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Product Description

As children, we gradually learned our first language through a process of associating mental images with words or phrases, accompanied by complete immersion in our environment. This approach was simple because it was natural and allowed the brain to adapt to increasing complexity. In learning a new language, Rosetta Stone replicates this process to provide the best and friendliest language learning software tool. Learn as many languages as you want!

Rosetta Stone Personal Edition contains everything you need to start learning a language. It's built around the award-winning Rosetta Stone curriculum, which has been adopted by organizations around the world including the U.S. Army, NASA, major corporations such as Deutsche Telecom, IKEA, Royal Dutch Shell, and over 10,000 schools worldwide--and is available in 31 languages spoken by over 90% of the world's population.

Proceed at Your Own Pace - Rosetta Stone is considerate of your time. Anytime, anywhere, you can learn a new language with Rosetta Stone. You learn comfortably without feeling pressured or overwhelmed. Rosetta Stone provides guidance to make your language learning effective, fast, and enjoyable with a process that is intuitive, interactive, and visually engaging. At the end of each lesson, you are given the opportunity to test your new skills. And, since Rosetta Stone automatically records your progress, you can easily pick up where you left off, when other priorities arise.

Dynamic Immersion - Rosetta Stone uses rich visual imagery to help you learn. You will be presented with sets of images to match correctly with a spoken or written phrase in the new language. You will advance to the next set of prompts once you've successfully matched words and images and pronounced the words correctly. With Dynamic Immersion, you learn by directly associating your new language with images--nothing is lost in translation.

Rosetta Stone Personal Edition contains everything you need to give the voice inside of you a new language. The method used recreates the natural way you learned your first language, revealing skills that you already have. This approach has won numerous awards, and has been adopted by countless organizations, schools and millions of users around the world. Join the language revolution today. Only with Rosetta Stone.

The comprehensive language-learning solution that fits your life.

Learn Naturally
Learn your next language the same way you learned your first language. Dynamic Immersion empowers you to see, hear and comprehend without translating or memorizing. You already have this ability. Rosetta Stone simply unlocks it.

Engage Interactively
Get feedback to move forward. You learn best by doing, and you'll apply what you've learned to get to the next step. Rosetta Stone adapts to your individual needs and skills, because you drive the program with your progress.

Speak Confidently
Start speaking immediately. From the very first lesson, you'll speak. You'll begin with essential basics, which form the building blocks of the language. Soon you'll create new sentences on your own, using words you've learned.

Have Fun
Best of all, Rosetta Stone is addictive. With every entertaining activity, you'll feel success. You'll want to use Rosetta Stone to have that next moment, that next breakthrough. So you'll keep using it, and you'll learn more!

That's language-learning success.
That's Rosetta Stone.

No translation or memorization required.

Think about all of the ways you've tried to learn a language: classes at school, tapes and cassettes, even software that uses your native language as a base for your next one. What do they all have in common? Translation and memorization.

Instead of taking a "direct flight" from your brain to your new language, translation and memorization connects you to your old language. You always have to "fly" from your brain, to your native tongue ... and then translate what you've memorized to communicate.

That might work for a few words, but what happens when you get to a sentence or phrase? When you have to change tenses? You're going to make a lot of "connecting flights." That's why those other methods are so frustrating ... and why they fail.

Enter Dynamic Immersion.
This method encourages you to think like a baby. You'll pair words with vivid, real-life images and make connections between things you know and the new language. Soon, you'll be thinking in a new language, stringing words together into phrases that you create.

Innovative technology.
Rosetta Stone places this Dynamic Immersion method at the core of a suite of software that works with you to develop your skills. The simple, intuitive interface helps to keep you engaged in the solution, while advanced speech recognition technology makes certain that you're speaking correctly and accurately. Best of all, Rosetta Stone never leaves you behind. You'll only move forward when you're ready, when you've become comfortable and confident.

Communicate and connect with the world: Level 1, 2 & 3 Set.
Rosetta Stone Level 1, 2 & 3 Set will take you on a journey from the basics to a whole new level of sophistication. You'll build a foundation of fundamental vocabulary and essential language structure. You'll quickly gain the confidence to engage in social interactions. Say "hello" and "goodbye," arrange travel, order food, go shopping and more! From there, you'll share your ideas and opinions, express feelings and talk about your life, your interests and more. You'll discover a voice. In a new language.

Audio Companion
With Audio Companion, you'll enhance the Rosetta Stone experience wherever you go. You'll learn new skills on the computer, and then reinforce what you've learned with Audio Companion. Simply play the CDs on a stereo or download them to a MP3 Player. Each Audio Companion activity corresponds to a lesson in the Rosetta Stone software, so you can turn your travel time into productive language-learning time.

Inside the box, you'll find:

• Version 3 Personal Edition CD-ROM software for Levels 1, 2 & 3 (Windows/Mac)
• Headset microphone
• User's guide
• Audio Companion, a multiple-CD set to play or download to your MP3 player

Customer Reviews:

• There are three blue bowls.
  I toyed with Rosetta Stone years ago through a $20 intro package they had. It seemed promising, but the cost of the full package was and remains prohibitive for the casual learner. For professionals needing language training, I think this is an excellent package, but if starting cold, this would best complement classroom instruction. One other thing: for the money, you'd think the program would get you functional faster, e.g. travel french - where is the bathroom, i would like a glass of wine, etc. Instead, we have "the bicycles are yellow." Overall though, a very professional package....more info
• Save your money, and pass on Rosetta Stone.
  It sounds like a good idea, but it's not. I used this product over time, so this is not a snap judgement. Rosetta Stone does not deliver what is promises. I learned more of a foreign language in a semester of college than this poorly designed product delivered in 6 months of use. Massive waste of time and money. Now, several hundred dollars worth of software sits on my shelf collecting dust.
  
  PROS:
  - Rosetta Stone will consume hours of your time and lull you into believing that you are learning a language.
  
  CONS:
  - WAY, WAY over-priced.
  - Designed to work only when the CD is in your computer (TIP: Plan on carrying the language disk around with your laptop if you want to use the software.)
  - Voices become extremely grating over time.
  - Moves you at a snail's pace; if you are learning a language for business or expect to move past kindergarten level in a few months, then forget this product.
  
  If you want to learn a language then I'd recommend you take a course at your local college or buy one of the many texts available and a dictionary; sadly for me, either of these routes would have cost me a fraction of the price of this product and served me better in the long run. Save your money, and pass on Rosetta Stone....more info
• Excellent language learning tool
  I got this to learn some French, but I haven't learned a single thing. That's because my wife got her hands on this software as soon as it arrived and I haven't ssen it since. She took French many years ago in high school and wanted to refresh her knowledge. She's been using the software at least a half hour a day for the last month and she says it is really great.
  
  Rosetta Stone takes good and full advantage of computer technology (graphics, animation, video, audio, speech recognition) to assist in learning a new language. It is far more sophisticated than, say, a language teaching book transferred to a computer presentation. It is very interactive. The speech recognition is quite accurate and very helpful in improving the student's foreign speaking skills. It is fun to use and it's never a chore to go through the lessons.
  
  The only concern about the product is a lack on explanation about some language concepts that would be new to someone who has never learned a non-English language before, such as masculine and feminine nouns and adjectives, and how adjectives are made plural if the corresponding noun is plural. But unless she missed something, my wife says these things are not explained anywhere. So someone that is unfamiliar those things might not be taught as well as possible....more info
• WARNING!
  BEWARE! If you buy this product you can never resell it. Never return it. Never upgrade it. You better love it. Because you're stuck with it. I purchased version 2 a year ago and wanted to upgrade to 3 so I thought I'd sell my version 2. Rosetta Stone cancelled my eBay auction and threatened LEGAL action for attempting to resell an original legitimate in the box version of their product. They will only let you return it for 6 months and ONLY if you bought it directly from them (sorry Amazon) and there are NO upgrades. Basically, I'm out $500. Though I would never ever consider buying another Rosetta Stone product, where the customer is always wrong. BEWARE of this company....more info
• Mon impression premiere
  Day 1: Installation on my windows xp computer failed, however, the installation on a windows vista machine went smoothly. The sound quality is excellent, and the opening lessons went smoothly and quickly. My retention seems pretty good due to the intense repetition. I had no problem figuring out what the program was talking about. Setting up the microphone was a bit tricky for optimum voice recognition. Make sure that the background is very quiet and that there are no echoes in the room (e.g., carpet helps). Otherwise, the instructions are straightforward. Having a dictionary or phrase book handy helps. La vie est bonne.
  
  Week 1: Ca va? Total immersion sounds good on the surface, but in practice, it leaves a lot to be desired. The makers of this program would do well to have exercises to build some vocabulary and word recognition at least in the early stages of learning. I have achieved some pretty good scores, but only after obtaining some more traditional material. Now the total immersion seems pretty good. The microphone works about 80% of the time. Either that, or my pronunciation is really terrible (I vote for the mic as the source of the problem). So far, I am enjoying the Rosetta French program, which is 90% of the battle to keep going. Au revoir.
  
  After more use, my vocabulary is actually starting to improve. Some of the implied grammar is coming through. However, it is much easier to consult some printed material when the program starts into distinguishing between masculine and feminine nouns and singular and plural forms. I think that the Rosetta Stone program should be treated as a supplement to more traditional text book study. I started doing this, and then the program is good as a language lab drilling the user on pronunciation and useful forms of expression. So far, I am quite happy with Rosetta Stone French complimented by a good book on vocabulary and grammar. I improved the microphone accuracy to almost 100% by carefully adjusting the distance further from my mouth.
  
  Week 3 and 4 Progress continues. I cannot say that I am speaking French, but the ever calm program puts up with my blunders and never laughs. I am getting to the point where I might where I might screw up the courage to try to speak to a real live native French speaker after bribing him with a few drinks. The problem is that the Rosetta Stone program so far has not provided the vocabulary to hold a normal conversation about things that real people discuss in the US. However, I have some supplemental vocabulary from texts. I'll let you know what happens.
  ...more info
• Rosetta Stone
  Excellent. Instructions for use of teaching methods should be more explicit. Booklet with all words and phrases used in the lessons would be of help ...more info
• Good concept
  French is probably the most difficult Latin based language to learn for me. The pronunciation does me in quite a bit. I'm part way through Level 1, and going very slowly, constantly repeating back the words that are being spoken to me in my daily life, and that's the way to go. This program is much better than taking a book from the library and quite literally decoding the accent marks on the words to try and understand how to say it, but is a cheaper alternative to taking a class (although, of course it can never substitute in for one).
  
  The presentation of the material, a picture, a word, and the pronunciation, and you having to pick your way through several options to get the rights answer is a good way to learn a language, the way kids do, but adults have forgotten. It's not rote memorization, it's seeing, interpreting, and trying through experience. I strongly recommend that you take frequent time-outs during your course and use the words and phrases in everyday life to strengthen their meaning in your head. Making the words and pictures your own, in real life, instead of a computer screen, will help you remember much better, faster, and for the longer term, than just sitting in front of the computer screen or listening to the audio companion (not to mention it's more fun). The reason is simple: if you use this program alone to try and recall the language, you're bound to "cheat", that is, once you've forgotten a word or phrase, you'll keep constantly coming back to a certain part in the software or "tape" to recall it, and you'll do it again and again and again. What's the point? Instead, go slowly, and use the words for a couple of days in real life, and you'll never have to reference them again!
  
  This program almost sucks you in, especially in the easy beginning, by making it seem like learning the language is very easy! Hence, I was tempted, and fell into the trap of, going quickly, assuming I'd remember a word or phrase down the line...of course, that wasn't the case. I had to keep going back to try and recall what I had "learned" before, otherwise I can't go forward, and this is a silly thing to do.
  
  Overall, I don't expect this program to make you a fluent speaker, but is a nice way to learn the basics of the language, understand a native speaker, brush up on your skills, or as a prep-course before taking a real-live class.
  ...more info
• Best Language Learning Software Available
  The concept of Rosetta Stone is simple - learn a language the same way our parents thought us through picture books. We are shown a photo and told what it is. We then say the word over and over until it is second-nature in our brain. When the photo comes up, we can easily identify it.
  
  Unlike other programs, there is no need to memorize a ridiculously long phrase or sentence that doesn't mean anything to us at the moment. In Rosetta Stone, we start with simple objects and words. Then we build to phrases and sentences using those same objects that we learned about.
  
  There is an included USB headset with mic so you can speak, analyze and compare your pronunciation with the voices on the program.
  
  The interface is simple and easy. There is nothing to learn. You install the program, activate the levels depending on what you purchased and then create a user so that you can save and go back to where you left off.
  
  Which means you work at your own pace.
  
  The latest addition to Rosetta Stone learning software is the so-called Audio Companion. Unlike other learning software that simply comes in an audio CD that you pop into your vehicle to listen and hopefully learn, this Rosetta Stone Audio Companion is a supplementary to the program. Do not attempt to learn by simply listening to the CDs. These were created to assist your learning experience for words that have already been imprinted into your brain by way of visual association.
  
  Like all other programs, this also has it's short-comings. Because Rosetta Stone immerses you right into the visual process, there are numerous times where you are fed phrases and sentences which only leave you wanting to ask questions on why it was constructed that why or when to leave out a letter in pronouncing a word which has slightly changed.
  
  I would want to be able to CHAT with someone on the other end to help me understand further before I go on to the next level of learning. Isn't that the same way when we were younger. We always asked WHY so we can understand the rules and be corrected for proper speaking.
  
  When I repeat the word, Rosetta Stone says I am correct. When I speak the same word to an actual friend who is native to the language I am not understood as much. I need to know when to pronounce certain letters and when not to. The program simply spoon feeds me the words. I can repeat a million times the word and boost the volume until my ears bleed, but for a person who speaks another language I need to know if there is a silent letter involved or if the letter is in fact pronounced but only in a subtle manner. You will know what I am saying when you get into the program itself.
  
  Lastly, despite the so-called Dynamic Immersion, you will not be able to learn as much and as fast if there is no one else you can converse with in the process of learning. Like your parents who were constantly speaking to you in a language you don't understand, your 24 hour immersion and constant questioning is what makes you finally understand. With Rosetta Stone and all other program, your learning and inability to ask questions is what makes learning a second language slow and limited.
  
  However, despite these I would strongly recommend Rosetta Stone as the only program to successfully make you understand another language in the fastest way possible. The price of the software is steep, but definitely worth it. It is there for you to learn and re-learn over and over.
  
  Finally after installation, don't forget to check for software updates (if the software has not done so already).
  
  Hope you enjoy learning a second language as much as I am learning right now with the help of Rosetta Stone....more info
• great program to help learn basic French, but be wary of the hype
  Rosetta Stone programs are very good for a quick and fast intro to a language, especially for the casual visitor. I used a previous version to help me learn enough French to get by on my frequent visits to Paris (on business), and my son has been using this version to support his school French classes. I found it very helpful in getting me quickly to a point of learning basic (broken) French, and improving my pronunciation and accent. My son has had similar experience.
  
  But be wary of the company's hype, that this is equivalent to an "immersion" program for learning a language, etc. That's nonsense; in fact, I found it very lacking in helping understand French grammar, and completely inadequate sometimes in just helping understand French words.
  
  So use it by all means. But a good French-English dictionary is essential. And so are friends/teachers who know the language and culture: I found it very necessary to ask questions of my French colleagues about proper idiomatic (and cultural) uses of various words and phrases....more info
• Learning through association
  If you've ever lived in a foreign country, you know that the first phrases and words you learn are those which you hear repeatedly associate with a particular object or experience. This is also the way we learn our mother tongue as children, though most adults don't think much about the roots of their own language learning.
  
  The Rosetta Stone software attempts to teach foreign languages in the same manner as living abroad or acquiring one's native language. It offers pictures and associated phrases for the learner to listen to and repeat. This method is very effective for the best possible retention and recall, though some might find it a bit repetitive and intense. The software does not act like a textbook offering explanations, translations and grammar. It acts like a private tutor.
  
  A USB headset is included with the software and you repeat the words you hear as part of the test to help reinforce your memory as well as check your pronunciation. If you complete all the contents of the discs, I have no doubt you will be ready to take the next step and start practicing with native speakers of the language you are studying. Note that the program is no substitute for real world practice, but they are a very good way to prepare you for such practice.
  
  I did not speak any French at all when I started going through the Core study program and found that I rapidly understood and remembered the basics I was being taught though I had to struggle not to think too much about the grammatical changes and focus on listening, repeating, and clicking the mouse. The basic testing procedure (at least at low levels) is to introduce a word or phrase, test the learners memory by having her choose a picture which is associated with the phrase and then ask the learner to spontaneously say the target word or phrase while only looking at a picture (this is close to the real world need to recall the words and phrases).
  
  While I enthusiastically endorse the software as a learning tool, I had some trouble with the discs themselves. It took a long time to read the first disc (about a half hour) and I believe it may have been scratched in the cardboard slip case causing my computer to have issues reading the disc. I think the discs ought to be put in better protection, but, other than that, I had no problems and was very pleased....more info
• BEWARE OF THE LICENSE DEMON!! with RosettaStone
  O.K. it's a great program. I have eight languages from RosettaStone and I love the program. But I had trouble installing the French onto my Vista laptop last October. I apparently accidentally activated the product twice in the installation process. So now in April the program says I'm out of seats on my license. I had to get the records from Amazon and email them to RosettaStone to prove I actually purchased the product. The company spokesperson says they've had massive fraud with their product. And they're right; if you search for their product on the web you'll find many, many places to ILLEGALLY download their product...I won't say more than that.
  But hassling a legitimate customer (with eight of their products) is bad form.
  I hope your install goes smoother than mine. If it doesn't you'll have to go through the hoops to prove you're legit.
  BE WARNED!...more info
• Rosetta Stone instruction relies upon total immersion, aurally & visually.
  I have always wanted to learn so at least understand French. Rosetta Stone instruction relies upon total immersion, aurally & visually. This is not a program that will work for anyone who wants to learn while driving. One must sit in front of the computer screen and one again learns by hearing the language spoken and seeing images, probably the most basic way most people learn best. Since this methodolgy requires a great deal of time, it is ideal for those seriously interested in comprehending an additional language. ...more info
• Working for me
  I took French in school for a total of 4 years. It was a very boring and unintuitive way to learn a language. I still recall some stuff, but never felt confident about trying to speak it. Most of the work were drills done in class on conjugating verbs and memorizing words as they related to English.
  
  The Rosetta Stone takes a completely different approach and although it's been a good 15 years since my last French class, I found myself responding and doing well consistently using this approach.
  
  The lessons are broken into 3 Levels. Each level has 4 units and each unit has several lessons- listening, speaking, grammar, vocabulary, and writing among. The lessons were broken up so that the brain is continually stimulated while at the same time working with the same material. It was very easy to progress from lesson to lesson and I found that the positive feedback, the picture cues, the visual wording, and the auditory cues were well-combined in different ways. I have the hardest time trying to speak as opposed to understand, and the grammar portion and writing portions were complimentary in helping to build those cognitive bridges in my mind.
  
  All in all, I feel more confident about using this set than I did in taking a class, and it was less tedious....more info
• An Easy Way to Learn of Foreign Language
  This is one of the easiest ways ever to learn a foreign language. And I speak as someone who has had a tin ear for learning langauges in a classroom settting....more info
• Easy to understand
  This program is very straight-forward and easy to understand. I can see where learning as you did as a child by being taught what things are and what to call them would be an easy way to learn. I am excited to advance through the levels....more info
• A truly complete package
  I was pleasantly surprised with the completeness of this course. It contains everything to gently introduce the user to the French language, with each stage leading to a higher one.
  WIth the audio companion included, learning the french language become even easier. This is highly recommended...more info
• Good program, but a Nightmare if you ever move software to another computer.
  When I needed to move the Rosetta Stone software to another computer, I had no idea what a pain it would be. I was on the phone for hours with them, being switched back and forth between American and Indian call centers. I must have had to read my activation number a dozen times to various people, many of which were phonetically challenged.
  
  Good program, nightmare re-activation....more info
• Excellent way to learn a language
  This program is a great way to learn a language. The method of using pictures with the text helps you make associations and learn much faster and easier than just memorizing words. You do need to be self motivated but I found myself looking forward to the lessons. The program will automatically recommend to repeat a lesson if you make too many errors. I love that you can have up to 5 users so others can learn along with you and that makes it a good value for households that have several members who would like to learn the language. I think it would also be a great family activity and learning with others would be great for motivation and practice. The audio companion CDs are a big help to reinforce and practice what you have learned.
  I had no problems with the software installation and set up except for some reason the software could not detect my wireless connection and I had to register by phone....more info
• Easy to follow, helpful and fun.
  Having not spoken french since college and needing to brush up on the language rather quickly; this instruction set is turning out to be quite handy. The process by which the creator leads you through this training is much like learning your first language. I wish this product could have existed 15 years ago and we all could have avoided countless years of traditional second language assimilation. Excellent resource that I highly recommend. Tous les bons souhaits....more info
• Overrated and Overpriced
  While I like the speech recognition feature (although it only works marginally well on a Mac), the rest of this application leaves something to be desired when it comes to actual effectiveness in learning the French language. Unless you are a young child who is bombarded by the French language 24/7, immersion as a singular method is not as effective as leveraging your knowledge of the English language to learn French. Although I certainly did learn a few things, I felt somewhat dissatisfied with RS. I decided to take a French course at a local community college and it was there that I realized with alarming clarity how much more effective a good classroom experience really is. There are simply too many rules and other idiosyncrasies to the French language which cannot be absorbed using RS. Having a teacher explain things to you in a classroom or via the superior Fluenz language application makes your learning significantly more effective. This is not to say that RS is useless. I firmly believe that RS can be effective, but only as a SUPPLEMENT to a classroom or an application which actually teaches you the rules in English. Just because RS looks pretty and is well marketed doesn't mean it is the best tool out there. It is not. If you happen to be one of the fortunate with money to burn, then go for it, but please don't rely on RS as your sole learning tool....more info