Rosetta Stone Mandarin Chinese

Summary

Rosetta Stone is one of the most well-known resources for learning languages. It takes an immersive approach to teaching and is widely used by corporations and individuals alike. High levels of repetition and an absence of translations or explanations are hallmarks of the course. Rosetta Stone course could be most suitable for learners that don’t mind repetitive exercises and prefer to learn from pictures and context rather than translations and explanations. It’s probably not a good option for anyone wanting to significantly improve their speaking or writing skills, or those looking for an engaging course.

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I Like

• The audio quality is very good.
• Lessons progress naturally and logically.

I Don’t Like

• It’s repetitive and boring.
• You don’t get to generate your own sentences.
• Speech recognition doesn’t work very well.
• No grammar explanations in core material.

Price

A three-month subscription to one language is $35.97, which works out to be $11.99/month.
A year-long subscription to one course is $95.88, which is $7.99/month. Both of these subscriptions are automatically recurring.
Lifetime access to all Rosetta Stone language courses is available for $199.

Get a lifetime of language learning for $149 this Black Friday! Over 60% off on Rosetta Stone courses! See details on the website. Offer ends on 12/4/2023.

Pimsleur Chinese

Summary

Pimsleur Chinese is one of the most popular and longest-standing resources out there for learning the Chinese language. Its courses place a strong emphasis on aural and verbal communication skills, paying less attention to grammar explanations and reading or writing skills. 

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I Like

• The lessons are structured well and are an appropriate length.
• There are both male and female native speakers.
• Lessons build on each other nicely.
• The platform is easy to navigate and visually appealing.

I Don’t Like

• There’s very little visual content.
• Lesson speed isn’t customizable.

Price

Subscriptions of either $14.95/month or $19.95/month are available for courses with at least 60 lessons. Prices otherwise range from around $20 to over $500. All purchases come with a 7-day free trial.

Pimsleur Cyber Sale! Get 50% off on the first month of All Access.

Get 50% off on the first month of All Access after a 7-Day free trial! See details on the website. Offer ends on 11/29/2023.

Limited Time Offer. Get the Annual All Access Subscription at 20% off! See details on the website. Offer ends on 11/29/2023.

StoryLearning Chinese Uncovered

Summary

StoryLeaning Mandarin Chinese Uncovered comes from Olly Richards, the creator of the super popular polyglot blog. It’s quite a bit different than most courses as it revolves around a story. It can be a bit more challenging than other courses, as you begin reading somewhat long texts right off the bat. Overall, I found it to be a more fun way to approach language learning that will be great for some but not ideal for others.

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I Like

• Immersive narrative approach
• Comprehensive vocabulary, literacy, and culture lessons
• Qualified Chinese tutor to explain grammar concepts
• Introduction to Hanzi (Chinese writing system)

I Don’t Like

• Offers speaking activities, but no interactive software
• Pricier than many competing language learning programs

Price

A one-time purchase costs $297. There’s also a 7-day free trial.

Yoyo Chinese

Summary

Yoyo Chinese is probably the most established and popular website for online Chinese courses. Yangyang has helped hundreds of thousands of students learn Chinese and her videos have been viewed millions of times. There are several different video-based courses available which include interactive quizzes, clear explanations, and tons of practice, with each progressing in difficulty. I think the conversational courses are especially good value.

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I Like

• The way Yangyang explains the content makes it super easy to understand.
• The courses are structured very well, with less English spoken as you move up levels.
• The combination of real-life Chinese as it’s spoken on the street with more ‘correct’ Chinese.
• High-quality videos with lots useful extras to practice what you’ve learned.

I Don’t Like

• The lessons definitely use more English compared with equivalent levels of other resources.
• There are other resources I prefer over the Chinese Characters courses.

Price

Yoyo Chinese offers subscription options and the Lifetime one-time purchase option. If you want to test out the program, try a monthly full-access “Learn” subscription for $19.99/mo. Or an annual subscription for $11.99/mo. Lifetime one-time purchase is $399 (don’t forget the 10% discount with the discount code ALR10!!).