Rocket Languages Reviews

This could easily be a 5 star program, but there are enough poor choices by the designers that make it less valueable or frustrating to use that I am being generous to give this 3 stars. The bottom line is that it works, and it did better for me than when I used Rosetta Stone to learn another language.

I have been using this program for 10 months and have had 3 visits to Germany during this time related to work. This is where I think the program isn't good:
1. This program stresses in the informal ways of addressing people. Germans, especially in business, use the formal case (Sie not Du).
2. The program doesn't teach any language rules, rather just provides example after example such as how to conjugate a verb.
3. THe most frustrating part is that the program tries to inculcate easy words (Ja, Nein), and sometimes not useful words like Wunderbar constantly, but doesn't stress words that are important to know such as to want, to like, to take, to need. If someone can't get Ja and Nein correct after the third lesson, then they need to quit.
4.

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The 3 rated review was not from the content in the program. I feel the lessons are terrific. However, I would like to see a company recommended approach to beginning study in the program. I began by doing the lessons one at a time. Is there a better way or are there some other alternative approaches. Would appreciate your assistance.

The app on iPhone doesn’t work property. After I email the customer service for a few days, the problem still has not been solved. The app is not as good as the desktop version., which is a shame. The responses from customer service seem slow. The audio lessons are interesting but the culture and language don’t make me feel interested about learning. There are definitely things that require improvement.

I like the interactive part it really helps with memory. So far the voice recognition has been really annoying, maybe because im a perfectionist and when it wont record correctly I cant move on. Also I have not had any grammar lesson on conjugations. If i hadnt had a background in Spanish I think I would be a little lost by now.

Overall a good course - perhaps a few too many bells and whistles. In the French course the instructor needs to speak MUCH more slowly and enunciate more clearly. Speaking too fast, especially in the early stages, does NOT provide the student with proper pronunciation. It may be the way many French people speak day to day, but you need to learn the proper way to say things before speaking rapidly. I speak some French and what I'm hearing is not clear for a new student to learn properly.

If you’re planning to travel, I can see that it would be helpful to carry a conversation. I think the testing is a good idea. I like the Flashcards. However, this program just doesn’t meet my learning needs.

Pros:

The reinforcement of the Hear it, Say It, Write it and Know it activities.
The flash cards - and the ability to customize your flashcards.
Learning phrases as opposed to just vocabulary
The point, progress and streak information.
The Rocket Fuel emails are very helpful.

Cons:
I could locate only one pronunciation lesson. It would be help to have more. (Note: that lessons indicates that there is further help included in lesson 3.6, but that doesn't appear to be a pronunciation lesson.)
Some of the audio, done by the native speaker, is unclear. Either the first portion of the audio is cut short, or there is lack of clarity in the audio.

Because of the clarity issues of the audio, I become quickly frustrated. I've verified that the issue is with the audio itself by trying a headset and bluetooth speakers, comparing them with other audios. Unfortunatly, this single issue is my reason for cancellation. :(

Guys, Rocket Language found a great platform to learn Hindi. I learnt like a baby, very easy and simple way they have to teach their students. Rocket language not only focusing on any one, it focuses reading & writing including speaking. The most important thing would like to share with you is listening, listening is a very grabbing tool for learning any language. To me, it is my ambition to learn Hindi specially writing skills as it is so complex but interesting.
I would appreciate and recommend Rocket Language to learn Hindi and/or any other language.
Good Luck everyone.

Iqbal Ahmed
Karachi-Pakistan

I like Rocket French and have found it helpful, but if you're a person who doesn't memorize sentences well in order to repeat them back orally or in writing, you may get frustrated. I can actually converse in French at an intermediate level, but I'm not able to memorize these lesson passages because, in the moment of studying, their only importance is as text to attach to my brain long enough to recant for the machine. Frankly, I don't learn fluidity from memorizing but from composing my own sentences, so I much prefer studying the vocabulary and the grammar, and those lessons here are very good and give me the needed tools. I think it would be a lot of work, but it would be cool if Rocket French could restructure for an experience that involved less rote repetition of longer texts. If you don't think you'd be disappointed by this, then it may be perfect for you.

I am enjoying learning Italian for my trip and it seems to make sense so far. Not sure of the customer service because I have not had to use it and cant choose stars based on use so I choose a one star. Sorry, hate fake stat boosting. I can say the search functionality is trash. I tried to search a simple word such as "Tomorrow" and it came up with no results. I have a feeling I will learn much and be happier than I would with Rosetta.