Learning Italian: Fluenz or Rosetta Stone

We've had lots of discussions on the board about learning language. The two programs mentioned the most for learning "conversational" Italian is either Pimsleur or Michel Thomas.

Rosetta Stone is much more in depth but won't help to teach you the type of conversational Italian you'll need as a tourist.

as mentioned, you can search to find earlier discussions.

My advice would be to get the 1st 30 lessons from Pimsleur out of your local library, and after that buy the Assimil program (around $30). Assimil starts off too quickly if you haven't done some prep with Pimsleur first, IMHO

The BBC on-line courses are highly regarded and free. Don't know whether there will be problems in taking part for those with non-UK ISPs

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/italian/

I would also recommend Bertlitz Italian. I am currently using this software to learn Italian and it's been really great. It has computer software (including voice recognition & flashcards), cds for listening & learning via the car & a cd to download onto your ipod & mp3 player (all for $50). You can check out reviews on amazon.com. I did a lot of research prior to buying as I wanted to make sure I was getting the best value for my money. I don't see a lot of difference between Berlitz & Rosetta. Good luck!

I use the BBC language courses regularly, no problem using them outside UK.

I have Rosetta Stone. Works for me. It is very intuitive, and while it will not necessarily make you "fluent", it will give you basic communication skills that you can add upon. Italians love it when you at least try to speak their language and most will gladly help you find the right words.

I agree with Mike - Assimil is a great system, especially for listening practice. It's ideal for beginners to get a feel for the natural language, and it's actually fun. But if you're analytical, you may want to supplement with something more grammar oriented.

But Mike,
where did you find Assimil for $30? I've only seen it for $100+.

I tried Rosetta Stone but didn't like it. I used many different CDs but whatever you choose, after you have gone through it, buy Michel Thomas's CDs. They really take you to the next level, he has you conjugating verbs in different tenses before you know it and without rote memorization. I know it sounds crazy, but it really works. Now I can carry on a conversation in Italy, something I never thought I would be able to do. As a matter of fact, the last time I was in Italy, an Italian asked me if I were German. I think he just couldn't believe that an American could converse in Italian. I have also used his French and Spanish CDs and they work well except I think what little Spanish I speak sounds like a cross between a French and a southern accent.

Before you purchase any programs, drop by the library and check out a selection of options. Try them then buy the one(s) you like best.

Penny, Amazon carries "Italian with Ease" which is the CD and transcript booklet for $32.97