Customer Reviews

Italian, Conversational: Learn to Speak and Understand Italian with Pimsleur Language Programs (Pimsleur Instant Conversation)

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

From an Italian teacher's perspective, I highly recommend the Pimsleur series. I do think they're the best. And the reason is because they get you to repeat the phrases over and over and over again. Learning a language takes time, but if you need some essential expressions before your trip, this is the audio CDs you want.

The important thing in learning a language is repetition, and you'll get plenty of it with these CDs, as well as learning correct pronunciation. As far as books go, you may end up using a combination, but I do like the Living Language Beginner's book a lot.

Definitely join a course in your area - there's no better practice than to practice in a group! Perhaps you can ask if a community college has it as a continuing education program - although you won't have big problems with the language in the bigger cities, Italians do appreciate if you know at least a little bit.

If instead, you're planning on visiting Southern Italy, or the countryside, you definitely want to know some Italian (if you want a vacation, and not an adventure, that is!).I hope this helps!

I have tried several audio language learning programs, but have really enjoyed the Pimsleur Italian program & found it most helpful for learning. I believe the best features of this program are the variety of topics and complexity of each lesson, the way repetition is used while complexity of phrases and sentences increases (i.e., they start with a word, then a phrase, then making the phrase negative, then a sentence, then incorporate prior learning with the new, so on), and it's fun. It helps to enjoy learning a language. Not sure if it is just me or is intentional but the stories/subplots in the lessons are entertaining. It makes me laugh often when the American male traveller in the lessons strikes out with Italian women! Certainly makes my drive to work more enjoyable! I highly recommend the introductory lessons & plan to continue with the more advanced ones myself.

I've taken language courses in the past, and listened to audio cassettes (dating myself), and none have been as effective as this. I am 90% through the course now, and had a native Italian speaking client today. I understood much of what she said, and she was impressed by what I could say and understand! Great price if you think you will stop studying here!

If you think there's a good chance you'll want to learn more, just go for Italian I instead since the first half of it is in this course. I was skeptical at first, and I didn't want to invest in the more expensive 30 lesson set. Now I'm hooked and I'll be buying Italian I. Wish I had just paid the full price in the first place instead of buying BOTH Conversational Italian and Italian I, since they overlap by 16 lessons.

To learn some Italian before visiting Italy, I tried multiple language-learning programs borrowed from my local library. Some were ridiculous, many required using a workbook. Then I stumbled on the Pimsleur program, which is totally audio, allowing me to learn Italian while I drove to and from work. Due to the pedagogically- sound method Pimsleur developed for language learning, I actually did learn some basic Italian. As a result I bought "Conversational Italian." Though I've never considered myself adept at language-learning, I actually felt confident in my ablility to learn Italian as a result of these CDs. I've raved about them to friends who have expressed interest in learning a language.

I have been more than pleased with the Pimsler's Into to Italian. I have done a side comparisons of different courses. Pimsler wins. I purchased the into to Italian courses of different publishers including Berlitz and Rosetta Stone. Pimsler is the one I have used the most because it an audio disk and can be used in my vehicle. Any time I am in my vehicle I am learning.
The into Berlitz course is also on audio disk but it does not match the Pimsler in useful content or style of presentation. I have stopped using it entirely. I have also stopped using two other lesser known courses.
I am continuing use the Rosetta Stone but not as much as the Pimilser on about a 4 to 1 basis. Rosetta Stone is excellent, has more features than Pimsler but that is also one its downfalls. Since it requires that I be at my computer to use it, I use it less. At the moment I use it for working on my pronunciation. The voice print analysis and pronunciation meter features are cool. Also when I start trying to learn to read Italian is suspect Rosetta Stone will be more useful.
However for the average beginner just trying to learn a basic vocabulary and practical phrases Pimsler wins hands down. 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". Also, If you are on a budget, the Pimsler is cheaper. If you are not on a budget get both Pimsler and Rosetta Stone but if you have to choose, get Pimsler

Stop! 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). Once you hear these 16 CD's you'll want the rest and you'll be angry you spent the money buying these first. The first 16 lessons just give you enough to get interested but not enough to reasonably converse with anyone. You'll be sorry if you like them and end up wanting more.

I was born in Brazil, but my parents were Italians. So we spoke only Italian at home. I've been married for 10 years now and my wife was always complaining about how difficult it was to speak Italian. 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. 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. She is very happy, always greeting me with some new word or expression she just heard and learned. It really works, I can check it almost every day.

Came with recommendation from friends and is excellent. Based on good applied linguistic principles. It's clear and easy to follow and encourages good pronunciation. A very good starting point

I took one year of Italian in both high school and college. In the anticipation of a trip to Italy, I picked this up and started listening and working on refamiliarization of this beautiful language. I ended up skipping the first two CD's because I knew the content. The last two disks were challenging and made me realize there is so much depth in the Italian language.

No doubt about it, you'll learn Italian from these 8 CD, unfortunately the vocabulary is so limited that it will not help you in Italy. You may learn how to say I drink, but not know how to ask for water, or a glass of water. You'll learn how to say I'd like to eat, but not know what bread is in Italian.