January 23rd, 2007 at 1:07 am
I purchase Rosetta Stone 3-4 years ago to learn Spanish at home. I was completely bored and quit after a few weeks.
I took Spanish while attending University, 15 years ago, I was surprised how much vocab I remembered, but I could only form sentences in the present tense.
My goal, though, was to communicate with our Spanish Speaking population as a healthcare provider. It was clear this was not what I needed.
This program, I believe, is possibly best suited as a supplement to classroom learning.
____________________________________________________________________________________
January 23rd, 2007 at 1:48 am
I’ve tried the Rosetta Stone demo and believe there are both advantages and disadvantges. The advantage is you make a connection to the photo you see in the language you want to learn. For instance, when you see the photo of the cat, you don’t think, Well there’s a cat, now how do I say it in Spanish? It’s easier to learn like this. However, there is very little work in first person in the early levels. Plus, I think they should use more practical examples. I don’t know about you, but I usually don’t say The Horse Jumps very often in the course of my day. It’s fun for the younger crowd and a good supplement, but too pricey for the serious learner.
January 23rd, 2007 at 2:45 am
I too have the cd’s from Rosetta Stone, however my personal developement in Spanish did not come together until I incorporated your Spanish course into my immersion in Mexico. I am under a lot of personal scrutiny here in Mexico, however I am complimented daily of my proficiency and progression speaking Spanish. Rosetta Stone is good for those who are stimulated by visual learning, however, your course challenges individual thinking with your teaching program. Aristotle said ” What we have to learn to do, we learn by doing”….In Spanish it even sounds better “Lo que tenemos que aprender a hacer, lo apredemos haciendolo”, your teaching method provides that incentive to “learn by doing”. If I’m not accurate in my translation “I’m still learning by doing”.
I’m 66 years of age, I intend to live my years in Mexico. If anyone believes that they cannot learn a secound language in their later years, try Shortcut to Spanish, you’ll continue the learning process by stimulating your brain and open new pathways to learning, add years to your life, and slow down the aging process. Doesn’t get any simplier than that!
Mark Reed, Cuastecomate, Mexico!
January 23rd, 2007 at 4:39 am
I agree with the general consensus that Rosetta Stone is a very good,albeit expensive, supplemental course that will greatly benefit visual learners. If you are not a visual learner this course will not appeal to you.
I purchased a 3-month online subscription and liked it becouse I learn well visually.The main areas it will aid you in are vocabulary building,listening comprehension skills ,and it will help somewhat with understanding basic sentence structure.
On the downside it is in no way a complete course and does not live up to their marketing claims.Although that’s far from unusual for marketing in any field.
I also found it helpful as a change of pace.The structure is unique and does provide some variety for when you need a change of pace from audio and workbook based courses.
January 23rd, 2007 at 11:29 am
I tried it but it seemed to be a waste of time for me. I’ve gone through your Level 2 and your Informal lessons twice and learn more each time. Your method of teaching keeps you interested. One program I’ve used and like is the couses by Michel Thomas. He teaches Structure of the language . You are the third student in his course.
January 23rd, 2007 at 1:12 pm
The two of the major players in the language learning world are Rosetta Stone and Pimsleur. They are both very expensive and unfortunately not worth the investment. They do not promote immersion because they only use one piece each, of the learning process: one is pictures, the other is audio. I like Rosetta for fun only.
Marcus Santamaria, cunning teacher that he is, has a simple and very provocative teaching system:
1. Translate an English sentence into Spanish and on the next page traduzca el español al ingles. ¡Punto! No grammar rules, no nonsense. Just learning.
2. Use a .pdf format so the student can navigate the pages quickly, referring back and forth from the English to the Spanish.
3. Teasing the student to learn brick and mortar words for vocabulary.
4. Offering an inexpensive but highly profitable learning experience.
5. And! The convenience of downloading the lessons and paying on line.
I would also suggest that you take a look at the Transparent Language series. They are the closest to Synergy system and not too costly.
Muchos Gracias Marcus
January 23rd, 2007 at 2:50 pm
Rosetta Stone is fine as a supplement to something more exhaustive. As it is true that there is no single product that can give you all you need to master a language, Rosetta Stone only prepares you to understand very basic sentence structures, and not real conversational languge.
What I learned from Rosetta Stone was that if someone walked up to me and said, “el niño esta encima de la mesa,” I’d be fine. But as far as real life conversation, it only helps to recognise words.
I did Shortcut To Spanish and Synergy Spanish which gave me a solid foundation for formulating my own thoughts in Spanish.
From there, I did Rocket Spanish which helped explain grammar and helped my listening ability.
From there, Learning Spanish Like Crazy Level 1, and now I’m doing 2.
I also watch the Destinos series online, great for building listening comprehension.
Again. I think the thing that helped me gain great confidence early in my studies was starting with Shortcut and Synergy Spanish. The ability to formulate my own sentences so early was a great booster!!
January 23rd, 2007 at 3:05 pm
My husband and I have tried many different Spanish courses, audio only and written lessons with audio. By far, the only program that worked was Synergy Spanish and it’s accompanying programs from Marcus. We are adopting five children from Guatemala and just spent a week with them. The translators provided for our trip praised our Spanish and were taking it easy all week! Thanks so much!
January 23rd, 2007 at 3:18 pm
I downloaded Rosetta Stone’s free online demo..I tried it a few times..I’ts ok..but I think its way to advanced at this particular time…I like climbing the ladder step by step..with her programe I feel its like trying to get from one step right away to the top..its does not work for me..I’m sure I will get there sometime..but not now.
January 23rd, 2007 at 5:32 pm
I tried the Rosetta Stone Demo only, so my impressions are based solely on that experience.
The “dynamic immersion” concept is really quite effective. This works especially well for visual learners, as it combines images in a very effective way. Let me briefly explain this:
It starts out giving you basic vocab. The audio will say a word like “caballo” (horse) and show you pictures of several animals and items to get your brain to associate the word “caballo” with the concept of “horse”. Why is this a good thing? Because unlike pure audio courses, this teaches you the language by programming your brain to “think” in the language. You don’t simply learn that the Spanish word for “horse” is “caballo”, you learn that the that animal is a “caballo”. Rather than translating in your head, you hear “caballo” and actually think of a horse.
They build upon this to introduce concepts. This is actually very effective. You’ll hear “el caballo esta saltando” (the horse is jumping) and see several pictures, some with a horse, some with other characters, and all in different stages of performing some action. You’ll have to pick out the one of the horse in mid air (in the process of jumping) to get it right. They will switch it up on you and say “el nino esta saltando” (The boy is jumping) to teach you the word for “boy” via process of elimination. It’s amazing how intuitively your mind will recognize that the speaker is using a new noun, and that it must be the word for boy since all the other pictures involve horses. Thus your first experience with the word involves a memorable cognitive association.
This process is then continued to teach new concepts. For example you’ll eventually hear “el caballo ha saltado” (the horse HAS JUMPED) and you’ll need to pick the picture of the horse who has landed. I can’t express how effective this is for teaching the tenses. Audio courses will say “ok how do you say in Spanish ‘the boy is walking… ok, now say ‘the boy has walked’”. You then have to think in your head how to say that, usually it takes time for you to get passed the point where you are translating in your head and when the correct answers just come out naturally. It requires a lot of practice, patience, and a lot of trying to visualize in your mind to tie those words and syntaxes to meaningful concepts. The RS method of dynamic immersion teaches you the way a baby learns to talk, only it does so in a structured approach.
I can’t even begin to explain how much easier it is to learn directions in Spanish with this method over a pure audio course. A speaker asking you to say “the bank is at the end of the street, to the right of the school” requires some quick thinking. Hearing a speaker say “el banko esta en el final de la calle, a la de recha de la escuala” and then actually SEEING that concept drawn out helps to build the neural connections to imprint those words and ideas on your subconscious. You then have an easier time with it, because you don’t think “right” and then think “de recha”, “de recha” becomes as much “right” as “right”. It’s the difference between emulating software in a virtual environment versus having native hardware support!
Teaching method aside, RS also is nice in that you get multi-sensory input. Images are combined with both pictures and written words to give a complete picture. This not only helps you to learn to read and spell Spanish, but helps you to hear and speak it with proper pronunciation. Some Spanish courses don’t seem to get this. The big fad that is so appealing to us consumers is this: “you have to first learn to speak the language, then write it and learn the grammar”. Well that sounds lovely (lovely as in easy). Sadly, it doesn’t work out that way in practice. With audio programs it can sometimes be hard for a “gringo” ear to distinguish Spanish sounds properly. Think of the slight differences in English words. Think of the words “six” and “sex”. It’s a minute difference (an “eh” sound versus an “ih” sound), but you could really get yourself in trouble if you confuse them! Well Spanish is no different, and to an untrained ear it could be hard to distinguish words like “beber” and “deber”. Especially if you’re doing something else while listening.
The beauty of Rosetta Stone is that it is multimedia, and shows you the word on the screen. So if you don’t hear it properly, you SEE it spelled out on the screen and can know that it’s DAY-bear not BAY-bear. This helps you distinguish words, train your ears, and refine your pronunciation. Imitating a speaker is only so effective by itself because sometimes we gringos simply can’t make up just what the speaker is saying! Thank God for phonetic alphabets (and for the fact that in Spanish words typically are spelled just how they sound unlike many English words). This is a huge help. It’s also simply another tool to reinforce memory recall. Seeing the word while hearing it and then associating that with the raw concepts depicted in the graphics is a great way to drive things past the thickest of skulls.
The draw backs? I agree with Marcus that the program doesn’t seem to coordinate learning efforts based on the particulars of the Spanish language. It would be nice to have this taken into account to build a more effective progression of useful topics that take into account the very specific differences and similarities of English and Spanish to maximize efficiency. I also thought the demo was rather limited, and the full program is VERY PRICEY! The price tag alone is enough to turn away most people. Also, RS probably will require other learning tools as well, as there are some concepts that I think would be quite difficult to teach using their method (such as the imperfect tense). Of course, it also ties you to your computer, and audio courses are good for people who have long commutes and for having on in the background while showering or cleaning to make the most use of your time.
There is no single best method to learning a language. It entirely depends on the individual and the ways that person learns best, and even then it typically requires a combination of methods and approaches to get the job done right. I only wish that someone would create a program based on this eclectic learning paradigm. I would love to take the conversational approach of Learning Spanish Like Crazy, the Structural Approach of Informal Spanish and Synergy Spanish, the fun and user-friendly approach and written materials of Rocket Spanish, and combine them with the interactive, multi-sensual, multimedia dynamic immersion of Rosetta Stone.
Until then, we must make tradeoffs and assessments of where to put our money. Rosetta Stone is an excellent product, particularly well-suited to certain types of people and to teaching certain topics specifically. However, the fact that the program costs as much as a bargain-priced computer and the other limitations of this software make it an unattractive option. If you have the money to blow, go for it! But know that you’ll probably also be buying supplementary packages to augment your learning. If you know someone who has it, borrow it!! For the rest of us, it may be wise to better allocate our precious financial resources and pick up a couple of the better audio programs (like Learning Spanish Like Crazy and Rocket Spanish) and a few books with lots of pictures to supplement them.
January 23rd, 2007 at 11:35 pm
Marcus,
RosettaStone is helpful, in terms of visuals. However, it falls short on instruction. I just have the demo, but I find that just making statements with picture references is not sufficient. Your course puts it all together for me, and I have actually been able to communicate in Spanish.
The courses do work well in conjuction with each other, in order to increase vocublary, but your course is the answer to speaking, and communicating in Spanish quickly and easily. Gracias,
Harriet
January 24th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
I give adult ESL classed we are 3 teachers and we use Rosetta Stone, in our program for 4 years it dose not work. I have also used Englis sin Barreas (English without Limits. But I am teaching Latinos who have just arrive from Mexico, and they pick your course very fast. I did have to explain and covert it to spanish. You are losing a big Market and big Money Not coverting you Course into Spanish to English it is already there? What is the hold up? You seem to be puting alot of effort and time in this web page why not turn it toward this now . Some of my student have learned English in the matter of 2 Months. Your system Works if you dont move on this someone else will. Ps I have students ready to buy your course once you convert it to Spanish. Thank you Ruben Aragones/ Omaha Nebreska
January 25th, 2007 at 3:59 am
I agree with everyone more or less, but in the end–I don’t like it at all. I’ve spent time using the free demo as a supplement and change of pace–just because, and I can frankly…even now–don’t like Rosetta Stone…and the price–not going to happen; at least not from my checkbook. Maybe I am just too accustomed to Short Cut and Synergy Spanish teaching and learning techniques–which I will laud every single opportunity I can. I have learned so much Spanish using this technique and use it daily…of 6 loads for CDs in my car 4 are audio files from SC2 Spanish.
For those of you who are visual learners Rosetta Stone is your ticket to ride, especially as a supplement to the Marcus’ courses. I’m going to check out some of the other recommendations that you guys have made and see if I “cotton” to those.
M :O)
Thank you Marcus
January 27th, 2007 at 4:20 am
I like the pictures and the other activities, except I don’t like the fact that I cant see what the words mean in English.
January 27th, 2007 at 11:25 am
I am a teacher at the high school level and I’ve seen several different software programs. Rosetta stone is actually using photos and methods I’ve seen before and purchased for dirt cheap on e-bay. Well, actually, the CD I bought on e-bay probably stole the photos and methods from Rosetta Stone…
regardless, my point is that there are a lot of programs out there - Rosetta is NOT the cheapest, nor is it the most effective, in my opinion.
January 29th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
I can only comment on the Rosetta stone free demo. I only started learning last Sept at a local evening class and will start a more formal course tonight. First yes the price has put me off. The classes dont cost that much and the little language issues that are huge in my head are always best resolved with the help of a real teacher.
I liked the pictures & attempted not to look at the writing but to focus on the audio. I very much liked the fact the audio was full speed and I could use the pictures to review and interpret the audio. Loved the lesson on directions - still cant figure out why they keep referring to apples though?
I didn’t like the fact that after the first photo you can usually guess the others especially once a,b c are gone then its photo d. I would have liked the random element there to allow the repitition of photos. Also the photos tend to differ in the areas that (to me) were not important, eg “The woman is eating” “The horse is jumping”. If the purpose of the lesson is verb”ing” then this failed to work for me. It quickly became the woman is ’something’ and only one photo contained a woman.
Marcus, straight up I Love your system. Play it in the car on the way to & from work and for a few minutes at night. I just wish you had a European Spanish version as it gets very confusing to be a newbie and yet have to be providing different answers to the lesson for second person singular and plural.
January 29th, 2007 at 3:34 pm
Have had a quick look. From the price, and the quick ‘peek’ i took , i can honestly say i’ll stick with you.
Having already bought books and cds and spent a fair few pounds, i’m really happy with the effective way you teach.
But i do appreciate the link ..and idea, Thank you very much
Sharon
January 29th, 2007 at 8:08 pm
I tried Demo..I found that I learned more words thru your info..It is hard to speak spanish or learn it when you are not around it all the time..I will take the converstional course anyday…….
February 3rd, 2007 at 9:44 am
I tried the demo:- Leo January 23rd. sums up R.S. and the comparison with shortcut to spanish best. The only thing I can add is that R.S. has some additional benefit for the hard of hearing. But Transparent Languages- Spanish before you know it is a much better buy to complement S.C.T.S.
February 16th, 2007 at 9:19 am
I tried the Rosetta Stone demo and found that it is a good revision tool for me. As far as learning a language is concerned, I do not agree that a new language can be acquired after childhood, it has to be learned. Language acquisition is possible in childhood because before puberty the brain is still able to deduct linguistic rules and grammar from random exposure to utterances in the target language. After puberty, however, language has to be learnt - it cannot be acquired any more. An analogy would be a computer that has as its operating system Windows. Once Windows is installed, programs based on other operating systems cannot function on the computer unless special software conversions are done, etc. An individual’s mothertongue is like an operating system. Once it is in place, other languages can only ‘function’ on this computer once certain adjustments have been made. These adjustments include learning the grammar of the new language, etc. Using the Rosetta Stone method means using your mothertongue first - the brain scans the picture and recognises the horse - and only then do you start associating the target language word with the horse. In other words, you’ve already mastered the art of linking a meaning to a visual symbol, now you just link another sound to a symbol you already know. For me the value of the Rosetta Stone methodology would be to learn new vocabulary and to test your knowledge. Hoever, to truly learn a new language, you need a method that explains the rules of a language. Nowhere have I come across a faster method for learning language rules than the SynergySpanish methodology. It is brilliant.
March 26th, 2007 at 4:18 pm
I am using Rosette stone CD . I liked it very much . My daughter is also enjoying it since it has the picture and good quality of sound pronounciation. It is helpful to get started to learn the language with interest.
April 7th, 2007 at 8:50 am
At age 67 trying to learn a new language is difficult, but I try.
Rosetta, sorry I tried your demo and only got the answers right with knowing who was a mother, nino, hombre etc. Have no idea what I was saying. This did not help me, sorry.
Many thanks for trying, a younger mind would love it!!
April 24th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
I am 38 years old and my friends introduced me first the Marcus Santamaria Spanish language course and I really thanks for this support and I learned a lot about a spanish language and I used it even once when we talk of my friends. If there so many more opportunity like this it can help more to many people wants to travel around the world .And I wish it continously and more fun for this happy Spanish language.Thank you so much .
More power and God bless always. Muchas Gracias.
Lorena
June 16th, 2007 at 5:39 am
Yeah, the website of synergyspanish ES MUY BIEN!
Actually, ESTUPENDO is what I wanna comment.
Buena suerte!
Iponey Huang
September 9th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
I tried the Rosetta Stone dmo, enjoyed it for a change, but wouldn’t buy it, prefer your system, where I feel I am progressing satisfactorily. Thank you
September 9th, 2007 at 8:46 pm
I’m 64 and I have purchased RS 1,2 & 3. I have gone thru 1&2 several times, but when I get into Level 3 it is mui dificil, so I go back to Level 2. I review levels 1&2 trying to keep it all in memory. I also get books from the library and especially like the Barron’s Grammar,Vocabulary, and Verb workbooks. I also make my own tapes from the books and I use them in the car to help me remember. I also supplement my learning when I buy a product. I read the directions and study them in Spanish also, they’re a big help to get into real situations and real words that might not be in the course, or sometimes I just don’t realize all the uses or contexts of a given Spanish word. I also listen to some English speaking TV shows with closed caption on in Spanish, and of course Spanish shows with closed caption. I don’t know how much that helps, but I try it anyway.
I think Leo and Marcus pretty well summed up the pluses and minuses of Rosetta Stone. The most poignant comment was that perhaps there is no single course from which you can learn Spanish. My experience with the conbination of workbooks and RS is that it helps me to understand and remember better than RS alone could do. Am I frustrated? yes, but I keep trying. When I bought RS I thought that I could use the CD’s and then sell them and get a different course, but I found out that they are copyrighted and I cannot sell them unless I am liscensed to sell them as a dealer.
Here’s how I use RS: setting A - 1 which is speaking with the written words displayed. I then repeat the spoken words and avoid reading, looking at the pictures as I repeat and think about the meaning, then I check the printed words and refine what I might have said wrong. Only then do I click on the image.
Knowing that a given phrase belongs with a given image doesn’t mean that I understand what is said. That’s where the workbooks and other approaches help. I guess basically RS is still a rather fun way to learn.
September 25th, 2007 at 1:16 am
I also tried the demo. Considering the purchase price, I was not impressed. I would not buy it. What I am looking for is spanish for everyday life. I am around spanish speaking people often, and would like to be able to converse with them. Most programs teach for going to spanish speaking countries.
October 7th, 2007 at 2:20 am
I reviewed Rosetta Stone from the library. Did not like it. I purchased
another course similar to yours on the internet. It is okay. However,
after the basic of sentence structure, my focus is totaly on medical
communication to people visiting a clinic or emergency room or in a
skilled nursing facility. There are a few on the internet but not in
your format. Have you considered focusing on medical needs
communication? If so, please let me know as soon as possible.
Thanks.
October 27th, 2007 at 3:43 pm
My friend bought the Rosetta Stone cd´s. I tried it but could not get on with it. I was confused when I looked at the pictures whether the child was jumping or climbing etc. and had to keep looking the words up. My friend gave it up in the end and found the same applied to her.
November 6th, 2007 at 2:46 pm
I wish I’d seen this review earlier.
I homeschool my kids, and I ordered Rosetta Stone for them to use for their Spanish curriculum this year. At the same time, I have decided to learn Spanish myself. Rosetta is about perfect for my 10 year old. She is doing well in the CD-Rom course, as well as in the review quizzes and tests. My 14 year old isn’t as challenged. I think this course may be too simple, in that it doesn’t teach different verb tenses and is not very helpful in the arena of “conversational Spanish,” unless you’re having a conversation about men with short, blue hair. All in all, this is a great resource for BEGINNER spanish and vocabulary for pre-high school Spanish, but it isn’t a comprehensive course at all.
I’ve looked at the Synergy course, and I plan to order it by the end of the year…keep the e-mails coming. I’ll get around to it eventually!
November 9th, 2007 at 9:28 pm
The use of pictures for one to get a basic idea of the material presented is a great idea as many people learn more effectively this way. However, presenting pictures and not getting the the various translations, that is, for words, phrases and sentences does not help. The overall technique employed proved futile to me.
November 10th, 2007 at 3:19 am
I have the level 1 Rosetta Stone and traveled through all the lessons. I found it frustrating that they don’t translate the Spanish into English so we can cross-check. I’ve had to open the Spanish Dictionary a million times to verify a word. It’s fun and educational to a point, but I like conversational sentences better. I don’t care that “a mujer is going up or down the escalator.” They use the “present participle” almost constantly. Finally they use a few in “past” and “future” tense. While RS is fun, I need other forms of learning also, because I want to converse with Spanish speaking people without feeling too embarassed.
November 27th, 2007 at 10:02 pm
With each email you sent i get better and better at speaking spanish. Thank you very much Rosetta. What a break through!!!
Couldn’t you upload a spanish dictionary that can be downloaded?
Your website is take Jamaica by storm. We love it.
Keep up the good work!
Thanks.
December 5th, 2007 at 8:36 pm
I bought the Spanish Level Two Rosetta and it was a waste of money. It gets boring very quickly, and does not teach you to create your own spontaneous language. When you first start it seems easy, but soon you realize you are not retaining much because you are only an observer. Rosetta Stone has a great advertising program. But their Spanish Program is a bummer. I picked up Barron’s Intermediate Spanish that they claim is used by the State Department for language training. It was 1/4 the price and really made me work. I like it becuase it forces you to respond and create new sentences from a one-word prompt. And I can listen too it while I am hiking, biking, or in the car. Computer based language courses are not what they claim and have lots of disadvantages, namely you are tied to the computer. But I found the best way to learn Spanish is make friends with a Spanish speaking person and spend lots of time visiting with them. Much better than Rosetta Stone.
December 27th, 2007 at 8:36 pm
I purchased the Rosetta Stone learning system about six months ago. I found it interesting, but I didn’t have any background in the spanish language. Once I got about half way through level one I started to lose interest because I knew what I was saying but I didn’t understand why. I found Marcus Santeria’s Synergy spanish program online and breezed through it and it gave me the foundation that I needed. After finishing the Synergy Spanish program I went back to the Rosetta Stone program and now I understand the individual words that make up the entire sentences and I know WHY I am using those words. Also, after one week of Synergy Spanish I could speak more conversatinal spanish than two months of Rosetta Stone training.
December 28th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
I have found that I need multiple types of learning materials. I like Rosetta Stone for its visual and listening component. It is fine for vocabulary building and learning to listen to spanish being spoken. I also like Rocket Spanish so that I can understand the grammer rules and why things are said a certian way. I started with Rocket Spanish, but it was to much like classroom studying, and went way to fast on the audio portions, so I didn’t get the opportunity to repeat things mutliple times. I now use both Rosetta Stone and Rocket Spanish together. The immersion concept is great and a good way to immediately start speaking, just as is Pimsleur which I also have, but for long term learning of the language you ultimately need the grammer knowledge to communicate effectively. I would love to have some audio tapes designed to carry on some more sophisticated conversations. I am a slow learner and need lots of different tools to learn. I have enjoyed using Rocket Sapnish and Synergy spanish audio, good work.
January 11th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
I have used Rosetta Stone in the past with English Language Learners and am now using the Spanish 1,2,& 3 with my K-12 graders. I love Rosetta Stone and the individualized programming and tracking. I would highly recommend this program as it teaches the new language similar to the way we learned our native languages.
In my experience, both adults and children enjoy this program, and are enthusiastic about learning.
January 18th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
WITH ME TRYING TO LEARN HOW TO PRONOUNCE AND READ THE SPANISH WORDS ARE EXTREMELY COMPLICATED. EVEN WITH REPETITION OF THE WORDS IS A HASSLE. BUT I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO DO THIS IN ORDER TO COMPLETE WHAT I LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH. IF THERE WERE SOMEONE TO HELP ONLINE 24-7 WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
January 19th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
I moved to Panama last July 2007 so learning Spanish quickly became a necessity, from getting around and ordering food to immigration visa problems and just plain socializing with locals.
I started with Spanish for Dummies - good, but not enough.
Then I went through 80 lessons of Rosetta Stone, which drilled in words and sentences, but I just couldn’t talk to people about “El carro es blanco,” a guy drinking orange juice, or about women riding horses. At times, RS popped up words that I just couldn’t comprehend, so I looked them up on Yahoo’s Spanish-English Dictionary and WordReference.com. In Googling Spanish grammar terms, I stumbled upon your “How to Get By in Spanish in Just 138 Words.” Initially I thought you were pulling my leg, but after reading the testimonials, I gave it a try.
Shortcut to Spanish and Synergy Spanish gave me the conversation skills that I desperately needed in a short time that Rosetta Stone didn’t. I don’t have the luxury to spend days pouring over 3rd person photos and unimportant situations - I need to talk Spanish now!
The True Test - You know that your Spanish is improving when another English-only speaking guy asks you to translate between him and a beautiful local Panamanian girl!
I found that the best way for me to increase conversation skills is a mix of resources, as each has its own nuggets of knowledge:
1. Shortcut to Spanish and Synergy Spanish for a great foundation and quick conversational skills.
2. “Spanish for Gringos” helps build on that foundation, and also provides several laughs in the process.
3. Rosetta Stone for hearing, seeing, and practicing with visuals when you want to talk about “other stuff” but not as much for personal conversations.
4. Spanish for Dummies for conjugations and more. Locals speak in many tenses other than infinitives, so I need to train my ear to expect them and visualize what they’re saying.
5. Barron’s Spanish Grammar - Yes, it’s boring but often it explains “why” sentences are structured and people talk the way they do, like how formulas make mathematics work.
6. Franklin’s DBE-1490 Spanish-English Electronic Dictionary (try Amazon.com) is small enough to fit in your pocket to look up words and conjugations without lugging around a dictionary. A constant necessity for me, and a welcome companion when I wait in lines!
7. Watching English Movies with Spanish Subtitles helps match the Spanish translations to conversations.
8. Reading local newspapers helps. A good Colombian friend told me he learned English this way.
9. Socializing with Locals at Cafes, Bars, and at Events helps tremendously, although Panamanians talk so fast I often need to say “Mas despacio, por favor!” because they think I’m fluent. Make a friend (like my Colombian friend) to practice and correct your Spanish, while they improve their English - a great trade!
A friend gave me Rosetta Stone. Would I have paid its expensive price myself? Probably not; my money can buy a much greater variety of resources.
It comes down to what works best for you in the time you need to learn Spanish. For me, I needed to learn immediately in order to survive.
Marcus, keep up the good work and thanks for giving me the tools to make sense of this language!
January 28th, 2008 at 6:49 am
I agree with those who have said that no one course alone is the solution to fluency in a foreign language. I have numerous programs, some which were useless to me until I gained some degree of proficiency, and then I found to be helpful later on, and a few that were altogether a big disappointment. I am one who has purchased both the Rosetta Stone and the Pimsleur programs. I love the Rosetta Stone, and feel that I will be using it years into the future. I first bought it in Russian two years ago, and, although I use it regularly, I am nowhere near to having exhausted its usefulness to me. I recently purchased it in the Spanish when I became serious about learning Spanish. I also loved Pimsleur audio program when I first purchased it, and I benefitted from it a lot in the Russian. However, I tired of it much more quickly because I found the constant male-female conversation focus more and more annoying as time went, especially when repeating the same audios over several times. I lost my interest in using it in other languages like I want to the Rosetta Stone. I convinced my mother that the Rosetta program in Chinese would be helpful to her Chinese language studies, and I would like to utilize that when visiting her as well, so you have to know that I find it valuable and not boring. As has already been noted, however, the Rosetta Stone is not inexpensive. And, unlike other programs, it cannot be used and resold. So, it is not a good choice for anyone who is not sure how much they want to invest in learning a language. However, it is well worth the investment for an individual who is willing to put forth the effort to learn a language, whatever it takes. Meaning…..no one is genuinely going to master fluency in a few months, regardless of what program they are using. And, whether one is using Rosetta Stone, Pimsleur, Visual Link Spanish (another excellent computer program with great verb practice, particularly the second part - the verb module), Synergy Spanish, or other audio or software programs, there is some measure of variety needed to stay stimulated and continually progress. Another inexpensive addition that would never cut it on its own, but is well worth the investment is Declan’s Flashcards. It gives ready access to about 3,000 words, and has several ways that the words can be drilled, making it a good vocabulary builder for a small investment. I have it in Russian and Spanish, and it is purchased for a small price (about $30) with lifetime support and upgrades. But it will never do what Synergy Spanish does and show you how to use the words you add to your repertoire. My main point to everyone out there is to be willing to put out a little if you want to get somewhere, because your hours are a major investment that you may not be taking into account. For example, my husband encouraged me to take a college class to advance my skills, but I pointed out to him the difference in cost in doing so….class fees, travel time to school and back, gas, etc……The investment in good materials to use independently is a much better tradeoff, and I can make the best use of my time when I’m varying my activities and stimulating my brain, rather than simply sitting in a classroom. But it is going to take a lot of hours to learn a language, and a lot less hours with good program materials. The people who end up giving up likely underestimate the task, and imagined that they would just learn without putting forth any effort. Learning can be a lot of fun, but there is no question that it takes patience and effort to reap the rewards. I very much enjoy studying language, but I have to vary my approach to keep it interesting. Also, by assessing your progress periodically, you can determine what your weaknesses are, and what you can do to strengthen them. I also like the Transparent Language and Tell Me More (the older cheap one is the one I have - it is sold in the older Instant Immersion series) computer software, which offer more activities to the more advanced and involved students, but I didn’t find these particularly helpful as a beginner. Another very valuable tool for later progress is listening tapes or CDs that are in the language you are learning. I use my Russian Berlitz program CDs a lot, but I’m not that far in Spanish, yet. I hope this has been helpful to someone. I have fun, and I hope you do, too, but don’t be afraid to invest a few dollars if you really want to learn. It is definitely worthwhile.
January 28th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
I agree with those who have said that no one course alone is the solution to fluency in a foreign language. I have numerous programs, some which were useless to me until I gained some degree of proficiency, and then I found to be helpful later on, and a few that were altogether a big disappointment. I am one who has purchased both the Rosetta Stone and the Pimsleur programs. I love the Rosetta Stone, and feel that I will be using it years into the future. I first bought it in Russian two years ago, and, although I use it regularly, I am nowhere near to having exhausted its usefulness to me. I recently purchased it in the Spanish when I became serious about learning Spanish. As has already been noted, however, the Rosetta Stone is not inexpensive. And, unlike other programs, it cannot be used and resold. So, it is not a good choice for anyone who is not sure how much they want to invest in learning a language. However, it is well worth the investment for an individual who is willing to put forth the effort to learn a language, whatever it takes. Rosetta Stone, Visual Link Spanish (another excellent computer program with great verb practice, particularly the second part - the verb module), and Synergy Spanish all have valuable contributions to make, but there is some measure of variety needed to stay stimulated when studying. Another inexpensive addition that would never cut it on its own, but is well worth the investment is Declan’s Flashcards. It gives ready access to about 3,000 words, and has several ways that the words can be drilled, making it a good vocabulary builder for a small investment. I have it in Russian and Spanish, and it is purchased for a small price (about $30) with lifetime support and upgrades. But it will never do what Synergy Spanish does and show you how to use the words you add to your repertoire. In other words, all you get is words without any grammar or experience connecting and using them. My main point to everyone out there is to be willing to put out a little if you want to get somewhere, because your hours are a major investment that you may not be taking into account. For example, my husband encouraged me to take a college class to advance my skills, but I pointed out to him the difference in cost in doing so….class fees, travel time to school and back, gas, etc……The investment in good materials to use independently is a much better tradeoff, and I can make the best use of my time when I’m varying my activities and stimulating my brain, rather than simply sitting in a classroom. But it is going to take a lot of hours to learn a language, and a lot less hours with good program materials. The people who end up giving up likely underestimate the task, and imagined that they would just learn without putting forth any effort. Learning can be a lot of fun, but there is no question that it takes patience and effort to reap the rewards. I very much enjoy studying language, but I have to vary my approach to keep it interesting. Also, by assessing your progress periodically, you can determine what your weaknesses are, and what you can do to strengthen them. I use my Russian Berlitz CDs a lot, but I’m not that far in Spanish, yet. I hope this has been helpful to someone. I have fun, and I hope you do, too, but don’t be afraid to invest a few dollars if you really want to learn. It is definitely worthwhile.
February 12th, 2008 at 1:17 am
I have Rosseta and I am somewhere in middle. I would say that for the money I paid it is not worthy. They spend a lot of time with anwers like si, no, hola, gracias and so on. Good thing is the interaction. I have some trouble with my memory and I believe the pictures helps. Don’t know if the words would stay in memory. The voice recognition sometimes sucks.
March 6th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Way too expensive. Far too many unnessary add-ons.
I already speak sedveral languages and feel it’s all too much. OTT
I went out and got a complete (very professional) course via my local (tiny)library. Free gratis and for nothing. Sorry this is NOT for me.
March 10th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
In addition to other programs, I have enjoyed Dictionary.com Spanish Word of the Day. Click on
http://www.dictionary.com/wordoftheday/es/
to subscribe. A word a day with different ways to use the word will be sent to you via email each day.
March 23rd, 2008 at 6:06 am
I couldn’t understand some parts of this article Rosetta Stone review, but I guess I just need to check some more resources regarding this, because it sounds interesting.
March 30th, 2008 at 7:54 am
I have been using the course work from Macus and Rossetta stone and they have helped me a great deal, they are both very comprehensive and great fun to use. I am 70 yrs old and I never dreamed that I would be able to speak another language (Spanish). I am able to converse in Spanish now. I will continue to use both courses as I only get to speak spanish on holiday.I also receive, Palabras del Dia. Fantastic keep the lessons coming. Regards Bryan
March 30th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
I have never used Rosetta Stone.I don’t thjnk I need it
March 31st, 2008 at 9:33 am
i have checked but no studied it since i just enjoy reading and studying the lessons and sources you sent them for me….
April 20th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
The Rosetta Stone demos are effective but much too expensive. I prefer to use less expensive support such as “Synergy Spanish “and “Speed Spanish”. Speed Spanish is an on line course offered by Tne University of Auburn.
I use the speed spanish courses to understand spanish language reasoning and relationships. For example, when to use: hay, hubo and habia. I like to use Synergy Spanish and similar reasonably priced conversation tools to develop listening and verbal skills. Most any form of spanish conversation is helpful in developing your spanish language skills.
April 27th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
i purchased Rosetta stone 2 years ago but could not enjoy it enough to continue studying the language.I have an eyesight problem and text is difficult to follow.Pictures are fine and help.I wish i was able to get into your sample texts,but no illustrations.Thank you.Stan
April 29th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
hi Marcus,
I found your lessons revitalizing i have started listening to some in my car when i am in traffic going home. My daughter loves spanish too so she is listening and pronouncing away.
Thank you
May 18th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
Hi marcus,
Yo believe that the rosetta stone series is too expensive to do at this time. Yes, it’s a wonderful learning series, but with the price of gas reaching $3.80 a gallon, I cannot buy it at this time. I find as a person who is halfway through earning a spanish degree, that using on line resources is the best. Also your program is wonderful, although in the beginning series, there are exceptions to the rules which are not explained to beginning students. But I love your program. I believe that a person must live the language everyday. Skype is an excellent way to learn spanish, as well as live mocha. It’s free. Looking forward to your reply. Saludos nancy
May 20th, 2008 at 1:56 am
I tried Rosette Stone and found it was beneficial in some ways but I was quickly frustrated. The curriculum was not focused in the direction that I needed. I wanted to learn to converse as I fell in love with someone that spoke Spanish and very little English. I found your course to be exactly what I needed and my vocabulary increased exponentially. Mi novio has even complimented me several times on my Spanish. Thank you so much!!!
May 20th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
I have used Rosetta Stone and have been severely disappointed. Until I took college courses in Spanish, I believed I was incapable of learning a foreign language due to my experiences with this software. Very little grammar is given; the course consists mostly of random vocabulary. I was extremely disappointed.
May 21st, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Marcus, I followed the instructions but never found the link to try the full demo. The price is pretty high for Rosette Stone compared to your program and I find your Synergy Spaish seems to work pretty good. I’ve also found that Spanish speakers are delighted when a “Gringo” even attempts to speak Spanish instead of demanding Spaish speakers speak English. So I have to say I’ll stick with your program, it works just fine.
June 2nd, 2008 at 1:20 pm
i think this course is magic and helpful.in a word,i like it.
June 5th, 2008 at 11:29 am
I couldnt understand some parts of this article Rosetta Stone review, but I guess I just need to check some more resources regarding this, because it sounds interesting.
June 6th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Hi Marcus,
tried Rosetta stone, gave me a problem, I live and work in Spain, so there were lots of differences to the ‘Spanish’ spoken here, there was a similar problem with your system ,BUT within a short time of trying your course people were noticing the difference, I am 63 so learning anything is difficult but you have made it a lot easier top communicate with my neighbours, I am not going to be fluent, but now we can talk and laugh, you have enriched my life , thank yopu does not cover it , you’re a star
July 27th, 2008 at 3:40 am
You have an excellent program, much easier than Rosetta Stone.
August 5th, 2008 at 7:56 am
Hola!
I belive I learn a lot, so now Im going SouthAmerika for praktis. I hope its
gone a be great. Thanks Marcus….
August 5th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Marcus
I tried the Rosetta Stone demo and liked it very much but the cost is too prohibitive for me right now. I am enjoying your course but need to find more time each week to pursue it faster.
Ann
August 13th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
I have had real difficulty in trying out the Sample of Rosetta Stone (it keeps closing down) that I am dubious about investing in the Prgramme.
Can you offer any suggestions.
Thanks
Malcom Main
August 26th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
I am able to use RS thru my local public library. They have the full course and allow the public to sign up and use it over the internet. This takes away the argument that it is expensive.
September 9th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Asunto Rosetta Stone; Puede ser un curso muy bueno. Soy hombre mas o menos intelegente. Sin embargo, no soy hombre rico. Gracias por todo,
Juan Pablo
October 7th, 2008 at 2:22 am
I have used Rosetta Stone for Portuguese study; it was OK but overpriced and ends up being unsatisfactory because there is too much distraction physically and mentally in the process used.
If people need more than Synergy (which works because it is not distracting and gives the learner “satisfaction” through immediate recognition of progress) , then I would suggest two resources that I think are using a similar approach and could extend learning in a natural way.
1. Madrigal’s Magic Key to Spanish by Margarita Madrigal.
2. Michel Thomas’ audio discs for Spanish. Available in some public library systems also second hand on the Net; otherwise a little expensive, but as with Synergy, they work!
Neil
October 22nd, 2008 at 7:21 pm
I have purchased the Rosetta Stone, but have not found the time yet to get started.
October 29th, 2008 at 12:53 am
I tried Rosetta Stone but got tired of the repetitive nature. My finger got very tired clicking what was obvious but could not be ignored. At times I got confused but that may have been due to boredom. I have decided to hire a private tutor. Will let you know how that works.
December 19th, 2008 at 8:04 am
Well, that was interesting. I received the demo from Rosetta Stone and then purchased Pimsleur. Rosetta, in theory is good but it definitely wasn’t going to give me the real world speaking skills to have an adult conversation (See-the-horse-jump? ) and Pimsleur has changed from what it used to be years ago.
I took their course back in the ’70s to learn Esperanto and it got me beyond the basics at a good price. Their Spanish course was worse than I remember in high school, it sounded as if the guy was reading from a book! I donated it to the library because it may work for someone else.
Marcus, I’ve been listening to your audios and will purchase the full course to go along with my EarWorms Spanish. It’s not that your course isn’t good, it is because I understand more using your audios and not thinking in English but EarWorms has jazzy music I can dance to:)
January 16th, 2009 at 3:02 am
I tried the 3 month on-line subscription of Rosetta stone because buying the program was too expensive for my budget. It was to be a refresher course for me as I had taken Spanish in high school (many long years ago). The visual interaction was certainly a help but I found I’m really not a visual learner. I also felt the lessons didn’t really help with the kind of daily useful conversation I wanted to learn. It did get better toward the end of the first section but in the meantime I was looking on line for demos of other courses and found your program and the Visual Link Program work better for me. However, my sister used Rosetta Stone and liked it very much. For her it, it gave her the incentive to go further because she had always said she never wanted to learn another language because she was having trouble enough with English!
January 16th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
I tried a lot of different CD courses which didn’t do much for me. I looked at Tosetta Stone but the price did even less for me. sure, the video stuff is great and helps a lot but if you don’t have aCD player you’re stuck. I tried “Instant Spanish” and it did and continues to do everything I need. Once I got the gist of that I just went out and found some Spanish-speaking friends and THAT’s the immersion part that really works.
A logical, simple, straight to the heart of the matter course and a “free coach” or two. And the basic course didn’t break the bank!
January 18th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
Hello Marcus,
In response to your survey.
I am an ESL teacher and l know that learning a second or third language can be very dififcult and frustrating especially if one is not in the language environment. I think one must have a good grasp on at least some basic elements as; around 15 everyday verbs, question, sentance, negative sentence structures, everyday vocabulary( food, places,times ) and little stories in the present and a past tense. Yes l have listened to the free audio that you are so great to give us and l love it, with a little more explanation it would be awesome. There are so many Spanish methods on the market that it is hard to choose one especially if we are total beginners. l have not tried the other mentionned course and do not feel the need to.
Linda
February 7th, 2009 at 11:49 pm
I have used the Rosetta Stone on-line. It the beginning it was a bit frustrating because I did not understand some of the words/phrases they were saying. I could repeat them, but I did not know what they meant is English. Sometime I felt as if I had to be a mind reader in order to answer the “fill in the beep.” However, with all this said, I am learning Spanish. I have purchased books, CD’s to listen in the car and for what ever reason I seem to use Rosetta stone more. It maybe because I have a limited amount of time before my time expires and I will always have the books.
There are a few areas I have problems with - understanding true spanish being spoken to me and constructing sentences. This could be I am just in the early stages of learning. I also find that Spanish speaking people are very helpful and patience with this gringo.
I like the program, but it took me a lot of lessons for the frustration to dwindle. It is still there at times, but I have found translations on the internet that help a lot. For some reason, I want to know the “english” to the Spanish and Rosetta Stone is not the best for that.
As they say, everyone learns differently and for the most part, Rosetta Stone works for me.
February 23rd, 2009 at 2:51 pm
Excuse my english for I´m German and I have never visited a country where they speak english. However my knowledge is sufficient to understand your instructions. To learn English was a hard work. I apreciate the easier way to learn a third language you provide. Also I thank you for the links to many different sources. That is very helpfull.
What to say about Rosetta Stone. I have tried the demo. Good idea to teach without help of other language as the teached. But the repititions became boring, too few changes. You need a little challenge by anything new to keep interested. Secondly the tool for training pronunciation may be usefull but unfortunately it does not work behind firewalls. I couldn’t try it. The third is, it´s too expensiv.
conclusion: I will continue with you.
Regards Lothar
March 16th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
Hola !
Hoy dia recivi e-mail de ustedes . Hace 6 meces yo encontre una pagina de internet donde yo aprendi algo de espanol . Pero todabia tengo problemas con gramatica y eso me torme mucho. Porque cuando quiero expresionar algo lo que se paso en el pasado ..tengo problemas…es que todo lo que me ustedes ha enviarlo hasta ahora yo entiendo y lo se como usarlo en un dialogo…entonces solamente necesito ayuda de alguien quien me poede explicar gramatica…
March 23rd, 2009 at 1:18 am
I tried the Rosetta Stone demo (for the 2nd time) after you suggested it, and for the second time I found it doesn’t work for me. We all learn differently, and I prefer contextual learning (Synergy Spanish is quite useful in everyday situations) and using literature as a basis for understanding vocab and grammatical structures more naturally.
April 3rd, 2009 at 11:47 pm
HI, I AM AN ENGLISH SPEAKER AND I HAVE LEARN A LOT FROM THE SPANISH LESSON, I GUESS I WANT TO LEARN IT SO BAD. I WANT TO LEARN A LOT MORE SPANISH. ALL THAT I CAN.
April 5th, 2009 at 7:14 pm
The first step to learning a language is to take (or audit) Elementary Spanish I in college (preferably a Jr. or Community college). This course will give you the basic foundation to begin your self-studies in the language. If you can take Elementary Spanish II that’s even better. Of course taking Intermediate Spanish I & II after the first two courses is the best thing. With those four classes you learn everything you need to know about the language. If fact, if you are a Spanish major and someone asks “where did you learn your Spanish?” they are referring to the first four semesters.
After the first four classes then you need practice, practice, practice. Go to a Spanish speaking country, speak to Hispanics in your city, watch Spanish TV, listen to the radio in Spanish, attend a Spanish speaking church, read the Spanish newspaper daily.
Here are some TIPS to learning Spanish:
TIP #1 If you are not going the college route then for the verbs you only need to learn (for right now) the following forms; Yo, Usted; Nosotros; Ellos. In other words, skip the informal YOU (tu, vosotros), both singular and plural. In Mexico, they do not use the plural informal You. In Costa Rica they do not use any of the informal You’s. Spain uses both informal You’s. However, as a visitor to foreign countries, you will probably be addressing everyone in the formal anyway. Just learning those four verb forms will greatly cut down your study time and make you more functional at Spanish. You can learn the others later on a case by case basis.
TIP #2 Whatever you learn in Spanish, you need to learn it well. You can learn a whole lot of stuff mediocre (and never learn to speak) or learn a few things well which builds up confidence and the confidence is what gets you to speaking.
TIP #3 To practice Spanish listening and reading skills I’d recommend www.lomastv.com . It’s very cheap, about $10 a month. Be warned, it’s uncensored. The good thing about lomastv is that you’ll hear real native speakers from various countries. You can rewind, go forward, remove the English, remove the Spanish… They have some free ones you can look at before you sign up, plus you get a free 7 day trial.
TIP #4 To practice Spanish speaking and listening skills, I would recommend Pimsleur; if you can’t afford Pimsleur then try Rocket Spanish (cheaper).
I would do the Pimsleur while taking the first four Spanish classes. This will greatly help with your speaking ability. I would do the Lomastv after taking the four semesters but you can try it at the end of your first semester. You could actually try it now but you might get discouraged.
TIP #5 Why College? Colleges will give you the basic tools you need to learn any language on your own. Note that I said “TOOLS to learn ON YOUR OWN” If you can’t take all four classes then at a bare minimum you need to take one semester or at least get through half the semester. Trust me, doing so will make your life so much easier when trying to learn Spanish.
April 13th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
I got part way through the 2nd level of Rosetta Stone several years ago, but but I was finding myself falling asleep. That’s when I started looking for other Spanish programs. The -ing verbs at the beginning of the course really confused me. I couldn’t find anyone to explain it to me. Even the High School teachers at the school where I taught weren’t familiar with the verb tense. These teachers were Texas born but learned the language from their Hispanic parents.
There were too many sentences that I couldn’t translate with a dictionary. I couldn’t understand how to use pronouns without an explanation. Courses like Short Cut to Spanish and Synergy Spanish fill those gaps. I did learn a lot of vocabulary from Rosetta Stone, but there was no way I could carry on a conversation with a spanish speaker. Using my vocabulary I learned from Rosetta with the Syngery Spanish method really helps me to put useful sentences together. Thanks
May 11th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
I was introduced to Rosseta Stone. I enjoy. the pictures and pronounciation is doing me good. well, the only challenge is that no new things .i mean there so much repetition on one topic. I would wish if after some time it would change. I wish to continue with it.
May 18th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
THANKS VERY MUCH I LOVE THE WAY YOUR TEACHING SPANISH I HAVE LEARNED A LOT SINCE AM A STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NAMIBIA AND NOW I CAN EVEN INVITE THE GIRLS FROM MEXICO STUDYING HERE FOR DINNER TO MY HOUSE AN MY MUM IS SOW HAPPY SHE JUST CANT BELIEVE IT I CAN PEAK SPANISH SINCE SHE KNOWS ALL THAT I DO BUT THIS ONE SHE DIDNT THANK YOU ONCE MORE YOUR THE BEST