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Easy to read and understand. A great book to have if you are going to Italy. We used it on our trip and very glad we had it with us as we toured.
Combining different programs can be very valuable, because you can see the subtle differences that occur. This set contains one half of what's included in Pimsleur's Italian 1 package, and for a fraction of the price. Don't let this deter you.This course is a gold mine. This will also help to build confidence.I've heard it's very difficult to learn to speak Italian (TO Italians), because there are so many different dialects. It is well worth the money. I've not traveled to Italy yet but will go in the Fall of this year.I've been using this set for audio, listening and learning in the car, and I've used a different program on my computer at home for visual/writing and speaking, BYKI 4 Deluxe.
She is very happy, always greeting me with some new word or expression she just heard and learned. She had some classes in a language school some years ago but talking remained very hard. Not anymore, since she put her hands in this Pimsleur Conversational Italian. I was born in Brazil, but my parents were Italians. It really works, I can check it almost every day. I've been married for 10 years now and my wife was always complaining about how difficult it was to speak Italian. So we spoke only Italian at home. She claims that she understands almost everything when she hears my mother and I talking, since Italian and Portuguese are similar in many ways, but she is very shy in trying to speak with us.
I am continuing use the Rosetta Stone but not as much as the Pimilser on about a 4 to 1 basis. Also, If you are on a budget, the Pimsler is cheaper. I purchased the into to Italian courses of different publishers including Berlitz and Rosetta Stone. Also when I start trying to learn to read Italian is suspect Rosetta Stone will be more useful. I have been more than pleased with the Pimsler's Into to Italian.
However for the average beginner just trying to learn a basic vocabulary and practical phrases Pimsler wins hands down. Any time I am in my vehicle I am learning. For example the Pimsler course taught me how to order wine and beer while Rosetta Stone was teaching me how to say "The boy is Jumping". If you are not on a budget get both Pimsler and Rosetta Stone but if you have to choose, get Pimsler Rosetta Stone is excellent, has more features than Pimsler but that is also one its downfalls. At the moment I use it for working on my pronunciation.
I have done a side comparisons of different courses. The into Berlitz course is also on audio disk but it does not match the Pimsler in useful content or style of presentation. The voice print analysis and pronunciation meter features are cool. Pimsler wins. Since it requires that I be at my computer to use it, I use it less. I have also stopped using two other lesser known courses.
Pimsler is the one I have used the most because it an audio disk and can be used in my vehicle. I have stopped using it entirely.
Once you hear these 16 CD's you'll want the rest and you'll be angry you spent the money buying these first. Stop. You'll be sorry if you like them and end up wanting more. The first 16 lessons just give you enough to get interested but not enough to reasonably converse with anyone. Don't buy this one if you're serious about learning Italian. The Pimsleur series is the best self-taught language learning system out there but this product is just the first half of Italian I : Pimsleur Comprehensive (Pimsleur CD Series).
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