A while back, I mentioned that I’ve started using Rosetta Stone. I had to put that on hold for a while, but now that I’m feeling better, I’ve jumped back in. I’ve gotten to Level 2 (out of 5 total in the whole course). Each level takes a month or two.
So how is it?
For starters, it’s getting difficult. We’re at the edge of what I remember from high school and college, so the free ride is over – I actually have to learn from Rosetta itself. We’re getting into past tense, indirect objects, and other grammatical stuff that really makes me think. Vocabulary is easy, but grammar is a mofo. That said, the only way to master it is practice, and that’s exactly what Rosetta Stone gives you tons of.
What about the central idea of Rosetta Stone – immersion, forcing you to learn Spanish by throwing away English? It’s working…reasonably well, I’d say. A few times I’ve “cheated” by going to Google Translate to figure out what the heck they’re talking about, but mostly I’m able to figure it out as I go. Again, though, I have a lot of background in Spanish already.
Despite a few minor gripes, I’m pretty satisfied. After all, I’m learning Spanish, which has been a lifelong dream. I’m very curious how fluent I’ll be at the end of all this.
Brian D. Buckley 