Customer Reviews

Talk Now! Learn Estonian - Beginning Level [Old Version]

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Noh...tere!
Although this is from a series called "Talk Now!" and it's entitled "Learn Estonian"... it hardly comes close to doing any of that. It only allows you to learn some words, and reinforces them through little games. However, if you wanted to say anything more than a simple phrase or word, this doesn't help you. This would be good for someone who might be visiting Tallinn and wants to impress the natives with a few words in Estonian. But if one seriously wants to learn about this language, even the Colloquial Estonian course is better, coming with tapes that have full sentences and teach some grammar. (although this program has its own weaknesses, too).
Even though there is no audio program, the texts from Indiana University's curriculum seems to be the best... if you can get them!
Tsau

This is a wonderful beginner's basic computer course. The speakers are native Estonians. The graphics are fun. The course is organized in different units of colors, numbers, body parts, food, shopping items, time, country names and simple phases. (That's it... nothing else.) You start by just hearing the words. Then build the brain's language connective tissues by playing memory games, first simple, and then more challenging. The important thing was that I could listen to it over and over to get to the point where I could instantly recall the words. My kids also loved listening over my shoulders and learned a few words. It's definitely kid interesting. This course doesn't even start to explain the grammar (which is extremely complex in Estonian), and it's definitely only a beginner's start. I loved it, found the memorization useful and necessary way to learn. I plan on buying the Spanish version.