Reviews (4)

Decent progam, lousy online support.
This would definitely be the way to go with this company. I used the online version of this program for over a year and found it to be very helpful. When I ran into technical problems, however, the technical support was virtually non-existing. I had to cancel.

The price is a bit steep, but the structure of the lessons and the features are very good. Get the CD and don't suffer the incompetent "support."

Learn vocabulary fast
The Rosetta stone teaches by 'complete immersion'. Using picture context the student asborbs vocabulary with ease. Immediate rewards for correct answers help motivate the learner to keep working. However, there are some weaknesses. First, you need to have a reliable dictionary on hand. There are times that you come to wrong conclusions about word meaning and you must double check with a dictionary. Second, this course is weak in grammar. I recommend a text to demonstrate basic grammatical structures. Last, this software does not give separate phonetic information. you are expected to learn by listening. Certain individuals, based on learning style may want to see phonetic information in print.

The ONLY worthwhile language learning software!
The Rosetta Stone series of language instruction software is "Pimsleur" level of effectiveness and unfortunately, Pimsleur level cost as well.

The programs work on a total immersion basis, with no English used at all. There are several types of drills, ones where you hear a word or sentence and pick it out of a group of pictures, another where you read the text of the word and pick out the pictures, etc. There are also typing drills in your language to help you spell (without having to download special fonts), pronounciation drills that allow you to hear a word, speak it to your computer and hear your voice in comparison to the native speaker played back to you.

This is the first program of it's type I've found where this feature actually works!

I own both German and Russian 1 and 2. There is a LOT to learn here, especially if you do all the types of drills for each lesson. You learn grammar from inference, such as word endings when the subject is "in" something rather than "on" or "under" it. You see the same endings used, compare them with the pictures and you start to recognize patterns.

But one of the best things about this software is the user interface. Since it's an immersion program, there's no English used and by it's very nature needs to be intuitive. This is how it should be done. I've used other types of language software that had a klunky, confusing interface with features that didn't work, etc. None of that is the case with the Rosetta Stone software.

On another note, I switched to Mac about nine months ago and Fairfield Language Technologies sent me out a new Mac OS X systems disc for free, no questions asked. At this price level you'd think this would be commonplace, but it's not. Adobe allowed me to change from PC to OS X when I upgraded from Photoshop 6 to 7, but Macromedia wouldn't and expected me to buy all new software (I didn't). So kudos to FLT for their stellar customer service!

Is it too expensive? I'd say yes, but this is a serious language learning tool for serious self students, and it's a lot cheaper than classes at the U. The axiom is true with both this and the Pimsleur method tapes; you get what you pay for.

Fantastic learning tool for the beginner to intermediate stu
I would have given the product a 5 star review if it could have found the contents of the Lesson CD I copied to my laptop hard drive. You are forced to use the Lesson CD in the CD drive to work the program.

The program is a very good learing tool. You learn to hear, read, speak and write in the language. The early lessons at first seem too easy, until you get to the unit that has you type in the words or phrases for the image you are viewing. That's when the learning starts. The advanced lessons will have you typing whole paragraphs.

Better by far than any Berlitz programs etc. that you commonly find at a computer store.

You won't truly learn a language until you can write in it. This one gives you a really good start! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Learn a new language with the award-winning method used by the U.S. State Department to train diplomats. Proven effective by NASA astronauts, Peace Corps volunteers, and millions of students worldwide, the Rosetta Stone Language Library teaches new languages faster and easier than ever before.

We all learn our childhood language by associating new words and phrases with the world around us. The Rosetta Stone method replicates this process by presenting vivid, real-life images to convey the meaning of each new phrase. Instead of translating, memorizing, and studying rules of grammar, you actually learn to think in the new language. Vocabulary and grammar are integrated systematically, leading to everyday proficiency.

The Rosetta Stone Level I program offers a comprehensive course of study for beginning learners, leading to intermediate proficiency. The program contains over 3,500 real-life images and phrases in 92 lessons and more than 250 hours of mastery instruction in listening comprehension, reading, speaking, and writing. Systematic structure teaches vocabulary and grammar naturally, without lists and drills. There are reviews, exercises, and tests for every lesson with automated tutorials throughout the program. (Ages 6 and older) ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The ONLY worthwhile language learning software!
The Rosetta Stone series of language instruction software is "Pimsleur" level of effectiveness and unfortunately, Pimsleur level cost as well.

The programs work on a total immersion basis, with no English used at all. There are several types of drills, ones where you hear a word or sentence and pick it out of a group of pictures, another where you read the text of the word and pick out the pictures, etc. There are also typing drills in your language to help you spell (without having to download special fonts), pronounciation drills that allow you to hear a word, speak it to your computer and hear your voice in comparison to the native speaker played back to you.

This is the first program of it's type I've found where this feature actually works!

I own both German and Russian 1 and 2. There is a LOT to learn here, especially if you do all the types of drills for each lesson. You learn grammar from inference, such as word endings when the subject is "in" something rather than "on" or "under" it. You see the same endings used, compare them with the pictures and you start to recognize patterns.

But one of the best things about this software is the user interface. Since it's an immersion program, there's no English used and by it's very nature needs to be intuitive. This is how it should be done. I've used other types of language software that had a klunky, confusing interface with features that didn't work, etc. None of that is the case with the Rosetta Stone software.

On another note, I switched to Mac about nine months ago and Fairfield Language Technologies sent me out a new Mac OS X systems disc for free, no questions asked. At this price level you'd think this would be commonplace, but it's not. Adobe allowed me to change from PC to OS X when I upgraded from Photoshop 6 to 7, but Macromedia wouldn't and expected me to buy all new software (I didn't). So kudos to FLT for their stellar customer service!

Is it too expensive? I'd say yes, but this is a serious language learning tool for serious self students, and it's a lot cheaper than classes at the U. The axiom is true with both this and the Pimsleur method tapes; you get what you pay for.

Great program
I really liked this program and highly recommend it.
Two things though:
1. You need a dictionary
The small booklet only contains the text of the course in its original language
2. If you are sure you want to buy Level 1 then do NOT buy the Explorer. The Explorer is merely a subset of Level 1.

Good program
I started using this program so that I can learn German. I live in a Dutch speaking home and Dutch was my first language. Since the two languages are very similar I decided to begin learning German. The program is very good, although translations would be helpful, and if the grammar was explained. Also it would be nice if they introduced the definite articles with each noun introduced in the vocabulary, this would make it much easier instead of having to eventually figure out the noun gender. But all in all this program is quite good to learn basic German, move on to the second version of this program to learn more advanced things.

Great, but an option with translations would have been nice.
This program is the best I have run into for learning a foreign language. It starts with basic German words and pictures, to which is added other words and pictures so that one learns phrases and then eventually sentences. Your mind associates the sound and spelling of a word(s) with a picture representing the word(s), and in this way you learn intuitively instead of having to think or translate. A few pictures, however, can be interpreted in more than one way, and it would have helped to have had an option that allowed one to view a translation. When I was unsure of the meaning of a certain word based on the picture, I used a dictionary and this solved the problem. The different sections in each lesson interactively teach you how to read, listen, speak, and write. For example, you will hear and/or read something and you will have to match what you hear/read to the one of the pictures shown. If you match it correctly you hear a pleasant sound and continue. If you match it incorrectly you hear an annoying sound and you try again until you get it right. For the writing section you hear words associated with a picture that is shown. One of the writing exercises consists of choosing the right words in the right order and another consists of typing in the correct word, phrase or sentence off the top of your head. I liked the speaking section because you can listen to German spoken at a normal speed, a slow speed and an even slower speed: the slow speed helped me hear better how words were pronounced so that I was more confident when attempting to imitate them. This personal edition level 1 course teaches you just basic German. You end up learning to ask and answer questions like "how do I get to the train station?" You also end up learning grammar intuitively. The reasons this program works well I think is: because you learn language naturally through pictures; because it does a good job building from the basics; and finally, because it tests you a lot. I had fun using it because it tests you continually and I like getting "Skinnerian" positive feedback every time I answer something correctly. It's a great way to begin learning German, but I recommend buying a dictionary in case you feel you have to look up a word or two. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Very well designed!
This software is very complete, with all the skills to learn German involved: speaking, writing, grammar, listening, comprehension...

The speaking capabilities is outstanding, as the software recognizes your voice and can correct your pronunciation mistakes.

Activities are very interactive and diverse, making it very engaging and fun.

I used it a lot, and still the length of the software is amazing.

Very well designed!

Super program!
I'm a Spanish and Chinese teacher who has decided to learn German. I received this set for Xmas, and I love it! The lessons are well presented with a variety of activities that help you work on all four aspects of language learning--reading, writing, listening, and speaking--with an emphasis on listening and speaking skills. It has a variety of activities to help you learn, and you can spend a lot of time on favorite activities--I love the crossword puzzles for vocabulary development. The input is generally comprehensible, and unlike other reviewers, I find that there is more than enough material to keep me busy for many many hours. The only shortcoming of the program is the somewhat inaccessible dictionary--I would suggest you buy your own German-English dictionary for convenience.

I plan to recommend the Spanish version of this program to my students who are having trouble in class.

Useless, and frequently pathetic.
For starters, all the content offered would have easily fit on a single CD-ROM, so their offering so many disks reminds of bogus language courses from the past which had 30 or so cassettes or videocassetes, each with about 10 minutes or so of playback. Each area of the course is essentially worthless. To just describe one disk, the vocabulary disk has about 2,000 or so words almost randomly chosen. Very few of the essential words of the language appear, and instead hundreds of terms deal with country names and things you don't need to know your first days, such as cufflinks and redcurrant.

It is true that pictures and videos help remember words, but the images are thoroughly depressing and pathetic on many ocassions. For example, the woman in the "kiss" term looks like she is doing so forcibly, and in general any picture or video (one in about 30 definitions has a 2 or 3 second video) in which people of any age appear seem to either have a great dislike for the photographer, or for life in general. It is rather disturbing to see such suffering when one is trying to learn a new language.

The other disks are even more worthless, and everything has a depressing quality to it. Needless to say, I sent it back, and will instead try another product. I recommend staying far away from this one! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Instant maybe. Immersion questionable.
My dad got this for me to supplement a Latin textbook I have been studying for my high school language course. It is quick and easily understandable. You get plenty of words and phrases, which is perfect for a traveler. If you want to learn the language for the sake of knowing it, not travel, however, you'd better get a book to supplement this. It doesn't teach about pluralization, verb conjugation, or other oddities that the language holds, such as, in Latin, the ending -m which implies a direct object. The Latin CD also does not use the dashes over the vowels (ie. â,ç,î,ô,û). Overall, I am very happy with the product and with the price of $39.99 (USD), but I am also quite glad I have my textbook (ECCE ROMANI) to go with it.

Okay for the price
I was hoping this set would contain the first CD or at least part of the first CD in the two-CD Instant Immersion programs, which would have been a great deal, and would have truly given you a good start in all these languages. However, this set only has very basic material for each language, and in fact is more like having a basic CD vocabulary and phrasebook for each language rather than a real mini-course or introduction, which for me is only marginally useful.

The vocabulary sections are divided up into 8 sections: first words, colors, food, numbers, shopping, countries, time, body. The ninth section is for phrases, and one advantage is that they are pronounced individually for you, which you can do for the individual words, too. There are two categories of games, easy and hard, and the program tracks your progress.

If you like to collect lots of phrase books with basic vocabulary, this might be fine for you, as you can at least learn some words and phrases that might be useful, but for me the major shortcoming is there is nothing on the grammar. I would rather invest the money in the 2-CD version of the half dozen languages I'm interested in, and then pay the extra for the 5 and 8 CD advanced Instant Immersion software when I'm ready to progress to the next stage of learning.

Still, for a reasonable price you get 33 languages, including all the main European ones plus things like Swahili, Korean, Finnish, Hindi, Tibetan, Vietnamese, and so on. So if you like to play around with exotic languages this might be the set for you, but you'll need to supplement it with a real language learning course if you're serious about really going anywhere with your studies.

I need to mention one drawback to the CD's, however. I have reasonably fast, 16x read and 48x write speed CD, and the program still runs fairly slowly, although I have a half gig of RAM and a 2.6 GHz system. It's mostly noticeable when using the pronunciation capability, but it spends a lot of time just seeking when you're jumping between sections. It's tolerable on my CD player, but if you have an older, slower one, be advised it's going to be slow.

One solution would be to get Tenebril software's Virtual Drive Manager program which will copy it to your hard disk so you can run it from there. I've tested it on about a dozen programs and it works on most of them. So it's not a sure thing but the program isn't that expensive and it does work for many things. Tenebril can be found on the web, where I bought it. I don't know if their software is carried by most computer stores or not. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

KidSpeak Spanish French German Italian Japanese Hebrew is a double CD-ROM featuring six comprehensive language programs. It is fun and easy to use and will help multilingual children practice a choice of different languages through a range of games, songs, and puzzles.

Each of the different language programs is an immersion program, so all the instructions are in the chosen language. For this reason, younger children who are not so confident with the basics of the language may need adult support. More confident children will quickly pick up what they are expected to do and will be able to work independently through the games. There is also a very useful help option which explains the choices of games in English.

Having chosen the language that they wish to work on, children can then play a range of games and listen to songs to consolidate the vocabulary that has been introduced. Most of the games can be played at three levels of difficulty. The games include activities such as identifying fruit, colouring fruit appropriately, pairs games with pictures and words, identifying animals, ordering pictures, setting given times on clocks, and putting objects into a backpack. A wide range of vocabulary is consolidated, such as numbers, the alphabet, animals, objects, times, colours, fruits and vegetables, the weather, transport and leisure activities. A set of online activities, which can be printed out, will also help to review what children have learned.

KidSpeak Spanish French German Italian Japanese Hebrew would be a very useful buy for children ages 5 to 12 who are multilingual or who are learning a range of languages at school. It is also ideal for a parent who wants to introduce their child to a new language. --Amanda York ... Read more

Reviews (7)

There must be a better bang for your buck.
I bought this software on the recommendation of some software review site, and I must say my 9 year old daughter and I were disappointed. The graphics are sometimes hard to make out on the screen. (The animation altogether isn't very appealing at all, but that's not why I bought it . . . )And my daughter kept repeating, "But I want to learn sentences!" It's just an okay introduction if you want to learn the names of fruits and vegetables.

I could not run the software on window XP
The software is too old to run on the window XP professional. I could not use it.

Awesome For Kids
KidSpeak 6-in-1 is an awesome product for kids to have fun with and learn several languages(Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Hebrew). The animation is very fun and my kids really love this. I love the fact that my child will talk to me in a different language and I'm sure other parents would agree. When it comes down to it, Transparent Language did an awesome job with this software and I couldn't be more satisfied with it.

Language Learning For Kids
KidSpeak 6-in-1 is my child's favorite thing to do on the computer. There are many fun games and activities to do in KidSpeak which teaches a child foreign language. The cartoon animation and the characters are very entertaining for my child who spends hours at a time playing this game. This is a good way to have a child exposed to foreign languages which are easier to learn at a younger age. Before you know it, your child will be talking to you in another language. KidSpeak 6-in-1 has 6 languages included with it (Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Hebrew) meaning there is plenty for a child to learn and do in the program. I would recomend this program for all children because it is educational yet fun at the same time.

I have Windows ME
I haven't really been able to run this software, I think it's because I have ME. I have used it before on my sister-in-law's computer and thought it was a great way to grab a young child's interest in another language. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Build your fluency in German using this feature-rich five-CD collection. Learn to Speak German's 100 lessons and adjustable study plan expand your German vocabulary and perfect your pronunciation. Choose from a variety of instructional features, including cultural video clips and a talking dictionary. Learn to Speak's voice recording, playback tools, and speech recognition technology let you practice your German, develop your ear, and hone your pronunciation. A conversational CD completes the collection, adding a final polish to your newly acquired abilities. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Less than I had hoped for
This product has the potential for excellence. However there are several features through out the CD which were unavailable. For example, the on-line lessons did not exist. When I called the technical support. I was told they did not know when they would be available.

Some features are very good however. The dictionary is worth the price of the software. And the book is excellent. It is the actual lessons, the lack of clear information, how to use the features which is so disappointing. I would not re-buy this product.
DD

Works well for me!
I bought this product to supplement private lessons to prepare for a trip to Austria. I had ten weeks to get ready.

For [price] the product is pretty good. The software worked fine on my Windows XP laptop and the audio supplement CD also worked fine.

The book seems quite comprehensive and extends well beyond my simple needs or ability. The basics are covered in the first few pages. It includes written dialogs to complement the interactive lessons.

The lessons so far have proven helpful in reinforcing and expanding my weekly face-to-face lessons. It has also allowed me to venture into specific areas I know I will need, such as travel dialogs: where is the train station, can I make a reservation, how much is a taxi to the hotel.

The book includes a vocabulary section, but that is a small piece of a large book. I plan to buy a pocket dictionary for my trip.

One warning: the speech recognition feature is extremely generous and forgiving. I found I could say entirely different words and still get a rating well above average for pronunciation. Anyone who relies on this program may be quite surprised when they meet a German speaker in person. Find some other way of checking your pronuciation before you entrench bad habits!

On the plus side, any feedback at all encourages people to talk. The simple listen-repeat of an audio-only lesson plan doesn't engage as much as this. I just ignore the "accuracy meter" and its lavish praise of my native-like accent. Yeah, right! :)

My only REAL problem with the software: that stupid cartoon bird that inroduces each section. The good news is you can skip him entirely, he adds no important content and doesn't show up durind the lessons.

Great Software to learn spoken german
I have been very pleased with this purchase. It is well tailored to teach spoken German. The software starts with basic words and fairly quickly introduces conversation sequences from relevant situations. Voice recording allows the user to hear is own voice and compare it with that of a native speaker a feature which helps learning the correct pronunciation. Grammar is reviewed thoroughly but is not very well exercised.

Learn German Software
This is a great product and at a great price too. Comes with 5 CD's and a booklet.... This is worth your money ! You won't regret it. I got "Learn German Now 8.0 " by Transparent Language for Christmas and it's not for beginners. But, since there is a lot of things on the software to took me 10-15 minutes just to download.

Learning German 8.1
This has a good text book and a pretty good listening to phrases CD. But the PC CD's don't allways work and in fact I had some trouble trying to reload after some problems that crashed my system. In fact it has never worked since. So I am unhappy with this product because it has been mostly user unfriendly and a waste of time and money for me...David G ... Read more

Features

• German language learning system with portable audio lessons
• 3-CD-ROM set with 750 hours of instruction and cultural activities
• 8,000 word audio glossary; 3,600 exercises; 6 workshops
• 3D animation; S.E.T.S. for correction of pronunciation errors
• Beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels

Features

• Organized into multiple categories, to find the sentences you need instantly -Greetings, Shopping, Emergency and more
• Contains hundreds of basic phrases tailored for each country - whether you need to finda tailor in Rome or a vegetarian restaurant in Paris
• The perfect pronunciations can be replayed as often as necessary, to make you sound like a native

Features

• Join your live-action CD-ROM show hosts as they guide you through the fun & easy lessons on each disc(6 CD set)
• Use the Patented EuroMethod approach to learn by doing -- immerse yourself in a new culture and pick up words & phrases as you go
• Easy-to-follow, step-by-step instruction in 102 different languages guide you effortlessly around the world
• In no time, you'll be ordering food, making your way around, conducting business and asking questions
• Covers greetings and expressions, travel, service and emergencies, food -- with speaking drills and memory games to improve your abilities

Reviews (4)

Good Software, But Not For The Total Beginner
I bought my Instant Immersion German sofware at Sam's Club. My software came with 7 CDs. It was [$$$]. If you are going to buy this sofware, I suggest that you find one in the same brand that has more CDs for less money. It is hard for me (a beginner) because there is no exact part of the software that shows you an English word and then shows you the word translated in German. They begin talking to you in German and you have to sort of figure it out for yourself. One thing that I did like was that my 7 CD version included 3 CDs for Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced (the same program, just 3 different levels). I highly suggest to purchase this program in addition to German audio tapes and books to get a head start. But once you get a little familiar with the language, it is a perfect software to buy. The best one on the market!

If a person has the time this two set cd is a winner
I started useing this product three months ago a couple of hours a night on the average and am now ready for an actual class. I really love this set of cds titled Instant Immersion German. I have learned a lot; this is a winner in my book and I have never had a problem loading it on my pc.. This language set of CD's is good for beginers. My young children love it too; they think it's just plain fun..David G.

Not exactly what I wanted, but the best German CD I've seen.
I was thinking of something better and more interesting, but instead, I got a bunch of little games that detract from the objective if you do not improve. I have purchased a different CD that is much worse than this one.

If you see this CD first, keep it in your back pocket.

Instant Immersion German -2CD set
It was easy to learn from this 2CD set. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Start speaking, reading, and writing German today. Whether your study is for business, travel, or school, Instant Immersion German Pro's teaching methods and technology combine to create a language experience that delivers results. This seven-CD set features four Tell Me More language learning CD-ROMs, a German vocabulary builder, German Plus with 22 interactive lessons, and an audio CD that lets you practice your conversational skills anytime, anywhere.

Tell Me More's four-CD-ROM suite offers beginning, intermediate, and advanced lessons, and forms the core of this comprehensive German language series. You'll be guided through lessons complete with video clips and animations on vocabulary, grammar, phonetics, conversations, conjugation, cultural traditions, and more. Interactive speech recognition even corrects pronunciation and intonation. And because everyone learns at his or her own pace, lessons can be personalized.

The German Vocabulary Builder combines visual and memory learning to maximize retention. Use the recording feature to practice vocabulary and compare your speech to that of a native speaker's. German Plus covers speaking, reading, writing, and listening, helping you grow more comfortable with German over its 22 interactive lessons. Explore tenses, culture, directions, and more. In no time, you'll be able to communicate effectively. An added audio CD rounds out the collection, so you can practice anywhere, even en route to your German-speaking destination. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Useless, and generally pathetic.
For starters, all the content offered would have easily fit on a single CD-ROM, so their offering so many disks reminds of bogus language courses from the past which had 30 or so cassettes or videocassetes, each with about 10 minutes or so of playback. Each area of the course is essentially worthless. To just describe one disk, the vocabulary disk has about 2,000 or so words almost randomly chosen. Very few of the essential words of the language appear, and instead hundreds of terms deal with country names and things you don't need to know your first days, such as cufflinks and redcurrant.

It is true that pictures and videos help remember words, but the images are thoroughly depressing and pathetic on many ocassions. For example, the woman in the "kiss" term looks like she is doing so forcibly, and in general any picture or video (one in about 30 definitions has a 2 or 3 second video) in which people of any age appear seem to either have a great dislike for the photographer, or for life in general. It is rather disturbing to see such suffering when one is trying to learn a new language.

The other disks are even more worthless, and everything has a depressing quality to it. Needless to say, I sent it back, and will instead try another product. I recommend staying far away from this one!

Absolutely terrible
Despite the attractive packaging, the Instant Immersion series from Europe is absolutely the worst language teaching program I've seen. I picked up several titles at a local store, tempted by the "free" price after rebates. Upon installing German, which I hadn't touched in over a decade, I decided to return all the titles. Most of the 7 CDs are totally useless. The user interface is laughably reminiscent of programs in the Windows 95 days, and you get 256-color, 640x480 video! The audio also slows down often, even on my P4 2.0Ghz PC. Even though you can find it for free, it just ain't worth your time.

Not well laid out
I bought both the German and Spanish Pro software packages. I opened the German first and found it very confusing and poorly laid out. There is no clear lesson plan and there are no steps provided for LEARNING the language. They might as well just drop you in the middle of Munich and expect you to start learning German that way. Needless to say I didn't open the Spanish Pro software and returned it... Unless you already speak German and want to brush up (even then pick something else) you might want to think twice...

confusing and incomplete
i have no experience with German and although I was prepared to be "immersed" in the language, I found these cd lessons very confusing and disjointed. The video sequence flies through several "scenes", all of them disconnected so that it is difficult to glean some understanding through some sort of "context". Some of the lessons in the grammar section which were supposed to be animated were not; there wasn't even audio in some of the grammar lessons so I couldn't hear various conjugations etc...Graphics are not easy to understand either. All in all a bad buy, definitely...I'm going to return this and try something else.

For serious language learners
I really enjoy working with German Pro. It is created and stimulating for the serious minded German student. The "Tell Me More" CD's have many different features which are challenging, but not overwhelming. The only minus to this program, that I have is with the "Dictation" feature. The female speaker raddles off the sentence at top speed, which I can't understand even when the answer is written out on the screen. The male speaker generally speaks slower and is easier to understand. I definitely recommend this program and would be interested in purchasing more advance German products by this company in the near future. In fact I have purchased the Spanish Pro and look forward to using it soon. ... Read more

Features

• Learn to speak by learning to understand -Listening activities will tune your ear to the subtle points of communicating with another language
• Wide variety of interactive skill-building exercises build understanding of any language -- from Arabic to Zulu
• Pronunciation analysis makes certain you speak like a native
• Participate in real, native dialogs to improve your skills
• Record and playback your conversations to hear your pronunciation and grammar

Amazon.com Product Description

This English-German talking dictionary is designed for anyone who needs to use English or German, from the beginning student to the language professional. The dictionary comes with a set of tools for speedy look-up of any words, checking their meaning and pronunciation, and verifying translations of any text on the computer. The variety of settings and levels makes the software simple and straightforward to use.

The Shooting Gallery exercise helps the user learn new words more quickly. The program offers different levels of difficulty and different word ranges to suit the language level, including the 500/1,000/1,500/2,000/2,500/3,000 most commonly used words. The crossword puzzles included in the software are never repeated, and are also offered in various levels of difficulty.

The AudioPad module is designed to teach correct pronunciation. With the help of AudioPad, the learner can listen to the original speech of a professional native speaker and also record and listen to his or her own speech. In addition, each sound fragment is graphically displayed, which makes practicing more vivid and helps the user to imitate all nuances of the pronunciation with greater precision. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Face your mistakes and try to improve by playing!
This item offers a basic bilingual dictionary and some tricky games as well.
By using the dictionary, the first thing that catches your attention is the grey background on which bright words in yellow, blue, green, violet and red lie to be read. All entries have IPA transcriptions in bright green, and a yellow loudspeaker offers their pronunciations. Useful information follow in dark blue.
If you think to be extremely good at a foreign language, just try the crosswords, but mind you, if you are unable to finish them and you click on the white flag, a voice will tell you how bad you are! So, I'll advise you to start with the "learning mode" where a list of terms appears for you to study - and you not only get their translations, but also their meanings and pronunciations. Once you have studied the list of terms, you are ready to try the crosswords as well as the "shooting gallery," a game where you have to type quite fast the translations of the words shown in green on a blackboard. The software continues to repeat the game till you have memorized all the words. If you do it well, you'll get some applause.
The software recognizes different users, and you can sign in your name to have your efforts memorized and displayed in colourful graphs!
I'll advise all foreign languages students to try it. It's a way to improve their knowledge by means of interesting and quite difficult games.

A fine dictionary, you get what you pay for
This dictionary has it all it helps one with grammar and sentence structure, The pages are thick and the font is very easy to read. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Instant Immersion German delivers an authentic German learning environment to your desktop. Based on the Euromethod--an approach that immerses students in a country's language and culture--this language-learning suite includes five CD-ROM titles: Talk Now!, World Talk, Talk to Me, Interactive Picture Dictionary, and Who Is Oscar Lake? Native German speakers introduce words and phrases. Lessons can be customized. Explore more than 2,000 words in French, Spanish, German, and Italian with the interactive picture dictionary's video clips and other memory enhancing tools. Advanced speech recognition technology--the next best thing to a conversation partner--actually lets you converse with the software and even corrects words and phrases. Instant Immersion's Who Is Oscar Lake? title rounds out this comprehensive suite. In the ultimate test of your new skills, you'll have to solve a puzzling mystery... in German. With Instant Immersion, you learn by hearing, seeing, and doing. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Super!
Super software for the price

Covers all the elements to learn German

Very fun and engaging activities

I will highly recommend it, you definitely get a great value for a low price

Excellent Beginner and Refresher Course
For the low price, you definitely get your money's worth! The program covers numbers, telling time, basic words, sentences, colors, nations, foods, names of body parts, and more! I especially like that each word is pronounced, not just by one person, but by a man and a woman, so you get a little bit of variation on acceptable pronunciation. And it even has a feature where a word is first said by the software, then you say the word (you need to have a mic) and then you get to hear how your pronunciation sounds compared to how the software says it. There are tests, both easy and hard, which I personally enjoyed. And there's a game show type test option that is kind of cute and fun too. And all this is just on the FIRST of the five disks! The other disks cover such things as pronunciation tests (the software critiques how well you pronounce the words), an interactive picture Dictionary (Kind of like the Rosetta Stone Explorer series), and a cool game called "Who is Oscar Lake?" where based on how well you do will determine if you win the day or end up in prison.
While you'll not become fluent in German with just this software, you'll certainly be able to make your way around Germany just fine after using this software.
That's My Opinion, ut You're Welcome To It.

Useless, and rather [sad].
For starters, all the content offered would have easily fit on a single CD-ROM, so their offering so many disks reminds of bogus language courses from the past which had 30 or so cassettes or videocassetes, each with about 10 minutes or so of playback. Each area of the course is essentially worthless. To just describe one disk, the vocabulary disk has about 2,000 or so words almost randomly chosen. Very few of the essential words of the language appear, and instead hundreds of terms deal with country names and things you don't need to know your first days, such as cufflinks and redcurrant.

It is true that pictures and videos help remember words, but the images are thoroughly depressing and [sad] on many ocassions. For example, the woman in the "kiss" term looks like she is doing so forcibly, and in general any picture or video (one in about 30 definitions has a 2 or 3 second video) in which people of any age appear seem to either have a great dislike for the photographer, or for life in general. It is rather disturbing to see such suffering when one is trying to learn a new language.

The other disks are even more worthless, and everything has a depressing quality to it. Needless to say, I sent it back, and will instead try another product. I recommend staying far away from this one!

For the price, this has alot to offer
There is alot missing from this program (and most German programs out there, in my opinion), but it has some nice features. The games are just flashcard practice, but fun nonetheless. The speech recognition on CD 3 is not as good as German Now! 9, but still helpful. The picture dictionary isn't terribly helpful.

The game on CD 5, Who is Oscar Lake, was what really made me want to get this. The concept is great, and after learning the interface and giving it time, it grew on me.

Having fun and maintaining your interest in the language is the best way to learn it. That is a strength of this program, in my opinion. I would recommend using this program as a supplement to a class, textbook, or mabye a better program, because it is not comprehensive enough to stand alone. But for a good price, why not go for it?

not for a serious self education
I am a college student who was looking for software to help me learn german. I bought this because it was the first thing i came across. I can already speak french in addition to my native language english. The first cd will introduce you to a series of basic nouns, food, body parts, time, useful inanimate objects and colors. The second cd throws you into a sort of game, however even the instructions for the game are in solid german. The questions are not only german but very hard to understand, even after mastering the first cd. The speaker is too fast on the third cd (talk to me 3.0), and the interactive picture dictionary fails to have a decent selection of anything but nouns. I never played the last cd "who is oscar lake". All in all its an ok set of cds to help one memorize nouns. There are lots of games to play and fun ways to help one memorize. However there is absolutely no aid in german grammar. I actually had to look up, on my own, the very basics in sentence structure, such as object pronouns, definite and indefinite articles, verb conjugations and even simple prepositions necessary to give even the most banal of sentences cohesion. This software may be satisfactory as a supplement to help with nouns, but that is all, i would look to other companies for a self education. ... Read more

Features

• 15 easy-to-understand lessons; over 10,000 vocabulary words
• Electronic flashcards; online interactive quizzes and games
• Video Tutor introduces each lesson in English
• Practice speaking with native speakers
• Record and compare your voice to the native speaker's

Reviews (1)

A+ German is a very good way to learn German
I bought Learn German Now by the same company about a year ago and had a hard time learning German because the grammar was not presented in a systematic manner: one only learns about the grammar pertaining to the individual words of the sentences they are currently learning. This may be ok for someone who knows the language, but not for a beginner or for someone who wants to know the rules for crafting sentences, which A+ German does a good job teaching. With A+ German I am able to understand German better thanks to the grammatical, building-block approach it provides. Most of the essential grammar, which is vital in mastering a language, seems to be covered in the main program and in the "grammar basics" section. The vocabulary is extensive too and there is this handy flashcard program for mastering it. You can also hear individual words in addition to sentences and can slow the sound down. The games and tests also helped me know how well I was advancing. Finally, A+ would be a better program if it included a complete coverage of grammar -- basically a coverage of all the tenses instead if just the main ones and of some other advanced grammatical structures. ... Read more

Features

• Learn Italian, French, Spanish, or German words and phrases
• A flash card program but without 3 x 5 paper cards and no boring repetition
• Take your lists with you on your Palm or Pocket PC device
• Based on advanced learning algorithms; focuses on material you need the most work on
• Includes 1000 words and over 250 phrases per language

Reviews (1)

Innovative and Very Intuitive
This product is absolutely amazing. It is an extremely useful educational tool for language learning and much more. The Before You Know It Multipack is designed for language learning, especially vocabulary, by basically using electronic flashcards. The Multipack version includes an enormous amount of content for Spanish, French, Italian and German languages and is a good place to start learning the languages or for studying/refreshing. Now this is great for language learning but in my opinion the best feature of this program is the ability to make your own electronic flashcards for anything and you can also share them with friends through email and on Palm Pilots. To me this is a must have for studying anything that you need to memorize. It is so useful and very helpful in these aspects. It also shows you the cards you have the most trouble learning more frequently than the ones that you do not have trouble remembering which in the end means that you will have a very effective studying method. This program is very user friendly, simple to use and has plethora of uses. I believe that even if you do not want the language aspects the program, it is still more than worth having just because of the ability to create your own cards. Ideal for students, teachers, and anything else that requires memorization. Have no doubts, Before You Know It definitely earns its 5-star rating. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A great start......
This product is exactly what it states it is - "essential vocabulary and phrases in the subjects of First Words and Food".
There are 18 languages covered on 2 CD-ROM's - for 10 bucks!
I read the 1st review and felt I had to respond. You get what you pay for & in my opinion, this is a great deal. The company that publishes this title produce full version programs of each of these languages - and more. If a more in-depth learning experience is what you're after, then spend a little more & buy the more complete version. I'm sorry, but for someone to complain about spending 10 bucks on 2 CD-ROM's - and feel the need to write about it is somewhat confusing to me. I just spent that much on lunch for crying out loud.

Not much to it
I was expecting a lot more from these two CD's. It teaches you a few items of food, basic words like "Hello", Please" and "airplane" and even teaches you to ask "Where are the suitcases"... but then that is about it. I was really hoping for more... much more. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

What kind of a language learner are you? Do you esteem the umlaut? Have you studied a little German before? Does it bug you when people say "Porsch" instead of "Porsche"? Yes? Well, congratulations! You are an anal-retentive, intermediate German student--and Learn German Now! will be a satisfying, helpful software option for you. (If you're not quite this informed or persnickety, then click here for an applicable beginner's title).

In highfalutin' teacher lingo, the software uses "authentic language" and hasyou practice using "communication gap" exercises--and you'll be happy to know this is a widely used university approach. In lay speak, this means you will:

• Watch videos of native German speakers interacting naturally with each other (the acting's not half bad, either)
• Read printed versions of their dialogues
• Listen to the dialogues word by word or segment by segment
• Practice pronouncing dialogues word by word or segment by segment using the enclosed microphone
• Apply vocabulary by filling in new words from the dialogues, or in othergame-style activities like crossword puzzles

Note that to achieve true success with this program you should know at leasta bit of German first and be somewhat comfortable with terms like "accusative case" or "second person." Also, the software gives pronunciationfeedback with gimmicky graphs that will make sense to you only if you've studied acoustic phonetics--nonetheless, the interactive pronunciation and the videos are the most useful features.

Overall, the use of multimedia and the practice modules are well designed, making this an excellent intermediate-level program for people who want to maintain or expand their German skills. Caveats: The software works with both Mac OS and Windows, but some extra stuff on the bonus CD works only with Windows. (This should not at all dissuade Mac users, however.) Also remember that it's rather antisocial to practice conversation only on the computer, so take what you learn out and interact with real-life German speakers! --Erik Macki ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Don't Buy This
I'm interested in Learning German since I'm in German Club at school and thought I'd take a break from the german books and get software , huge mistake with this product. Its boring and is really is a waste of money . I begged my parents for this and they got it ...and I was happy . When I opened and installed it and ready to learn... The guy said it had three levels and he had good feedbacks from other people that bought his product and etc . This is not for beginners...

Good for nothing unless you already speak German
I bought this for my girlfriend because her mother is German and she always wanted to learn. She found herself literally falling asleep at the computer !!! The speech recognition doesn't work worth a damn !! I could say most anything in English and it would rate me as good ! The whole thing doesn't seem to have any planning associated with it. You just muddle around trying to learn German. I sent it back to Transparent for a refund. Let's see if at least they can get that right. If you are a beginner, STAY AWAY FROM THIS !!! Try Rosetta Stone, it seems more for beginners.

It's not that good
When I bought this software I was thrilled with the comments on this product that I decided to give it a try. However when I installed it, it was so boring that I lost interest in a matter of minutes. The vocabulary drills always take you to the same ten words, even though it says it teaches you 10000. The bonus grammar software included will never teach you any grammar, however I must recognize that it has some good dialogues if you want to practice your listening skills. If you want a more complete software I recommend Learn to Speak German.

Pretty cool pronunciation practice
This isn't so much for beginners, but it's pretty fun praticesoftware and great for help with pronunciation. The videos are a neatfeature, too. I'd say you should have done at least two semesters of German in college or so before this would be something for you--but then it's one of the only options on the market for more-advanced German students since so much that's out there is for total beginners. ... Read more

Product Description

Instant Immersion™ German Version 2.0 moves you from a beginner to an intermediate speaker with a 5CD-ROM course of study. Including Talk Now!, Talk More and World Talk from Eurotalk, you willfocus on basic vocabulary, phrases and accurate pronunciation through the use of videotechnology features. Supplement your study with the Interactive Picture Dictionary, featuring2,000 word entries. Finally, test your linguistic skills with Who is Oscar Lake, a challenginginteractive mystery game.

... Read more