# Experience with Rosetta Stone?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experience-with-rosetta-stone/624070>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [June 4, 2012, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experience-with-rosetta-stone/624070 "2012-06-04T20:07:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![SanDiegoTim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@SanDiegoTim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanDiegoTim)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experience-with-rosetta-stone/624070/1 "2012-06-04T20:07:59Z")

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We’re planning a trip to Italy next year. I would like to be in a position to communicate in Italian. Maybe not fluently, but at least be able to stumble through a conversation. Rosetta Stone come to mind. Anyone have an opinion? Thanks.

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**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experience-with-rosetta-stone/624070/2 "2012-06-04T21:49:35Z")

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Rosetta Stone is great for teaching you about 50 words really, really well. But don’t expect to be able to speak a language using it. You won’t even learn to conjugate verbs for a while. If you want to go the Rosetta route, sign up at [internetpolyglot.com](http://www.internetpolyglot.com/lessons-it-en). Same thing, but free.

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experience-with-rosetta-stone/624070/3 "2012-06-04T23:44:57Z")

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Opinions are best sought in IMHO rather that GQ. Moved.

**samclem** , Moderator

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**Author:** ![BobArrgh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobarrgh/32/2881_2.png) [@BobArrgh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobArrgh)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experience-with-rosetta-stone/624070/4 "2012-06-05T02:15:37Z")

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There is also an Internet system called Mango Languages, which might be available from your local library. I’ve taken several courses from Mango via my local library, which I can use for free.

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**Author:** ![Shadez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Shadez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shadez)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experience-with-rosetta-stone/624070/5 "2012-06-05T02:48:28Z")

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> [@Chessic\_Sense](#):
>
> If you want to go the Rosetta route, sign up at [internetpolyglot.com](http://www.internetpolyglot.com/lessons-it-en). Same thing, but free.

Thanks. I registered and downloaded the app. Looks interesting.

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**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experience-with-rosetta-stone/624070/6 "2012-06-05T17:26:42Z")

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I’ve used rosetta stone to help shore up a language that I was already learning and found it pretty useless ultimately, so I wouldn’t recommend it. I’ve heard great things about [Michel Thomas](http://www.michelthomas.com/) though, including from someone who is gifted with languages and he uses it to learn new ones.