Others say...

"Rosetta Stone V3: French, Level 1, 2 & 3 "
I had an extensive previous knowledge of French but had not used it in many years. I plan to travel to France this summer. I have found using Rosetta Stone quite enjoyable. I am about half way through level 2 and about 95% has been review. The method of instruction is excellent as it involves hearing, speaking, seeing and writing. The voice recognition software is very good. After completing level 3 I plan to go back and redo the pronunciation and speaking sections with a higher level speaking criticality. The levels range from 1 through 5 with 3 being "normal." I am currently using "3".

I will probably use Rosetta Stone to learn a language that I don't already know. I think it will be fun as well as effective.



"Great if you learn this way"
This is terrific software, and truly immerses you into the French language. It is easy to use, and the graphics well done.

The most important thing to keep in mind, though, is that this software will only work if you personally learn using an immersion system. As a neuropsychologist who specializes in learning theory, I can clearly state that the immersion method does not work with everyone. You should try the free lessons Rosetta Stone offers on their website before purchasing.

Some people learn faster, and retain their knowledge better if they use the standard rote memorization system (such as the Living Language system). Others learn better using the immersion method.

Some caveats to keep in mind after having worked through about 10 lessons (I already speak fluent French, but wanted to know why my partner was having such a hard time with this software):

- The lessons are boring -- it repeats sets of 4 words over and over. They system only works if you use all of the modules for each lesson -- read, recall, write. This is extremely tedious.The more tedious it gets, the easier it is to "cheat" i.e. just quickly look at the first photo that you know matches and click - no real learning is happening then.
- None of the language that you learn in the first level will be anything you really use in real-life in France -- sure, it is developing concepts, teaching you sounds and cadence, numbers and colors -- but there are very few people who will ever have to say "the horse jumps" or "the boy is under the airplane", or "the man fell off the horse"
-The basic lessons do not teach you any day to day conversational french, nor how to say hello, goodbye, or order anything on a menu
-Finally - there is nothing here to take with you -- everything is dependent on the software, there are no printed lessons, translations, or lists to put in your pocket and review for memorization purposes. You better buy a good French Dictionary while using this system, since you WILL need to look up some of the words -- not all of the photos are intuitive enough to tell you what they are talking about.

The lessons DO help you to "think" in limited French -- it will not help you listen and understand others without substantial additional work using other materials.

Overall, these are great very basic French lessons -- but many users will be better off with a standard text book.

"Great Software - One Deficiency"
Maybe I'm too old to learn by using the straight immersion method. I don't know.

I have always been fascinated with words and language and recently decided that at 51 years of age, I need to learn a second language (I have never had any foreign language training before).

I looked and read reviews and talked to some people and Rosetta Stone stood out prominently as the best software to use so I purchased Rosetta Stone V3: French, Level 1. The software is awesome! It makes complete sense and is very intuitive. I absolutely love it.

The problem is that I have hit a point where I simply can not figure out what the words refer to. I'm stuck. I don't know what to do. The help doesn't help and I'm still stuck. The computer I am learning on is not on the internet so I can't even go online to figure it out.

This software needs only one thing to be perfect. It needs someplace in help that provides translations of the words and phrases it uses so that someone like me won't get stuck.

I have ordered an English-French/French English dictionary and a phrase book that should arrive tomorrow so I can continue my learning. I am surprised that I needed these but there it is. I intend to learn French and I will get the tools I need to do so. Rosetta Stone should have provided ALL the tools needed and not left this piece out.

"Two computers loaded successfully"
After purchasing this product, I called tech support and was told that I would be able to load this program on two computers. I did so successfully and have been able to switch back and forth from my lap top to my desk top.

"A Great Way to Learn a Language"
Before purchasing the Rosetta Stone, I had studied 3 different languages. I am quite fluent in both Japanese and Spanish and terrible at German even though I studied it for 4 years in high school. I wanted to learn French and started with the Rosetta Stone course. I am thoroughly impressed with the way they present and structure the lessons. I look forward to going through a new lesson. It's enjoyable and very challenging. You really notice improvement right from the start. I would strongly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn a language and be able to communicate with others in that language. After all, isn't that the reason that you learn another language? The old approach of learning tedious grammar and verb conjugation just doesn't work. This immersion approach, which is often referred to as a Natural Language Learning model, is the most natural and effective way to learn a new language. You won't be dissapointed.