Smart Start French Deluxe

by Vivendi Universal

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.8 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00004RJXS
• Item model number: 71005
• Date first available at Amazon.com: March 20, 2000
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #16,933 in Software (See Top 100 in Software)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Discover how enjoyable, easy, and effective learning French can be. Included are a games CD-ROM, accompanying guidebook, audio CD-ROM, user's manual, and direct access to SmartStartonline.com. Start speaking, listening, and reading right away. There are 32 games and activities with three skill levels to keep you involved and learning while you play. Progress through 48 lessons based on the interactive CD-ROM conversations. Clear and simple explanations of grammar points are provided along with exercises that help you successfully put your new language skills to use in the real world. Take the self-correcting quizzes to check out your progress. Or stop by the Cultural Café for a relaxing break and find out about a great French film to rent or a new recipe to try out. Correlated to the guidebook exercises, this CD-ROM provides listening and speaking opportunities that get you talking. Great for practice on the go.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Spiffy French Software, May 4, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Smart Start French Deluxe (CD-ROM)

I've tried several French software packages (and wasted a great deal of money), including Learn French Now!, Instant Immersion French, and others. This software, Smart Start French, is honestly the spiffiest of the lot. Unlike the others, this software gives a comprehensive approach--you do writing, reading, and listening. (And speaking, if you're brave!) Plus, you get a cassette, an audio CD, *and* a CD ROM, plus the grammar workbook thingie. Other software packages seem to overhype themselves and claim they will teach you more than they realistically can. This software, by contrast, is a lot of work precisely because it is comprehensive--but I really think you can learn some French from it. And, it's fun. It's more expensive than other packages, but I honestly think it's worth the extra money. (It's cheaper than a $400 class at the community college in any case.) That's my two centimes' worth.

42 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Most comprehensive French software on the market, May 1, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Smart Start French Deluxe (CD-ROM)

SmartStart is the most comprehensive software package for learning French I've found. It's not cheesey, and it's well written, and you get an audio CD, a cassette, a grammar workbook, and a computer CD ROM all at once. It takes a little bit of effort, but you will totally learn some basic French with this. I've tried other programs, too, like Transparent Language for French--and they're just not as well implemented (clunky or hard to understand or use in some way). I really recommend trying the SmartStart stuff first.

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great supplement, June 25, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Smart Start French Deluxe (CD-ROM)

This is a cleverly put-together set of resources for learning French. The games are thoughtful and even fun and the speaking section does recognize words pretty well.

The drawback is that while this is excellent, it is an excellent *supplement* to other instruction in French. What there is on grammar is limited, and there isn't a lot on why things are the way they are.

As a vocabulary-builder, though, it is excellent and I would highly recommend it.