Rosetta Stone Version 3: French Level 1, 2 & 3 Set with Audio Companion | 
| From: Rosetta Stone
List Price: $549.00
Buy New: $494.10
You Save: $54.90 (10%)
Rating:  17 reviews
Sales Rank: 74
Format: Cd-rom
Platforms: Windows Vista, Windows 2000, Windows Xp, Mac Os X
Media: CD-ROM
Operating System: Mac OS X
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2
Dimensions (in): 7.7 x 6.4 x 2.9
Model: 21185
UPC: 794678211850
EAN: 0794678211850
ASIN: B001AFD20E
Release Date: June 16, 2008
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Features:
| • | Rosetta Stone helps you understand everyday language through proficiency-based listening and reading activities, proprietary speech recognition and analysis tools | | • | Contextual Formation makes sure you have the confidence and the cues you need to get the words out on the spot | | • | Milestone activities quickly give you confidence to engage in real-life conversations; Adaptive Recall reinforces language so it sticks with you | | • | Audio Companion allows you to take Rosetta Stone anywhere: in the car, the gym or on-the-go | | • | Build a foundation and navigate your surroundings: learn fundamental vocabulary and essential language structure, from greetings and introductions to simple questions and their answers |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Rosetta Stone Personal Edition contains everything you need to start learning a language. It's built around our award-winning Rosetta Stone curriculum, which has been adopted by organizations around the world including the U.S. Army, NASA, major corporations such as Deutsche Telecom, IKEA, Royal Dutch Shell, and over 10,000 schools worldwide--and is available in 31 languages spoken by over 90% of the world's population. The Fastest, Easiest Way to Learn a New Language Proceed at Your Own Pace
Rosetta Stone is considerate of your time. Anytime, anywhere, you can learn a new language with Rosetta Stone. You learn comfortably without feeling pressured or overwhelmed. Rosetta Stone provides guidance to make your language learning effective, fast, and enjoyable with a process that is intuitive, interactive, and visually engaging. At the end of each lesson, you are given the opportunity to test your new skills. And, since Rosetta Stone automatically records your progress, you can easily pick up where you left off, when other priorities arise. Make Language Learning Intuitive with Dynamic Immersion
Rosetta Stone uses rich visual imagery to help you learn. You will be presented with sets of images to match correctly with a spoken or written phrase in the new language. You will advance to the next set of prompts once you've successfully matched words and images and pronounced the words correctly. With Dynamic Immersion, you learn by directly associating your new language with images--nothing is lost in translation. | The comprehensive language-learning solution that fits your life. 
Learn Naturally
Learn your next language the same way you learned your first language. Dynamic Immersion empowers you to see, hear and comprehend without translating or memorizing. You already have this ability, Rosetta Stone simply unlocks it. Engage Interactively
Get feedback to move forward. You learn best by doing, and you'll apply what you've learned to get to the next step. Rosetta Stone adapts to your individual needs and skills, because you drive the program with your progress. Speak Confidently
Start speaking immediately. From the very first lesson, you'll speak. You'll begin with essential basics, which form the building blocks of the language. Soon you'll create new sentences on your own using words you've learned. Have Fun
Best of all, Rosetta Stone is addictive. With every entertaining activity, you'll feel success. You'll want to use Rosetta Stone to have that next moment, that next breakthrough. So you'll keep using it, and you'll learn more! | Fun, Easy, and Immediate Reinforcement
Interactive exercises create a learning environment that is engaging and game-like--it's fun! How It Works As children, we gradually learned our first language through a process of associating mental images with words or phrases, accompanied by complete immersion in our environment. This approach was simple because it was natural and allowed the brain to adapt to increasing complexity. Rosetta Stone recreated this natural way of learning by developing a method that uses a computer to mimic the environment in which we learned our first language. We call this Dynamic Immersion. A simple, intuitive interface and advanced technology confirms learning at every step of the process by prompting you to make connections between images you already understand and the new language. You receive immediate feedback, which helps you to reinforce learning. This systematic structure builds from simple nouns and verbs to more complex concepts and phrases very quickly, helping you achieve your language-learning goals faster than you ever thought possible. Level 1, 2 & 3--Connect With the World Connect with the world around you. Build a foundation of fundamental vocabulary and essential language structure. Quickly gain the confidence to enjoy social interactions such as greetings and introductions, travel, dining out, giving and getting directions, shopping and other recreational activities. Learn to share your ideas and opinions, express your feelings and talk about everyday life, your work, your interests, current events, and much more. Features & Benefits Faster and More Effective
Rosetta Stone will teach you as fast as you can learn! Leveraging your natural language-learning ability, Version 3 immerses you immediately in the new language, providing just the right context to prompt you to speak, pronounce, read and write in the very first lesson! Intuitive, sequential learning builds progressively and makes every lesson count. Our Dynamic Immersion method is so fast and so effective, it's used by the Fortune 500, the U.S. State Department, and over 10,000 schools. Convenient
You pick the time, the place and the pace! We are ready when you are because there are no class schedules or missed lessons to make up. From your desk or your dining room, your valuable time can be turned into productive language learning that fits your lifestyle. Enjoyable
When something is fun, it captures your attention...and holds it! The interactivity in Version 3 instantly engages you. Rich, vivid imagery, real-life context and voices of native speakers make Rosetta Stone different from any other product out there--never tedious or boring. Rosetta Stone provides a captivating, game-like experience. Milestones
Learn and apply! Our MILESTONE feature lets you try out your new language knowledge in real-life situations. Track Your Progress
New ADAPTIVE RECALL feature tracks your progress, reinforcing your strengths and revisiting your development areas. New Speech Recognition Technology
State-of-the-art new speech recognition technology helps you learn to speak your new language even faster. And our new Speech Analysis Tool compares your voice to that of native speakers, helping you perfect your pronunciation. Life-like Context
Our New CONTEXTUAL FORMATION feature uses real-life simulations and vivid imagery to give you exactly the context you need to produce new language--all on your own! Level 1, 2 & 3 Set Includes: The Basics
Nouns, verbs, adjectives, numbers, questions, colors, clothing. Friends and Family
Ages, family relations, household items, introductions, landmarks, states, descriptions. Work and School
Times of day, greetings, calendar terms, body parts, speaking, personal hygiene. Shopping
Buying, selling and shopping; entertainment and sports; merchandise, speed and weight, comparing and contrasting. Travel
Destinations, transportation, directions, locations, telling time, distance, cost, weather. Past and Future
Tenses, letter writing, school subjects, signs, workplace terms, polite requests. Friends and Social Life
Months of the year, arrivals and departures, social interaction, celebrations, meal courses, quality terms, apologies. Dining and Vacation
Future tense; terms for art, architecture and music; emotions, places of worship, travel and lodging. Home and Health
Terms for home, garden and backyard activities; household items and appliances; terms for strength and physical activity. Life and World
Emotions, continents, life milestones, oceans, botanical terms, terms for animals. Places and Events
Opinion and judgments, currency exchange and transactions; measurements, household repair tools, culinary terms. Talking About the World
Nationalities, governmental leaders, political terms, media terms, business terms, religious terms. Doing things!  Audio Companion allows you to take Rosetta Stone anywhere: in the car, the gym or on-the-go. | Audio Companion--Taking Rosetta Stone to the Next Level Introducing Audio Companion from Rosetta Stone, the newest enhancement to the world's #1 language-learning software! It's a great addition to the Rosetta Stone experience, allowing you to take Rosetta Stone anywhere: in the car, the gym or on-the-go! What is Audio Companion?
Audio Companion CD-ROMs enhance language learning anytime, anyplace. You can learn new skills on the computer, and then reinforce them with Audio Companion. Play the CDs on a stereo, or download them to a MP3 Player and go! Enhance the Rosetta Stone Learning Experience
Audio Companion activities correspond to Rosetta Stone CD-ROM software lessons. You can listen to Audio Companion and practice what you've been learning, turning travel time into productive language learning time. Extend Study Time
Now, you don't have to stop learning when you leave your computer. Audio Companion lets you access lessons whenever and wherever you want. It empowers you, and works within your busy lifestyle! Build Vocabulary and Pronounce Words and Phrases
Audio Companion features distinct words and shorter phrases to make them easier to hear and repeat. Build good enunciation habits by hearing native speakers pronounce them first. Speak and Converse
The speaking portion of Audio Companion lets you listen to questions and answers, repeating them to use later. To help them build your conversation skills, first you'll listen to a conversation and then repeat phrases individually.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 12 more reviews...
 Next best thing to human beings July 24, 2008
Rebecca Haden (Fayetteville, AR)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
Language is essentially a human thing, and it's always going to be better to have humans to converse with. If you don't have that option, Rosetta Stone is an excellent second choice.
The main activity is on your computer. You are presented with photos -- and they are very nice, with multicultural groups of people having all kinds of fun, and beautiful pictures of objects and animals -- and then you read and listen, click, and speak or type in response.
Each of the 16 lessons in each level contains a Core Lesson which presents vocabulary and sentence patterns in a logical sequence. You hear native speakers and every effort is made to keep the language natural -- for example, whent he question is "Is she sleeeping?" the speaker is asking about a baby on her shoulder. It is a situation in which it is reasonable to ask the question.
There is a microphone to speak into, and it makes a sad little noise if your pronunciation is not close enough. You get the same thing if you give a wrong answer -- clicking, for eample, on the eggs when you were prompted to click on just one egg.
Some of us may feel frustrated at being unable to say "So plurals are made by doing X?" or "What exactly is a Y?" but if you can relax and proceed through the course, you will find that it all becomes clear as you go along.
The accompanying CDs are a traditional listen and repeat format, again using native speakers. You will soon be listening to complex sentences and lengthy conversations.
You can go at your own pace, and it is very easy to navigate backwards or forwards. You also have the option of setting up your course to focus on one or all of the skills of understanding, reading, speaking, and writing. The initial set-up took about 15 minutes.
 Superb Language Package July 23, 2008
Kristi in Rochester (Rochester, NY United States)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Rosetta Stone is a top quality language learning program that is truly impressive. The package of materials includes a computer program, USB audio headset with microphone, keyboard overlay for the standard French keyboard, a clear and detailed instruction booklet, and multiple CD's to reinforce your language learning program.
I'm very impressed with the clarity of the lessons, and the comprehensive nature of the course. For the cost of a single college credit (state or community college, really), you can get a thorough grounding in the language of your choice, with audio and visual materials far better than you'll find in most college classrooms. BTW, the accent is better than many local instructors, and the computer-based instructor has endless patience, too!
Working for me July 29, 2008
yogagirl (chicago)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I took French in school for a total of 4 years. It was a very boring and unintuitive way to learn a language. I still recall some stuff, but never felt confident about trying to speak it. Most of the work were drills done in class on conjugating verbs and memorizing words as they related to English.
The Rosetta Stone takes a completely different approach and although it's been a good 15 years since my last French class, I found myself responding and doing well consistently using this approach.
The lessons are broken into 3 Levels. Each level has 4 units and each unit has several lessons- listening, speaking, grammar, vocabulary, and writing among. The lessons were broken up so that the brain is continually stimulated while at the same time working with the same material. It was very easy to progress from lesson to lesson and I found that the positive feedback, the picture cues, the visual wording, and the auditory cues were well-combined in different ways. I have the hardest time trying to speak as opposed to understand, and the grammar portion and writing portions were complimentary in helping to build those cognitive bridges in my mind.
All in all, I feel more confident about using this set than I did in taking a class, and it was less tedious.
Mon impression premiere July 24, 2008
JRH (Maryland United States)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Day 1: Installation on my windows xp computer failed, however, the installation on a windows vista machine went smoothly. The sound quality is excellent, and the opening lessons went smoothly and quickly. My retention seems pretty good due to the intense repetition. I had no problem figuring out what the program was talking about. Setting up the microphone was a bit tricky for optimum voice recognition. Make sure that the background is very quiet and that there are no echoes in the room (e.g., carpet helps). Otherwise, the instructions are straightforward. Having a dictionary or phrase book handy helps. La vie est bonne.
Week 1: Ca va? Total immersion sounds good on the surface, but in practice, it leaves a lot to be desired. The makers of this program would do well to have exercises to build some vocabulary and word recognition at least in the early stages of learning. I have achieved some pretty good scores, but only after obtaining some more traditional material. Now the total immersion seems pretty good. The microphone works about 80% of the time. Either that, or my pronunciation is really terrible (I vote for the mic as the source of the problem). So far, I am enjoying the Rosetta French program, which is 90% of the battle to keep going. Au revoir.
After more use, my vocabulary is actually starting to improve. Some of the implied grammar is coming through. However, it is much easier to consult some printed material when the program starts into distinguishing between masculine and feminine nouns and singular and plural forms. I think that the Rosetta Stone program should be treated as a supplement to more traditional text book study. I started doing this, and then the program is good as a language lab drilling the user on pronunciation and useful forms of expression. So far, I am quite happy with Rosetta Stone French complimented by a good book on vocabulary and grammar. I improved the microphone accuracy to almost 100% by carefully adjusting the distance further from my mouth.
Week 3 and 4 Progress continues. I cannot say that I am speaking French, but the ever calm program puts up with my blunders and never laughs. I am getting to the point where I might where I might screw up the courage to try to speak to a real live native French speaker after bribing him with a few drinks. The problem is that the Rosetta Stone program so far has not provided the vocabulary to hold a normal conversation about things that real people discuss in the US. However, I have some supplemental vocabulary from texts. I'll let you know what happens.
Good concept July 29, 2008
memoiai (USA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
French is probably the most difficult Latin based language to learn for me. The pronunciation does me in quite a bit. I'm part way through Level 1, and going very slowly, constantly repeating back the words that are being spoken to me in my daily life, and that's the way to go. This program is much better than taking a book from the library and quite literally decoding the accent marks on the words to try and understand how to say it, but is a cheaper alternative to taking a class (although, of course it can never substitute in for one).
The presentation of the material, a picture, a word, and the pronunciation, and you having to pick your way through several options to get the rights answer is a good way to learn a language, the way kids do, but adults have forgotten. It's not rote memorization, it's seeing, interpreting, and trying through experience. I strongly recommend that you take frequent time-outs during your course and use the words and phrases in everyday life to strengthen their meaning in your head. Making the words and pictures your own, in real life, instead of a computer screen, will help you remember much better, faster, and for the longer term, than just sitting in front of the computer screen or listening to the audio companion (not to mention it's more fun). The reason is simple: if you use this program alone to try and recall the language, you're bound to "cheat", that is, once you've forgotten a word or phrase, you'll keep constantly coming back to a certain part in the software or "tape" to recall it, and you'll do it again and again and again. What's the point? Instead, go slowly, and use the words for a couple of days in real life, and you'll never have to reference them again!
This program almost sucks you in, especially in the easy beginning, by making it seem like learning the language is very easy! Hence, I was tempted, and fell into the trap of, going quickly, assuming I'd remember a word or phrase down the line...of course, that wasn't the case. I had to keep going back to try and recall what I had "learned" before, otherwise I can't go forward, and this is a silly thing to do.
Overall, I don't expect this program to make you a fluent speaker, but is a nice way to learn the basics of the language, understand a native speaker, brush up on your skills, or as a prep-course before taking a real-live class.
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