Rosetta Stone

[shaffej7070]

I am considering purchasing Rosetta Stone Chinese. Has anyone studied with this software and is it much better than the language software you see for 1/5 the price?

[lostness]

I am considering purchasing Rosetta Stone Chinese. Has anyone studied with this software and is it much better than the language software you see for 1/5 the price?

 

 

I am using this....I think it is ok, and I have learned alot. But it has to be used with other things. Where Rosetta stone really lacks IMO is in teaching grammar and sentence structure as well as writing out the characters. I think it also depends on your learning style. RS is total emersion software so it forces you to learn the Chinese, but sometimes I get frustrated because I just really want to know the English translation and I'm just SOL.

So is it worth the price? ehhhh, tough to say, but probably not.

Edited December 7, 2007 by ZackinIL (see edit history)

[clayton2103]

I agree somewhat with Zack on this one.

I purchased Rosetta Stone Mandarin some time back. I was initially happy with the program. I was surprised with how quickly I was able to learn numerous words and some small sentences. The program comes with no English study books or English language on the discs. You are forced to learn by recognition. Overall I liked it...until I came across Pimsleur's.

Pimsleur is a far better investment although not as fun to learn with, but you will swiftly learn words, sentences and phrases. I was speaking several sentences easily with the first disc.

I was lucky enough to meet someone in my Mandarin class that let me make copies of all she had at no cost.

I recommend Pimsleur over Rosetta Stone. Check into it.

 

Clayton

[chilton747]

I agree somewhat with Zack on this one.

I purchased Rosetta Stone Mandarin some time back. I was initially happy with the program. I was surprised with how quickly I was able to learn numerous words and some small sentences. The program comes with no English study books or English language on the discs. You are forced to learn by recognition. Overall I liked it...until I came across Pimsleur's.

Pimsleur is a far better investment although not as fun to learn with, but you will swiftly learn words, sentences and phrases. I was speaking several sentences easily with the first disc.

I was lucky enough to meet someone in my Mandarin class that let me make copies of all she had at no cost.

I recommend Pimsleur over Rosetta Stone. Check into it.

 

Clayton

 

Ditto on Pimsleur. My son had access to the entire 4 set course from the Library for free and it allowed him to download and keep a copy. You might want to check your local library.

[Ovahimba]

To suppliment pimsler CDs you can make some of your own. Get one of those tiny digital tape recorders and record your SO, "how do you say....". Any way you do it will be a grind and you'll have to dedicate time everyday. I listen to them over and over on my commute to work until sentences are automatic.

 

Also record clips from Chinese TV of people talking at normal speed and have your SO break down each word. Understanding what people say is at least half the battle.

[griz326]

I have the Pimsleur CDs. It is an excellent program. Unfortunately for me, I am hard of hearing and cannot make out the word sounds being said in Chinese to repeat them. So I got stuck.

 

I need a classroom environment.

[Shenzhen K-1]

I have the Pimsleur CDs. It is an excellent program. Unfortunately for me, I am hard of hearing and cannot make out the word sounds being said in Chinese to repeat them. So I got stuck.

 

I need a classroom environment.

 

I got the CD's from my local library, same problem with the sounds being repeated!! I do have the book "Chinese for Dumbies" !!

[shaffej7070]

I have the Pimsleur CDs. It is an excellent program. Unfortunately for me, I am hard of hearing and cannot make out the word sounds being said in Chinese to repeat them. So I got stuck.

 

I need a classroom environment.

 

I got the CD's from my local library, same problem with the sounds being repeated!! I do have the book "Chinese for Dumbies" !!

 

 

You mean for "Dummies."

[Shenzhen K-1]

You mean for "Dummies."

 

I figured Rob or Jim would nail me on that one!!!

 

[izus]

no question Pimsluer is the way...

you can find them at then local library.

 

get everything you can get your hands on.

one piece of software might be good for one person and terrible for someone else. rosetta stone is suppose to be great but i didnt find it that useful.

 

my wife can tutor you Jimmy if your interested in taking a drive to orlando. even if you take 1 or 2 lessons a month.

[Vkearney3]

I bought the RS program, I thought it was pretty good. I think if used all the time and properly its very effective. I also bought pimsleur programs which helped a lot for quick conversation. I would suggest both. I personally liked how RS program teaches. Once you get through the first version the more advanced version get better with learning I think. The first one is really learning colors, numbers, relating pictures with objects,gender, places, direction, ect. But they cost so much. I would say talking with your wife/fiancee in Chinese is the best way, as it has worked best for me. With my fiancee I can learn two dialects, I dont think any program will do that. Anyway, thats just my two cents. But I would say for money reasons, I agree with everyone about going to the library and getting the lessons for free. But if you have the money, RS isn't a bad investment in my opinion. I also really enjoy chinesepod.com

 

I think its a useful website and you can do it for free with a new lesson everyday or you can pay and take a structured lesson which isn't to expensive.

[natrigon]

Another vote here for Pimsleur. I like the way they introduce words into sentences with proper grammer. I have no wish to learn to read at this point but I am now to the point where I can speak with my wife for a long time... only in Mandarin.

[yemmie]

Wow! I might have to look into Pimsleur. I bought RS and I used it for a while, but unfortunately, the time I can spend on it is very limited because I am teaching my girl English on Computer every day, and I also have to study new things for my work a lot of the time too. I did find emmersion a good thing, but I was also frustrated by it because I often wanted to learn how to say specific things in Chinese and the sequencing for RS is set in stone (no pun intended). You can't learn the words and sentences you want to learn. I have found that I must be able to see each word in Pinyin and must hear its pronunciation.

 

Is there an English programme for Pimsleur. I was thinking that I might want to get RS for English for my girl when she comes to America so she can study it some at home when I am working. Of course, I will get her into some ESL classes too. If Pemsleur has an English programme that is better, I would get that instead.

[chilton747]

Wow! I might have to look into Pimsleur. I bought RS and I used it for a while, but unfortunately, the time I can spend on it is very limited because I am teaching my girl English on Computer every day, and I also have to study new things for my work a lot of the time too. I did find emmersion a good thing, but I was also frustrated by it because I often wanted to learn how to say specific things in Chinese and the sequencing for RS is set in stone (no pun intended). You can't learn the words and sentences you want to learn. I have found that I must be able to see each word in Pinyin and must hear its pronunciation.

 

Is there an English programme for Pimsleur. I was thinking that I might want to get RS for English for my girl when she comes to America so she can study it some at home when I am working. Of course, I will get her into some ESL classes too. If Pemsleur has an English programme that is better, I would get that instead.

Pimsleur does have Mandarin to English. It is just the reverse of the English to Mandarin.

[Guest Rob & Jin]

I got both, and find them both very hard, Jin thinks my chinese is very funny.