Rosetta Stone Review

Tuesday, March 28th

2023 Spanish Lesson Reviews

Rosetta Stone

• 3-day free trial
• Option for lifetime subscription
• Most recognized language-learning program
• Fun and interactive

Have you always wanted to learn conversational Spanish? Would you like to make sure your pronunciation is understandable to those talking to you? And are you tired of the traditional textbook method of language learning? Due to its longevity and reputation for excellence, Rosetta Stone's Spanish courses are usually the ones that people compare other language courses to. "Is it as good as Rosetta Stone?"

How it began

Rosetta Stone's founder, Allen Stoltzfus, struggled to learn Russian through traditional methods. He sought a different approach to language learning in the mid-1980s: the natural method, which is how people learn their native language with sounds and images in context, not direct translation. In 1992, Allen and his brother created lessons via CD-ROMs, and named it Rosetta Stone, after the artifact that broke the code for understanding the Egyptians' hieroglyphics. Allen liked this name as both "Rosetta Stones" unlock the code for learning language.

Wide range of lessons

Rosetta Stone has lessons for beginners, intermediate learners, and those who want to hone their skills. Once you select the level of Spanish you may already speak, you choose a category of lessons. Are you interested in Spanish for work, travel, communication with family, or just lessons without a category? Rosetta Stone is available for individuals, schools, and businesses.

Rosetta Stone's method is paramount

Rosetta Stone is the method to which people compare other learning methods, especially competitors' online lessons. Spanish lessons here take the natural approach, which is a huge draw for the person who was frustrated with translation in their other virtual language learning lessons or in-person classes. Fans say they learn to speak quickly and with a good accent as the technology offers native speaker voice recordings and immediate feedback on students' speech exercises.

Listen and speak right away

In the beginning lessons of Rosetta Stone, you'll get to hear a Spanish word that's associated with a picture representing that word. If the picture-sound combination's meaning is confusing to you, you can click on an arrow that shows you the English translation for your word. You also have the opportunity to hear a native speaker say words for you, and you get to repeat them back. You learn to speak Spanish with meaning right off the bat.

Not ideal if you want everything translated

In the beginning lessons, there's a small icon to select for translation of the vocabulary word. Once the lessons are a bit more advanced, there's no option for translation. If the phrase is long and confusing, and you only have a photo to match the phrase, translation might help. Yet, no sentence translation is available at this stage. This is the biggest complaint we've seen on this product: no translation, even if you're desperate. Rosetta Stone's answer to that is to look at context cues in the matching photo, use the words you do understand to help out, and don't feel you have to understand every word to understand the sentence. This is how we learned our first language as children, and it's also how they recommend learning as adults. Still, it can be frustrating to have no option for translation when all else seems to fail.

Stories with culture

Once you have some vocabulary words and phrases learned, enjoy putting your language to use and catch some culture, too, by choosing a short story. You can read the paragraph with culture in its setting, listen to a heritage speaker read it, or read the story out loud. When you read the story aloud into the microphone, their speech-recognition software will tell you what it heard you say correctly, what it didn't hear you say, and if it heard you say words or phrases differently than how they said it.

Lots of topics to learn

There are twenty units per language, with real-life topics like shopping, travel, friends and social life, professions and hobbies, style and personal wellness, business and industry, emergency situations, and arts and academics.

But wait, there's more!

If you want to watch videos, or if you'd like an actual coach or live lessons, those options are available for an additional cost. Sometimes, there's nothing like an actual person helping or teaching you.

Costs

• 3 months: $11.9 per month, $35.97 total
• 12 months: $7.99 per month, $143.88, total; on sale for $95.88 total (save 33%)
• Lifetime, unlimited languages: $299, on sale for $179 total (best value)

The natural method works

All in all, Rosetta Stone seems to have thought of everything. We're all pretty successful in our first language, right? How we learned our first language, the natural method, is the method Rosetta Stone uses to teach languages. They also offer readings, speech-recognition feedback, optional videos, and optional tutors and live lessons. Their main drawback seems to be lack of translation. Because we're not infants, we already know at least one language. Being adults, and having more mature processing skills than infants, sometimes translation can be helpful for us. All things considered, Rosetta Stone has a high track record for success and is held in high regard; it remains one of our preferred sources for learning Spanish.

The 3-day free trial is beneficial

By simply giving them an email address, you can have access to Rosetta Stone for three days. You choose your current level of Spanish as well as your purpose for taking lessons: travel, family, work, or "basics and beyond." Rosetta Stone then sets you up with a plan. If you instead decide to jump in and purchase a membership, you should know that the "natural method," which Rosetta Stone uses to teach its students, is a tried and true method. By already knowing a language, some students decide they are more comfortable with a program that uses some translation, so you should definitely dabble in Rosetta Stone during the 30-day money-back guarantee time period.