Rosetta Stone? good deal or don't bother

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Big_Poppi2

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So My spanish is terrible, I can and do speak spanish with a lot of my friends and of course on other sites when I am typing. But I have ordered Rosetta Stone to try and improve my speaking ability. The two problems that I have encountered with it are; 1. You need to have a spanish speaking buddy willing to participate and practice with you. 2. You need to pay another large fee to go online and speak with a spanish speaking buddy. Well, Everyone I know, is like just practice with me, but of course that is ackward and you don't really know what you don't know till the time comes for you to say something and you draw a blank. Plus, they are usually never around when your doing your lessons or needing to check something to see, "Is this how Dominicanos say this?" As, believe it or not, Lots of different cultures say different things differently. Also, several people have told me that Rosetta Stone is a waist of time and money? So should I keep using it to better my spanish, and yes moving back to Dominican Republic right now is not an option for me. Or is there any way that someone knows is better cause I am open to suggestions. Btw, I am also trying to learn more of Taino language, any site, tech. or other ways to get move knowledge of Taino. I know maybe three phrases, but I will just leave it with Daca Taino!!!:) Thanks for all the help guys, just glad I can finally post again in here, Take care and God bless, oh one last question, sorry, is there a all spanish DR1 forums site or blog page? Thanks again
Biggs
 
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PeterInBrat

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May 29, 2006
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I've used Rosetta and it is slow going. Pimsleur tosses you right into real life conversations. Audio CDs are good because you can use them while driving. In the 10 years since I've used Rosetta, I've never had to say "EL caballo esta saltando.."

Derfish, I hear that "Papaya" has some kind of slang sexual meaning in Dominican Spanish, but I've never had it clarified.

In my experience, Dominican Spanish has some odd transpositions in pronunciation. I've heard the hard "B" in words like "Bien" pronounced "W." "Aguacate" sounds like "Awacate" to me with some people.

But when I hear lisping Castillian Spanish I can't help but start giggling sometimes. Words like "lapiz" esp stick out.

Pimsleur Spanish Lesson 1 - YouTube
 
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jrhartley

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Sep 10, 2008
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there is a site called livemocha that used to be good Im not sure how much they are charging for at the moment - you can record passages for appraisal by members...I think there are a few similar that have a certain amount free busuu.com is another one

you can also call up people and speak one to one on livemocha - I didnt do that though as im a bit crap at speaking even in English
 
L

Lobo Tropical

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Aug 21, 2010
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Let's Get It On!!!

PeterInBrat said:
In the 10 years since I've used Rosetta, I've never had to say "EL caballo esta saltando.."
Derfish, I hear that "Papaya" has some kind of slang sexual meaning in Dominican Spanish, but I've never had it clarified.
Click to expand...

I found this phrase very useful to let the girls know I'm ready!:)

Papaya and Mango is used in various Latin countries.
Your vivid imagination will "clarify".:lick::confused::eek:
 
CG

CG

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Sep 16, 2004
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I had R Stone, it helped abit but really really really boring, I was told by Spanish speakers that it would help...

You could try this How to Learn Spanish words and Speak Spanish fast
I find a mix of programs helps with the boring repetativeness of only one program. Get out there and speak with real people is the best and funnest way by far. Good Luck !
 
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PeterInBrat

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I made my own flash cards for vocab by cutting index cards in half and then one corner so they could all be oriented with the English on the front. For pronunciation, I practiced singing/translating older bachata songs, and for comprehension, I got CD sets of the Sopranos and after watching them in English, watched them in Spanish with English sub-titles, then Spanish with Spanish captions, and finally in Spanish with no captions at all. Grammar is still my weak point. After you get a 1000 or so words in your vocab, new words get very easy.

One thing that tripped me up was using a book. When you see "hay," it's not exactly instinctive that you pronounce it "I." It's much better to learn by listening than by reading at first.
 
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Chip

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Everyone wants a quick fix when it comes to language but if an adult wants to speak anything other than tourist Spanish they need to study grammar, pure and simple.

BTW, I've been at it for 13 years now.
 
AlterEgo

AlterEgo

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PeterInBrat said:
One thing that tripped me up was using a book. When you see "hay," it's not exactly instinctive that you pronounce it "I." It's much better to learn by listening than by reading at first.
Click to expand...

True, but because I learned by listening and repeating I sometimes pick up bad habits and poor pronunciation. For example, the dropping of the "S" in Dominican Spanish. My suegra was using a cane the last couple of years due to severe arthritis, and I heard "baton", which made sense to me because a cane kind of looks like the English word 'baton' that majorettes twirl. I've been saying 'baton'.

Well, yesterday I was watching Dora the Explorer with my little grandsons, and Dora taught us that it is a baston. I was still suspicious, so I looked it up :), and Dora is correct, haha.

Many years ago I remember hearing tambien and ta'bien the same. The blasted missing 's' again, or in this case the 'es'.

I've never used a program, but I've heard great things about both Rosetta Stone and Pimsluer.
 
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Chip

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PeterInBrat said:
When you see "hay," it's not exactly instinctive that you pronounce it "I." It's much better to learn by listening than by reading at first.
Click to expand...

If one knows how each letter and limited combination of letters are pronounced there should be no doubt as to how 99% of all words in Spanish are correctly pronounced.
 
B

Berzin

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Nov 17, 2004
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If Rosetta Stone isn't working for you, you're better off taking classes at a local community college.

There is no better way to get your pronunciation and grammar up to speed than by studying the language in an academic setting.
 
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PeterInBrat

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You only really know the full extent of Spanish that you know when you get into an argument with a girlfriend...
 
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PeterInBrat

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On my first adult trip to the DR about 25 years ago, I wanted to take a gua-gua from Sosua to Cabarete. But I had only had about one lesson in Spanish so I was relying on cognates. The guy at the hotel thought I was crazy when I told him I needed a "Basura," which I had somehow thought meant "bus"...
 
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pollogringo

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Dec 26, 2011
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Big_Poppi2 said:
So My spanish is terrible, I can and do speak spanish with a lot of my friends and of course on other sites when I am typing. But I have ordered Rosetta Stone to try and improve my speaking ability. The two problems that I have encountered with it are; 1. You need to have a spanish speaking buddy willing to participate and practice with you. 2. You need to pay another large fee to go online and speak with a spanish speaking buddy. Well, Everyone I know, is like just practice with me, but of course that is ackward and you don't really know what you don't know till the time comes for you to say something and you draw a blank. Plus, they are usually never around when your doing your lessons or needing to check something to see, "Is this how Dominicanos say this?" As, believe it or not, Lots of different cultures say different things differently. Also, several people have told me that Rosetta Stone is a waist of time and money? So should I keep using it to better my spanish, and yes moving back to Dominican Republic right now is not an option for me. Or is there any way that someone knows is better cause I am open to suggestions. Btw, I am also trying to learn more of Taino language, any site, tech. or other ways to get move knowledge of Taino. I know maybe three phrases, but I will just leave it with Daca Taino!!!:) Thanks for all the help guys, just glad I can finally post again in here, Take care and God bless, oh one last question, sorry, is there a all spanish DR1 forums site or blog page? Thanks again
Biggs
Click to expand...

PM me if you're interested in help.
 
J

jrhartley

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Sep 10, 2008
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If one knows how each letter and limited combination of letters are pronounced there should be no doubt as to how 99% of all words in Spanish are correctly pronounced.
Click to expand...

well in Spanish yes, why do Dominicans make it more difficult and end up misspelling what should be phonetic
 
Y

young seniors

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Feb 1, 2012
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Berzin said:
If Rosetta Stone isn't working for you, you're better off taking classes at a local community college.

There is no better way to get your pronunciation and grammar up to speed than by studying the language in an academic setting.
Click to expand...

I went to our local college to study Spanish. Its affordable and the professor was really good. Helped alot.
 
C

Chip

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jrhartley said:
well in Spanish yes, why do Dominicans make it more difficult and end up misspelling what should be phonetic
Click to expand...

Learn Spanish the right way and it won't matter how others speak or write. Even though I have an accent because my Spanish is mostly correct structurally and phonetically Dominicans are impressed. From the comments and looks I get I often wonder sometimes if I'm the only gringo on this island that has ever cracked a book.
 
R

Rep Dom

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Dec 27, 2011
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To my opinion, the only way to learn is to speak to poeple which I try as much as I can. But for me lessons, school and Rosetta are just turn offs
 
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