Since its launch in 1992, Rosetta Stone has built a strong reputation and has grown to become one of the most well-known language learning companies. Korean has long been on the company’s list of taught languages, having gone into production by 1996 and so the Rosetta Stone Korean programme has a long history behind it. But how useful is Rosetta Stone for helping learn Korean?

The Rosetta Stone learning system is a language learning program that aims to provide an immersive and interactive experience for learners. The Rosetta Stone method is based on the idea of language immersion, similar to how children learn their first language.

The program avoids direct translations and explanations in the learner’s native language, instead focusing on associating words and phrases with pictures, audio, and contextual clues. Speaking is assessed using speech recognition technology which provides immediate feedback on pronunciation.

Learners are prompted to repeat words and phrases, and the software evaluates their pronunciation, helping them improve their speaking skills. The Rosetta Stone program emphasizes practical language skills and communication. It aims to develop the learner’s ability to understand and speak the target language in real-life situations. The program includes exercises that encourage conversation and interactive dialogues to enhance communication skills.

With a price tag of $200 – $300, Rosetta Stone might be considered a financial investment for your Korean learning. Before taking the plunge, you should consider:

Questions to ask yourself before buying Rosetta Stone Korean

What are your learning goals?

Clarify your learning objectives and determine if Rosetta Stone aligns with them. Rosetta Stone’s immersive approach focuses on building vocabulary and basic language skills. If your goal is to achieve conversational fluency or advanced proficiency, you may need to supplement Rosetta Stone with additional resources.

What are your learning traits?

Consider how you best learn. Rosetta Stone primarily relies on visual and auditory learning methods without translations or explanations in your native language. If you prefer a more structured or explicit approach, Rosetta Stone’s immersion method may not be the best fit for you.

What is your current language level?

Rosetta Stone typically offers courses for beginners and lower intermediate learners. If you already have some knowledge of Korean, consider if the program’s starting level aligns with your skills to avoid redundancy.

Rosetta Stone Korean Course Content

Research the specific content and scope of the Korean Rosetta Stone program. Look for information on the vocabulary, grammar, cultural topics, and language skills covered in the course. Ensure that it meets your expectations and covers the areas you want to focus on.

As a 30-year veteran of online language teaching, Rosetta Stone has developed a range of features to facilitate your Korean learning:

Immersive Learning Method:

Rosetta Stone follows an immersive approach, which means the program will likely rely on visuals, audio, and contextual clues rather than translations or explanations in your native language. This approach aims to simulate a language immersion environment and encourages you to think and communicate directly in Korean.

Vocabulary Building

 Rosetta Stone typically focuses on building vocabulary, teaching you essential words and phrases through images and audio recordings. You’ll likely learn a wide range of vocabulary related to various topics, allowing you to develop a foundation for understanding and expressing yourself in Korean, this is similar to the approach we covered in our 90 Day korean review.

Pronunciation Practice

Rosetta Stone often incorporates speech recognition technology to help you improve your pronunciation. You’ll likely have opportunities to listen to native speakers, repeat words and phrases, and receive instant feedback on your pronunciation to refine your speaking skills.

Listening and Comprehension

The program may include listening exercises designed to enhance your listening comprehension skills in Korean. You’ll likely listen to dialogues, conversations, and audio recordings to develop your ability to understand spoken Korean.

Interactive Exercises

Rosetta Stone typically provides interactive exercises and activities to reinforce your language learning. These exercises may include image-word association, fill-in-the-blank exercises, multiple-choice questions, and more, engaging you actively in the learning process.

Alternatives to Rosetta Stone Korean

However, Rosetta Stone has attracted a great deal of critique from linguists and language teachers. If you think Rosetta Stone may not be for you, you might want to check out one of the competitor companies. We recommend:

90 Day Korean

90 Day Korean is an impressively well-structured Korean program. It explains the language clearly, and helps you really learn Korean instead of merely memorizing the language. It has a built-in buddy runner of a sort, meaning it only feeds you one week’s worth of content at a time, so you don’t become overwhelmed looking at million lessons that lay ahead. 90 Day Korean has a lot of little psychological tricks that make Korean learning more effective.

The program is made exclusively for Korean learners, so its teaching structure and flow are far more effortless than Rosetta Stone with a similarly immersive feel. We highly recommend it.

Pimsleur Korean

The Pimsleur app, which also focuses on hands-free, eyes-free learning and provides a series of audio lessons that allow you to immerse yourself in the Korean language and train your ears to understand and produce Korean sounds. The key benefit to Pimsleur’s Korean course is that it incorporates a method called spaced repetition, where key vocabulary and phrases are strategically reintroduced at specific intervals. This technique reinforces your memory and helps you retain the language more effectively. Pimsleur helps you speak Korean from Day One. That’s pretty encouraging!

Koreanclass101

KoreanClass101 is a comprehensive online learning platform that provides lessons in various formats, including audio lessons, video lessons, vocabulary lists, grammar explanations, and cultural insights. This makes it a good alternative if you prefer more than just the audio format of Rosetta Stone. It offers a more diverse and multifaceted approach to learning Korean. KoreanClass101 also offers interactive features such as lesson discussions, quizzes, and flashcards, allowing learners to practice and test their knowledge actively. It provides a more interactive and engaging learning experience compared to the primarily audio-based approach of Rosetta Stone.

Rocket Korean

Rocket Korean is also comprehensive online learning platform that offers a variety of learning materials, including interactive audio lessons, grammar explanations, vocabulary lists, cultural lessons, and practice activities. It provides a well-rounded approach to learning Korean that incorporates listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Like Rosetta Stone, Rocket Korean offers pronunciation training with voice recognition technology that allows learners to compare their pronunciation to native speakers.

The Final verdict on Rosetta Korean

In conclusion, Rosetta Stone Korean offers a language learning program with its own set of strengths and weaknesses. The program’s immersive and interactive approach aims to simulate a natural language acquisition process.

By emphasizing visual cues and context, it aims to develop intuitive language skills. While Rosetta Stone provides an extensive vocabulary and covers various language topics, it may fall short in certain areas.

Some users have found the program lacking in terms of grammar explanations and cultural insights, which are important aspects of language learning. The absence of explicit grammar instruction may leave learners seeking more guidance in understanding the underlying structures of the Korean language.

It’s worth remembering that every individual has different learning preferences and styles, and what may work for some may not work as effectively for others. While Rosetta Stone Korean has its limitations, it may still offer value for those who prefer a self-paced, visually immersive approach to language learning and prioritize vocabulary acquisition.

We have lots of ideas for your perfect language learning journey. Check out our “Best Way To Learn Korean“, “14 Best Korean Courses“, “The 20+ Best Apps To Learn Korean“, and “Improve Your Korean With 16 Fabulous Podcasts“.