I don't know if anyone has tried this. I recently tried a couple lessons on it and the words really started to stick a lot quicker than with other methods i have tried. I thought i would just let everyone know that this may be a good option for people struggling to learn italian like i am.

Thank you for the great information. I just bought my daughter the Rossetta Stone and it seems like I made the right choice. Another good one is the Michele Thomas system.

My husband got the Rossetta Stone from a friend at work and installed it on our comp...Im still struggling to understand how it all works..maybe Im missing somehting...Im not sure...but I desperately need help in my attempts to learn Italian. Im still working on it..with that said ..I agree that the Rossetta Stone seems by far better than other methods at this moment.

I teach English to adults here in Italy, and although there are many computer based programs some of which are better than others, I have to say that there is no substitute for learning a language from a native speaker. I have learnt more interacting with Italians, than I ever did from books, audio tapes, videos and computer programs.

Computer programs will help you to develop reading and listening skills, but you won't get the benefit of speaking and of using the language. A language is above all communicative, and you can't replace the human touch in communication. I know it is a real sacrifice going to a language course, either on an individual basis or as part of a group, but the benefits you will get from it far outweigh what you will get from a computer. Plus there is the incentive of going to a course when you have paid good money for it, something which often goes away quickly when you study at home.

Good luck in learning Italian, and I think that if Paolo's plans of doing skypecasts works out it will be really useful to those of us learning the language.

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Ive done the classes and they helped no more than any other method i have tried. It was difficult to fit into my schedule, and too much money. I think thats a problem most people find nowadays. So ill take any method i can get that will fit both my schedule and financial needs. And if a computer program like rosetta stone will do that, then ill take it.

I agree Joe..the class was nice for me but I didnt learn much more than I have with the Rossetta Stone..it was very difficult to adjust my schedule..although that was partly because of a crap job..but with the RS you can do it when you have the time..and the voice that is with mine has a native accent and voice so I can practice saying it..where it records and corrects me if I say it wrong as well. However I do wish i had the conversation part ..but that is why I go to my friends shop "local Italian resturant!"

sardoman says:

"I teach English to adults here in Italy, and although there are many computer based programs some of which are better than others, I have to say that there is no substitute for learning a language from a native speaker. I have learnt more interacting with Italians, than I ever did from books, audio tapes, videos and computer programs."

Sardoman, I agree with you or at least in part. Naturalmente the best way to learn a language is from being with native speakers. E logico. And this is how I learned Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and to some extent French. (Pero) However while living in Italy per due anni the way I learned was a combo of speaking with the Italian people(Italian girlfriend, and friends)(Italian gym member)and studying from an Italian dictionary frase book. Plus I watched Italian TV and listen to Italian on the radio. So it is good to study on your own and listen to a lot of Italian rather on the TV or radio or CDs. Plus not everyone is lucky enough to go to Italy.

At any rate I also highly recommend making flash cards and writing out frases or sentences on sentence strips. On one side of the flash cards put the Italian word in big bold print. On the other side lighly put the English word. Then you can also later on make flash cards with the English word in bold big print and lighly put the Italian word on the other side.

This past summer after 30 years away from Italy I rented an apartment in Perugia, Umbria, Italia and went to the Universita di Perugia. When I was in my apartment had the TV on and listened to and watched Italian tutto il santo giorno. Walked the streets speaking to people in Italian. I had my Italian Ipod going. Joined an Italian gym where everybody only spoke Italian. Talked to store clerks in Italian. Spoke only Italian to my fellow classmates. Ate out and ordered food in Italian. Traveled around Italy by train deliberately starting conversations with fellow travelers to practice my Italian. Had several love affairs in Italian etc. etc. Total immerson.

Anche one of the most useful things that I brought back with me from Italy this past summer are Italian books on tape or in this case on CD. In Italian they are called "libri audio" or audio books. I brought back a ton of them. Also brought back CDs of Italian text books. Some with the book and some without the book.

At any rate if you want to learn Italian and or maintain your Italian get libri audio and text book CDs. The ones I have range from beginner type stuff to intermediate, advanced and books on tape(CD) for Italian native speakers. Imparare ascoltando e leggendo.

Go to www.cideb.it and www.grimanalibri.com

Here are those all important Italian words to put on your flash cards.
While living in Italy these are the words that would come up over and over again.
Learn these words and the rest e facile.

Adverbs of quality or manner:

bene- well,
meglio- better,(MEL-yo)
peggio- worse (PEG-gee-0h)
male- badly,
anche- also (ON-kay
cosi- as, like
pure- also, too,
insieme- together
come- as, like
invano- vain

Adverbs of time:

Cuando?- When?
sempre- always,
mai- never,
oggi- today,
domani- tomorrow,
ieri- yesterday,
adesso- now, ora-now,
allora- then, poi-then,
dopo- after,
prima(di)- before,
ancora- still,yet, non ancora-not yet
spesso(frequentemente)- often,
stasera- tonight,
presto- early,soon,
tardi- late,
a tempo- on time,
gia- already,
subito & immediatamente- immediately,
di quando in quando- from time to time,
di solito- usually,
fa-ago, tre giorni fa- 3 days ago,
fino a- until,
frattanto- meanwhile,
raramente- rarely,seldom,
recentemente- recently,
ultimo- last,
una volta- once,
ancora- again
non ancora- not again
non spesso- not often

Adverbs of Place:

Dove?-Where?,
lontano-far,
vicino-near,
dietro-behind,
davanti-in front of,
avanti-forward,
indietro-backward,
dentro-inside,
fuori-outside,
qua,qui-here,
li,la-there
giu-down (jew)
laggiu-down there (lah-jew)
lassu-up there (lah-sue)
accanto a-beside
sopra-above
sotto-below
tra,fra-between
via-away (vada via!-get out of here!)
attraverso- through
intorno,attorno - around
da nessuna parte - nowhere
da qualche parte - somewhere
dappertutto- everywhere
a destra - to the right
a sinistra to the left

Adverbs of quantity:

Quanto?- How much?
molto-much
troppo-too much
poco-little
tanto-so much
abbastanza-enough
quasi-almost
piu-more
meno-less
circa-nearly, about
soltanto, solo, solamente-only
assai-much
piuttosto- rather Piuttosto caro. - Rather expensive.
probabilmente- probably
piu o meno- more or less
veramente- indeed, really
purtroppo- unfortunately

Le Domande - Questions

Come?- How
Quanto? How much
Quanti? Quante? How many?
Come mai?- How come?
Che? What?
Che cosa? What?
Quale? Which?
Chi?(key) Who?
Perche? Why?
Perche -because
Che tipo di...? What kind of...?
Dove? Where
Dove ci vediamo? Where shall we meet?

Aggettivi importante

buono- good
buffo- funny
caldo- hot
fredo- cold
caro- costly
cattivo- bad
celibe- single male
aperto- open
chniuso- closed
corto- short
debole- weak
forte- strong
difficile- difficult
facile- easy
gentile- nice
giovane- young
grande- big
piccolo- little
grasso- fat
magro- skinny
innocente
lento- slow
libero- free, availiable
malato- sick
meschio- mean
morbido- soft
nubile- single female
nuovo- new
occupato- busy
pesante- heavy
piacevole- pleasant
piccante- spicy hot
pieno- full
pigro- lazy
primo - first
profondo- deep
sbagliato- mistaken
scuro- dark
secco- dry
sordo- deaf
sporco- dirty
pulito- clean
umido- humid
vecchio- old
vivace- active
vuoto- empty
zitto- quiet

Prepositions - Don't forget to make flash cards!!!

a- to, at
da- from, by, sometimes at
di- of sometimes from, about
in- in into sometimes by, on
su- on sometimes upon
con- with
per- for, through sometimes in order to + verb

Ho... I am... (literally have)
fame- hungry
freddo- cold
caldo- hot
paura- afraid
sete- thirst
sonno- sleepy
vergogna- ashamed

Il Nome - Nouns

il gatto- cat
il cane- dog
la carne- meat
il pane- bread
il topo- rat
il libro- book
la porta- door
la casa- house
la montangna- mountain
il albero- tree
la finestra- window
il finestrino- car or train window
il genitore- parent
la parente- relative (f.)
il parente- relative (m.)
la valigia- suitcase
la pioggia- rain
il sindaco- mayor
la spiaggia- beach
il denaro, il soldi- money
la lingua- language, tongue
il paese- country, small town
il postino- mailman
la posta- mail
la camera- room or bedroom also la camera di letto

First thing I learned in Italy after ciao. Come si chiama? COE-may-see-key-AH-mah? What's your name? Mi chiamo... My name is...
Scusi. Perdoni Excuse me
Mi scusi Excuse me
Mi dispiace. I'm sorry.
Oh mio Dio! Oh my God! You can use the word God with no problem.
Ti amo. I love you.
Andiamo a mangiare. Let's go eat.
Scusi il retardo. Excuse me being late.
E vero. It's true. E vero? Is it true?
Non e vero. It's not true. Non e vero? Isn't it true?
Fa freddo. Non e vero? It's cold.
Lei non e qui da molto tempo, non e vero? You haven't been here long, have you?

I, as a very lazy, Englishman with a built in translator (my long, long suffering Italian wife!) agree with all the posts. Rosetta Stone works on repetition and listening, and certainly makes the words stick in your head if you follow it. For me, a class based course (if I was earning and could afford it!) would probably work better, as I need the various tenses of verbs, plus a significant improvement in grammar, and a real incentive to learn.

With regard to sardoman's comments, I fully agree - the most Italian I speak is when (with typical British reserve) I'm forced to do so - the latest being when outside a restaurant, having a cigarette, with a family friend, when my wife was inside. Maybe it's my age that makes me "sheepish"!!

Villa - I think your flash cards are a great idea, and one day I'll type them up in an easy to print format - maybe with pictures (I've already copied some of your posts!) Thanks Villa for all your posts on learning Italian - they do not go unnoticed or unappreciated.