ROSETTA STONE REVIEWS AND RATINGS

Rosetta Stone Italian Reviews

Level 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 Set (67 reviews)

The Complete Italian set will enable you to fully express your ideas and opinions in Italian and master the conversational skills required to plan adventures, care for your health, and move abroad.

Learn Italian
Italian Level 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 4.7 5 67 67
Great Product! I bought this course knowing no Italian. Now after 3 months and having finished the course I can easily say that I speak Italian. It may not be fluent but I can communicate very well and understand. almost perfectly. Even though I do know 3 other Romance Languages (which probably helped me a lot) I think that anyone who bought this product and dedicated themselves to it, will have a wide knowledge and communicative skills by the end of the course. October 3, 2011
4.5 stars Maybe this is because I've already had experience with a Romance Language, but this program was excellent in helping me learn Italian. Though I've been using this program for less than a year I can already communicate in Italian (nearly) the same breadth of topics as I can my second language, Spanish. Though tedious at times, the repetition really helps me to become effective at memorizing the words and what they mean. I was reading through some Italian textbooks the other day and found I could understand the material in the lessons when I've never even used such materials. I'm just starting with Unit 4 and am already so impressed with the amount of information I'm learning. Once I finish with all of the lessons I'm going to review all of the stories and play all of the games until the language moves like butter through my mind. To attain fluency, however, I'm going to have to try different methods for memorizing mass amounts of words and concepts. However, I enthusiastically recommend this program to any desiring to learn the language. It is without a doubt the best purchase I've ever made. July 13, 2011
Good but not perfect Rosetta Stone is a very good product but one that needs much improvement. You cannot rely on this software to be the only source for learning Italian. You will need other materials, (books or software), to assist you. On the plus side, Rosetta Stone is effective in building word association. If you can look at a cat and think "Gatto" then you know that you've learned something that will stick with you. The more you build your vocabulary, the better. Where it fails and thus needs serious improvement is the lack of verb explaination. If Rosetta Stone added a section to the software that dealt with understanding verbs and their usage, that would make this product almost perfect. I've had to go back and forth from either an internet language forum or a book to understand why and when the verb i.e. "Fare" changes to "fara". Rosetta Stone should have provided this information and by not providing it, the lessons can be confusing. Only the most tenacious student will be committed enough to search out information independently of the Rosetta Stone software. It's no wonder why those who give Rosetta Stone a negative review are easily tripped. You cannot solely rely on this program. The lack of essential information is inexcusable. I will continue on with Rosetta Stone and I'm sure I will find other issues as I go along. Since I am committed to learning the language, I know going forward that Rosetta Stone will not be the only learning tool that I'll need. I would give this software a mixed review. It's worth having, but be cautioned, you'll need other materials and lots of dedication to stick with your goal. Also important to keep in mind, I've yet to find any language software that is one hundred percent perfect. My observation however is not an excuse for Rosetta Stone's failings. They could have and should have done better as they claim that they are the best in the market when in fact they are only a notch above the better programs. A little more effort would have gone a long way. Hopefully future versions will incorporate improvements suggested by customers. I give it Three Stars. April 20, 2011
Excellent program This program is excellent. Using no native language, it really does teach you a new language the way you learned your first language. Just stick with it. April 16, 2011
Good experience I enjoy this program, which means I use it more. I like the audio and iPhone app as well. The different components make it accessible in different places, which means more use. I'm glad I bought all 5 levels, as at the end of parts 1 and 2 (the latest one I finished) I was definitely wanting more. April 16, 2011
Happy with Purchase I am still on level one, but this product is great. I am doing so well and can't wait to move on to level two. I just wish I had more time, I may be fluent by now. That is another upside though. You get to learn when you have time. April 16, 2011
Stressful, but really helpful I have learned so much from Rosetta Stone. The games and lessons are helpful and fun. But the online sessions with live converstions are fabulous! I have to admit, it is stressful (just like being back in school when you were hoping not to be called on!!), but the potential for learning is extraordinary! Although I am sure I would not earn an A+ for my Italian, I have to give Rosetta Stone an A+ for excellence in teaching! April 15, 2011
Learning Italian Made Easy Rosetta Stone has given me the confidence and skills to really start building a strong working knowledge of the Italian language. With each lesson my knowledge base grows the lessons and repitition throughout the course help things stick in your mind. A really great way to learn a language for your busy lifestyle! April 11, 2011
A Beautifully Natural Way of Learning a Language I have taken many classes throughout my schooling to learn languages, and they are definitely not a natural way of learning a language. When I was learning English as a child, my mother did not sit me down and say "okay, and this is how you conjugate run in the past tense." I learned it through practice, experience, and just listening. Rosetta Stone gives me this opportunity to learn in a natural way, as well as in a fun way. April 10, 2011
Language Lover Gift I have learned two other languages the 'traditional' way in classroom and have found that I can totally get immersed quickly and work at my own pace. Great fun and builds confidence quickly. Haven't yet gone into studio as I work up to this, but looking forward to 'real' practice. I am going to Italy this fall and fully intend to be able to communicate well and enjoy using the language. April 9, 2011
Best way to learn a language Rosetta Stone has been a marvelous experience so far. It is the perfect program for me as I have irregular work hours, so I can be flexible with my lessons. The methods of learning grammar, where I need the most improvement, are excellent. The instructors are excellent, too, with a great sense of humor, making the Studio Sessions fun! April 9, 2011
Excellent Choice I purchased Rosetta Stone (Italian) about three months ago and am extremely happy that I chose Rosetta Stone. The program is very user-friendly. Rosetta Stone eases you further and further along but also challenges you with new material that has the effect of keeping you on your toes and eager to encounter, and conquer, the next challenge ahead. The CD's to listen to while driving are excellent, too. There is no magic wand to learning a new language --- you are going to have to put in the effort and time. But Rosetta Stone certainly helps to focus and steer your efforts so that you learn as easily as possible. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to learn a new language. April 8, 2011
wonderful This program is easy to use and the ability to pace oneself is perfect. I love being able to do extra activities and even redoing a lesson when I feel the need. I am so glad we finally got this. Have attended courses in language but this works even better! April 8, 2011
Life Changer We went to Italy last week and all of our family in Rome were so impressed with our Italian skills they bought English for themselves. We tell everybody about how great Rosetta Stone is and we've only done Level 1!!! April 8, 2011
Excellent! They really nailed the learning process on this - it contains the right combination of introduction of new concepts, repetition of older concepts and vocabulary. The variety of types of exercise keep the lessons from becoming boring or too easy, plus the online games help reinforce the concepts/vocabulary while keeping everything fresh. Finally, the online stories that match the lessons (both in terms of grammar and vocabulary) help reinforce everything learned while keeping things entertaining - they're really quite lovely, especially considering how little they have to work with in the early stages! A friend of mine turned me onto RosettaStone after he'd been taking German in a local school setting and found he was able to pick it up much more rapidly using RosettaStone himself. Since I'm preparing for a trip to Italy and would like to have at least some of the rudimentary stuff under my belt when I get there, I figured this might be a good way to do it - I've been thrilled with the results. Heck, I started *dreaming* in Italian within a few weeks of starting. Awesome product. April 8, 2011
Pleasantly Surprised I must say I am pleasantly surprised with my Rosetta Stone Totale. I studied French in high school and Spanish in college. I never felt comfortable with either language and seemed to always try to translate back and forth to English in my head, which slowed down the flow of conversation. With the Rosetta Stone series, it's a completely different story. The teaching method used by Rosetta Stone prevents me from doing that by forcing me to concentrate solely on the language I'm studying. I like the self-paced progress of the system and I feel confident I'll be able to talk to my cousins when I visit Italy! April 7, 2011
It´s easy, it´s true I was very hesitant to make this kind of expense in this times but they offered me to test the course for a month so I did. And now I am so glad I did. And now with Rosetta I have accomplished in a month what i did in regular learning methods with other languages in a semester. I was even able to answer questions to a native italian speaker! AMAZING!!! April 7, 2011
great choice I have tried several language programs, and Rosetta Stone is the best. The production quality is amazing. The number of approaches that you can take to learn a language -- games, interaction with other learners, real time lessons, the basic lessons -- all help develop some skill with the language. I wish there was a little more writing, and a few more available times for the lessons with native speakers, but those things would just be icing on the cake. April 7, 2011
easy and rewarding I hesitated to get all the levels at once, but once I started the first lesson, I was hoping in a small way that it would be difficult and frustrating, so I could try it, give up and then return it. Well, I have to say I look forward to each lesson and I'm learning without even knowing just how much I am retaining. The process in which it is presented keeps you entertained and the lessons stay fresh and it moves on without predictability. GRAZIE ! April 7, 2011
Doing RS a second time is much different I already wrote a lengthy review of the Spanish (Latin America) product and am now learning Italian. Rosetta Stone is probably the best way to get started in another language. Most of the comments below would probably only be useful for people how have studied one language in RS and are interested in starting another language. When using the Spanish version, I did every single lesson. I never got bored until near the end of Level 3, at which point the shear repetitiveness began to drive me crazy. I took lengthy breaks and began reading guided Spanish readers after Level 3, which helped enormously in breaking up the monotony of the program. Given this, I took about a year to get through all 5 levels, and by the end I was reading full-length original Spanish novels (which I wouldn't be able to do if I had used RS completely on its own.) I'm now approaching the end of Italian Level 1, and the boredom is setting in earlier this time as I already saw most of the pictures in the Spanish version, in mostly the same order. I am quite confident that the level of repetition in the Spanish version was much more than I needed. Now in the Italian version I am just doing each Core Lesson, the Grammar and Speaking lessons, and the Milestone lessons at the end, and reviewing on the train ride to work using the mobile companion app on the iPhone. I also like listening to the stories in Rosetta World. I also do the online tutoring sessions, which have been quite good so far. RS seems to do a good job of hiring and training tutors. They've probably got some Ph.D.-created algorithm that dictates how much repetition one should get; my belief is that a bored learner is not an effective learner, despite any academic theories to the contrary. I mean, I don't need to practice the 'Italian' word word "tennis" repeatedly -- I already learned it in the Spanish version! ;-) I'm not necessarily advocating this lesson-skipping approach for anyone else -- these are the factors why I think it makes sense for me: 1. Many Italian words are similar to Spanish, so I pick them up quickly. 2. As mentioned, I would go insane if I had to see all those pictures and spend all those hours doing similar lessons a second time around. 3. I have time on the train to use the mobile companion. These lessons aren't as varied or thorough as on the PC, but they certainly help me review things. So they are done in lieu of some of the other PC-based lessons. 4. I'm not quite as serious about Italian as Spanish; it's mostly for my honeymoon this summer. While it is a beautiful language, I'd rather spend more time deepening my knowledge of Spanish. April 7, 2011
Ringrazio Rosetta! My whole motive to learn Italian comes from my Italian boyfriend. After meeting him in a English learning camp, I decided to visit him and his family the following year. Having hardly any Italian language experience then, I felt that I needed to do something to improve this situation. I wished that I could of communicated with more than just hand movements and simple words. I had seen commercials for Rosetta Stone and being a determined person, I went for the gusto and bought all 5 levels. I have had this program for a little over 2 months now, and I absolutely adore it! It's hard to realize the simplicity of learning a language once you realize Rosetta's clever techniques. The conjugation of verbs and use of different (helpful) vocabulary is put together conveniently for everyday phrases. The games add a wonderful flair of fun and continue to help by testing my remembrance of the vocabulary. I am going back to visit my boyfriend and his family soon and I know that, even though I'm not fluent yet...I will have a much easier time communicating with the parents. Not only do I have confidence, but I have assurance because Rosetta has helped me with everyday useful expressions. The only thing that I would change with this program would be for each Rosetta Stone to have a built in translator, for extra help with vocabulary. I promised my boyfriend that I will continue to study Italian until the day I'm fluent. He is so proud of me and I know continuing to learn Italian will be fun and also beneficial with the help of Rosetta Stone. Io sono molto felice di imparare l'italiano! It's a beautiful language! November 28, 2010
Fun, and incredibly effective The new Rosetta Stone TOTALe (version 4) is awesome. It comes with live on-line lessons and all sorts of cool new learning tools. It costs about the same as taking one semester of a college-level foreign language class (~$600 for five levels), but it is so much better. That's because you learn correct pronunciation and, with the tutorial sessions, you get over your fear of speaking in the new language. Most of all, it's downright FUN. November 22, 2010
I really enjoy using Rosetta Stone. It's really helping me understand the language. I've taken italian 101 and 102 and am currently taking the 201 course. I'm not very good at understanding what my teacher is saying nor am I very good at speaking the language off the top of my head. My 101 and 102 teachers hardly ever spoke italian, but my 201 teacher does.To understand her better and to help me able to speak better, I decided to get Rosetta Stone. There has definitely been some improvement since I've started using it. I can understand others a bit more and I'm definitely more able to speak off the top of my head. Because of my classes I understand most of the grammar part, and I can usually get the gist of what a story says. However, I still have a long way to go. I also really like how Rosetta Stone uses pictures to explain what it is I'm speaking. It really helps me click the pieces together of what I'm trying to say. November 17, 2010
I found myself loving this program even more while taking an Italian class at my university. The downside with the Italian class is that there is not nearly enough time in the class/week to reinforce all that I have learned in an hour. This is where Rosetta Stone comes in handy. Likewise, the downside with Rosetta Stone is conjugating verbs. In Italian (and even Spanish, and I imagine French too), professors usually provide a mini spread sheet with: io, tu, lui/lei/Lei, noi, voi, loro ... along with the conjugations of each. Rosetta stone does not provide this. Sometimes, it's easier for people to have those sorts of spreadsheets in order to fully understand the numerous rules pertaining to a language. Either way, it's not something that will completely hinder a learner. I adjusted to it pretty fast, and when I was unclear, I had my Italian professor to turn to for help. If you want to learn a language, I think Rosetta Stone is the second best way to approach it (the first being to visit the country that speaks the language you want to learn) due to the intimacy this program provides. I would use this program over my Italian course any day. Recommended for: + Those who want to become more confident with their pronunciation + Those who want to have an easier time remembering conjugations and the meanings of words Not recommended for: +Those who will not consistently follow up with lessons. In order to learn a language, one must practice it almost daily. November 15, 2010
Bringing it Home I've listened to my grandparents speak Italian and wondered what they were saying. My wife and I have begun researching our ancestory and most of mine is in Italian. I've always wanted to travel to the land of my ancestors but never thought it would happen. Until now!! My recent purchase of Rosetta Totale is helping make many of my dreams a reality. It brings back memories and opens up the world. November 12, 2010
Get it! I hesitated for months (years?) before I took the plunge and purchased the 5-level Italian set. Yes, it is very different than the book / class based learning when I took French 40 years ago. But it is great! Lots more to learn, but recommended. November 12, 2010
Best Language Program I've Seen I bought the first level of RS Italian, Version 3 last winter for an upcoming trip to Tuscany, and I fell in love with it. It was so much fun, like a video game -- you learned without realizing how much. When I got to Italy, I was amazed at how well I could get around and speak. I understood a lot of conversations, and could read signs, and handle myself in stores and on public transportation. The week I returned RS came out with V. 4 Totale, and I ordered all five levels immediately. If I liked version 3, I am head over heels for Totale. What was missing in 3 was a way to hear regular voices in something longer than a sentence. I am crazy about the short stories -- I first listen and see how much I can understand, then I listen and read along. The best part of Totale is the online class. I have had marvelous conversations with the teachers, all in Italian, all at my level, and that's when you remember different phrases, when you actually get a chance to use them. My sister was using another program to learn Spanish, but wasn't happy, and I recommended the Spanish Totale, and she is also in love with it. Thank you for improving the program, and adding the classes, short stories and games. I really do think I can master this language. November 11, 2010
wish I knew what they were referring to in some of I can't tell what some of the photos are at times--and some of the phrases don't show on the page so I really don't know what they are referring too. Frustrating--it shows me the second they are all 'guessed' by me--for an instant but then I can't even pause it to see what it says and how it relates to the photo. I don't know what so many of the words are referring too-- I wish there was a small book to see basics, like 'man, woman, and things that don't sound like the U.S. language at all-- some you can figure out because they are common or have common rings to them, but others no. I will go back to it, but I have been frustrated because I know it is suppose to be such a good program. November 8, 2010
The Rosetta Stone is INCREDIBLE! I purchased The Rosetta Stone about a month ago and I am hooked! I have been working with the program 4 times per week, about 1-2 hrs at a time. It is amazing how the time just flys by when I become engrossed in one of the lessons. My husband moved to the US from Italy 6 years ago. When we first met a little over 3 years ago, I took an Italian course, bought many books, traveled to Italy and picked up some vocab here and there, but not until working with the Rosetta Stone have I found a system that really works. I am forming sentences with the proper verb tense and I regularly find myself thinking in Italian. My in-laws do not speak English, and they are very impressed with how far I have come! Thank you Rosetta Stone for developing a system that makes it easy and fun for me to learn, so that I can communicate with my new family!! November 8, 2010
Fun and Easy Rosetta Stone's approach provides a great way to learn and reinforce your language skills. Each module is well-organized and the lessons are not boring. I would definitely buy another Rosetta Stone product to learn a language. November 8, 2010
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