Rosetta Stone German
Summary
Rosetta Stone German is one of the most well-known resources for learning German 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.
The platform is a bit clunky on desktop, but the material is accurate and presented clearly; lesson mechanics are fairly intuitive.
Without much opportunity to build your own sentences, I don’t think you’ll reach a conversational level with any notable speed.
Rosetta Stone’s Lifetime Subscription ($179) is quite attractive if you like the Rosetta Stone Method. Shorter subscriptions are quite reasonable, too.
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.
ALR Readers Exclusive Holiday Deal!! Get the Lifetime Subscription for 25 languages for $179 (everywhere else it’s $199 right now!). See details on the website.
Rosetta Stone German is a well-known language-learning software that offers a comprehensive and interactive approach to learning German. It offers a variety of features that are designed to help learners pick up the language quickly and efficiently. The program is built around a series of interactive lessons that use a variety of methods, such as visual aids, audio recordings, and activities, to teach the language. The course is available online through the company’s website and via their German language app. Additionally, it offers live online sessions with native speakers, allowing learners to practice their speaking and listening skills in a real-life setting.
Things to consider before buying Rosetta Stone German
Time Requirements for Rosetta Stone German
The first thing to consider before purchasing Rosetta Stone German is how much time you have available to study. Each level of Rosetta Stone is designed to take between 40 and 50 hours to complete. The German course has five levels, meaning you will take between 200 and 250 hours to complete the course. This is in addition to any other time you may spend, for example talking with a live teacher. The US Department of State classes German as a Level 2 language, meaning it takes approximately 750 hours to learn. With this in mind, Rosetta Stone German is a foundational course, but does not have enough content time to enable you to progress to fluency.
The Price of Rosetta Stone German
Related to this is the price. Rosetta Stone is one of the pricier language learning models out there. Rosetta Stone offers three pricing plans– 3-month, 12-month, and lifetime subscriptions. The 3-month and 12-month plans cost $11.99/month, which billed as one payment of either $35.97 or $143.88. These grant you access to only one language. The lifetime subscription allows you to access all 25 languages offered by Rosetta Stone, for a one-time payment of $299 (but often on sale at $179).
With this, you have access to all 25 languages for life. So if you are only interested in learning German and feel you can complete the 250 hours offered by Rosetta Stone in three or twelve months, those plans will be the best options for you. However, if you feel that you’d like to explore other languages or take longer to complete the courses, then it might be worth investing in the lifetime plan.
The Technology requirements for Rosetta Stone German
You should also consider the technology you have available to you. According to the FAQs, in order to use Rosetta Stone, you need a PC or Mac with broadband internet access and a USB headset with microphone.
Lack of German grammar lessons
The grammar of German is believed to be one of the most difficult aspects of the language for native English speakers to get to grips with. This is largely due to German’s case system and word order. As an ‘intuitive’ teaching tool, Rosetta Stone German does not include explicit grammar instruction and so you might find it difficult to understand the intricacies of German grammar if you rely on Rosetta Stone alone.
For example, German has eight different ways of saying ‘the’ (der, die, das, dem, der, den, des) depending on the case of the noun (i.e. what the noun is doing in the sentence.) While Rosetta Stone German may teach a phrase such as “Ich esse den Kuchen” (I eat the cake) there will be no explanation as to why we’re saying ‘den Kuchen’ rather than ‘der Kuchen.’
Features and Benefits of Rosetta Stone German
Interactive exercises and speech recognition
Rosetta Stone German features a variety of interactive exercises to practise the four language skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing). Rosetta Stone’s software adapts to users’ learning pace and progress, providing them with lessons and activities that are tailored to their individual needs. Speech recognition technology is used by Rosetta Stone German to give users instant feedback on their pronunciation and help them improve their speaking skills.
Great for visual learners
Rosetta Stone makes heavy use of a variety of visual aids, such as images and videos, to help users learn new vocabulary and concepts in a more engaging and memorable way. This engagement has proven to be highly effective in helping to remember words and phrases
Immersion based approach
The software provides an immersive, total-language learning experience with exposure to language in context and learning of grammar and syntax through practical examples in context
Course flexibility
Users have the flexibility to choose between different levels and modules of German, from beginner to advanced, and the adaptive learning feature and personalized progress tracking ensures you are on the right track. Users access the Rosetta Stone from anywhere and learn at their own pace.
Alternatives to Rosetta Stone German
SmarterGerman
SmarterGerman is an excellent choice for learning German because it helps users conquer tricky aspects of the language that are typically hard for native English speakers. One challenge is German grammar, with its complex rules for nouns, gender, and cases. SmarterGerman simplifies these rules, making them easier to understand and use in real-life situations. This approach not only demystifies the language but also speeds up the learning process, making it a great resource for anyone aiming to master German.
StoryLearning German Uncovered
Rosetta Stone is proud of its language immersion experience. Another immersive language course is StoryLearning German Uncovered. As its name suggests, StoryLearning uses stories to teach you German. Right from Day 1, StoryLearning uses engaging stories to teach German at a variety of levels (from A1 – Total Beginner to B2 – Advanced) and is suitable for learners who have no German at all. With eight different courses to get stuck into (and a seven-day free trial) Story Learning is an entertaining, immersive way to kick-start your German learning.
Pimsleur German
If you are busy (who isn’t?), and want to focus on learning to speak German fast and you want a method that makes good use of pronunciation teaching, you should considering trying out Pimsleur’s German course. Pimsleur teaches German phrases by having you repeat them after a native speaker has spoken. The speaker will start by saying each word or syllable of a phrase, before combining them to make the full phrase. The course will point out any sounds that are different or similar to English sounds. By copying the native, you will quickly learn how to make the most difficult German sounds (such as the throaty -ch sound in words like ich) quickly and easily.
Germanpod101
Podcasts are also a great way to improve your listening comprehension skills and pick up new vocabulary. One of the best podcasts on the market especially non-beginners is Germanpod101. Each episode makes up a 10-15 minute German lesson from a real conversation between native German and English speakers to teach both grammar and vocabulary. You can check out our full review of Germanpod101 on our website.
Rosetta Stone alone is not a satisfactory source for learning German. If the price point seems reasonable for you, you might want to use it as a supplement to other learning tools, such as Story Learning, Pimsleur or Germanpod101. However, the lack of grammar instruction and the seemingly ‘random’ vocabulary does not make it a standalone course worth the money.
Related Articles: