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The most helpful favorable review
The most helpful critical review
190 of 192 people found the following review helpful:
Great program and excellent buy
Before you spend hundreds of dollars on other Spanish learning programs, give this one a try. I've tried demos of the more expensive programs, and considering their prices, they did not impress me. Learn to Speak Spanish Deluxe offers similar content as the other more expensive programs, but at a fraction of the cost. This is an excellent program that is easy to...
Published 19 months ago by KeyBored
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56 of 62 people found the following review helpful:
good value but unexciting
Having read other reviews, I expected a lot more but I think this software is very dull. It's also very inexpensive, but I don't think it's worth more than it costs. The same tired topics, which are good if you want to learn Spanish just to be a tourist. The structure is very basic: learn the vocabulary, a few basic multiple choice type exercises and on to the next...
Published 17 months ago by Caroline Moore
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190 of 192 people found the following review helpful:
Great program and excellent buy, January 31, 2009
This review is from: Learn to Speak Spanish Deluxe (DVD-ROM)
Before you spend hundreds of dollars on other Spanish learning programs, give this one a try. I've tried demos of the more expensive programs, and considering their prices, they did not impress me. Learn to Speak Spanish Deluxe offers similar content as the other more expensive programs, but at a fraction of the cost. This is an excellent program that is easy to follow, shows your progress, rates your accent, has vocabulary drills, conversations, cultural movies, and two CD-ROMs you can listen to. The main program is on a DVD and installs easily on Vista. I highly recommend this program.
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107 of 108 people found the following review helpful:
A MUST HAVE AT AN UNBELIEVABLE PRICE !!, March 26, 2009
This review is from: Learn to Speak Spanish Deluxe (DVD-ROM)
My husband and I have been studying various sources in order to learn Spanish for an upcoming trip to Mexico. Yet, it was not all coming together in a functional way. So we purchased Learn to Speak Spanish Deluxe 10 from Amazon.com.
This is so much better than the other sources that we could not believe the price. It has a DVD for computer installation, which also contains a number of movies so that one can get immersed in the language.
It comes with 3 additional CDs for improving pronunciation. Each word can be heard, imitated and recorded on the computer with instant feedback as to how one's pronunciation is coming. Not only is one able to hear pronunciation for sounds and words, but also for the vowels, one can see a moving animation of how the tongue and lips are shaped to make the sounds.
There are lessons set by the program or one can build her/his own lessons based on need. A pre-test tells one where he/she needs to start. There is a Spanish-English /English-Spanish dictionary with all of the Spanish words pronounced with the simple click of the mouse.
In addition to the 144 page quick reference guide book which comes with the program, there is a 170 page workbook in PDF format with exercises and answers. The workbook is excellent and gives the conjugation of a number of verbs. There are 40 interactive scenarios in which you speak to the person on the screen in an appropriate conversational way. The computer picks up your voice and the program gives you immediate feedback.
Even the games, which are fun, stress pronunciation and record your voice to see if you are saying the words and phrases properly. (I paid over $100 for a voice recognition program which types.) This program has a cute little gauge which registers how close you are getting to the proper pronunciation. It goes from tourist to native. Of course it has sound that that lets you know how well you are doing in addition to the gauge.
I could go on but . . . Why? Well, I will just a little. The words are listed in such a way that they are related. You can click on a button and have a drill in which a list of words is said in Spanish with the English meaning on the screen. You can if you wish, repeat and record to get immediate feedback for accuracy.
You can download to an MP3 or play the CDs when not at your computer. There is even an internet connection from the site which links you to travel information and time, weather conditions in various countries etc.
No, I do not work for the company but as an educator myself, I think every subject should have a program similar to this, then the USA would rank in the top five in education again. This is so much fun that kids could learn without pain and the reward would not only be in high scores earned on the computer but good grades in school as well. With the added benefit of usable knowledge.
This is the best $17.95 we have ever spent. Language courses in high school and college did not make language come alive like this. Our hats are off to the educators and program designers who developed this excellent learning program at such an affordable price. ¡Muchas gracias!
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106 of 109 people found the following review helpful:
Chosen over "Visual Link Spanish", March 14, 2009
This review is from: Learn to Speak Spanish Deluxe (DVD-ROM)
I was all set to purchase "Visual Link Spanish - Level I" but the reviews talked me out of it. Another reviewer advised getting this software instead. I'm glad I listened.
I'm impressed with the speech analysis features of Learn to Speak Spanish Deluxe 10. It really helps you develop more accurate pronunciation. It allows you to record and playback your own voice. You can then compare your recorded version to the speaker in the software. I Love it.
I tried the Demo CD of Visual Link Spanish - Level I. Considering that the course is much more expensive, I expected much more. But was disappointed. It is almost as if Visual Link Spanish is geared toward a Grammer school Level, where "Learn to Speak Spanish Deluxe 10" seems geared toward adults.
Since "Visual Link Spanish - Level I" would have cost about 5 to 10 times more, I was dissapointed to find that most of the disks included are AUDIO cd's. Also the software does NOT have speech Analysis features! I find audio cd's MUCH more difficult to learn from. So, I don't think I would have used them.
But if you like Audio cd's this software includes 3. I have only been using learn to speech Spanish several days, but it appears to have MANY lessons from beginner to advanced. It even includes an english-to-spanish & spanish-to-english translater!
Not only do I recommend this software, I would buy it all over again! I think you will be pleased too. Heck, for the low price, you can buy a few different programs. Hey thats a good idea... I think I might just do that.
THANKS AMAZON!
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52 of 54 people found the following review helpful:
Great User-Friendly Program - Keeps Your Interest, October 13, 2008
This review is from: Learn to Speak Spanish Deluxe (DVD-ROM)
This is a terrific program - I needed to learn the basics of Spanish for a business trip to Lima, Peru. It got me prepared for the trip with alot of useful Spanish to use on the trip, from transportation to restaurants, to dealing with store vendors and in a few situations on the weekend when we went sightseeing.
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56 of 62 people found the following review helpful:
good value but unexciting, April 8, 2009
This review is from: Learn to Speak Spanish Deluxe (DVD-ROM)
Having read other reviews, I expected a lot more but I think this software is very dull. It's also very inexpensive, but I don't think it's worth more than it costs. The same tired topics, which are good if you want to learn Spanish just to be a tourist. The structure is very basic: learn the vocabulary, a few basic multiple choice type exercises and on to the next lesson. My microphone, which works with the computer, didn't work with the software and there was no response from tech. support. But I decided I didn't care because the program is so unmotivating I'll just give it away. I know other programs cost more, but they are also much better.
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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
Learn to Speak Spanish Deluxe Review by James, October 26, 2009
This review is from: Learn to Speak Spanish Deluxe (DVD-ROM)
This is James from James Spanish (the learning Spanish blog).
Designed by language teachers with years of classroom experience, and using the latest learning theories, the Learn to Speak Spanish Deluxe 10 immerses you gradually into the Spanish language so that you learn quickly and naturally.
The package is impressive given the low price, and has all of the features that you would expect to find in a language learning product costing hundreds of dollars, including vocabulary drills, audio conversations to listen to and speech recognition and analysis.
Although the course is designed with beginners in mind, it is geared towards adult learning, and avoids the over simplification and annoyingly childish tone that many basic language packs have. The interactive format also makes it a nice choice for students who already have basic Spanish but would like to brush up their knowledge and improve their fluency.
One of the best features of this product is the speech analysis. Record yourself repeating a phrase you have learnt, play it back and compare yourself to the Spanish speaker in the course. This helps you to develop accurate pronunciation - an element often overlooked by other programs, but one of the keystones to communicating well in a second language.
The course covers real life situations, from restaurants to airports, shops to sightseeing. You pick up the vocabulary and phrases that you will need as a tourist or business traveler, and will learn enough to help you communicate on your trip.
Covering both the needed vocabulary as well as some information about sentence structure and grammar, the lessons give you more than just the set of stock sentences that you would pick up from a phrase book.
The course is designed to be interactive, meaning that you get involved in the learning, rather than just being told what to say and how to say it. This is a great way to learn and helps you to judge your own performance, repeating lessons whenever you need to, and moving on quickly with elements that you grasp easily.
You can also choose what to learn. Focus on vocabulary, conversations or specific situations, to help you learn what you need most.
The audio CDs let you continue learning in your car, while the mp3 files can be downloaded to your mp3 player or phone to allow you to practice just about anywhere.
Bundled with a handy reference book, this package is a good all round learning system at a fraction of the cost of similar products.
In closing my review of this product, I'd like to share with you the three Amazon products that I have found most helpful in my pursuit to learn Spanish. If you are truly serious about achieving fluency, I'd recommend getting all 3 of them if you can afford it.
1. Lights, Camera, Spanish (Book + DVD): Learn Conversational Spanish by Watching a Romantic Adventure This is actually a 90 minute movie for Spanish-language learners. It gives the option to watch the movie with subtitles but I'd recommend not using them to improve your Spanish. This "movie" also includes a workbook so that you can reinforce the Spanish vocabulary words and phrases from the film. The workbook also has lots of exercises to keep you engaged in the film. But be prepared to hear Chilean accents. Although pleasent to the ear, the accents from Chile are very different from most Latin American accents.
2. Verbarrator Version 1.1 (Windows Version) This software replaces the traditional verb conjugation books and makes learning how to conjugate Spanish verbs an interactive and fun activity. This should be a required resource for anyone who wants to improve their ability to conjugate Spanish verbs. Especially anyone who is challenged by the drudgery of learning how to conjugate Spanish verbs and who is looking for a new way to make learning how to conjugate Spanish verbs an easy and fun activity
3. Diccionario esencial de la lengua espanola de la Real Academia Espanola (Spanish Edition) If you are really serious about speaking the language fluently, then at some point you will need to replace your Spanish-English dictionary and get a pure Spanish dictionary with both the vocabulary words and the definitions entirely in Spanish. I use this one only because it was highly-recommended by a friend from Spain who teaches Spanish.
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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
Good program to learn Spanish with authentic dialect., March 12, 2009
This review is from: Learn to Speak Spanish Deluxe (DVD-ROM)
I think this is a very good spanish teaching program. It uses authentic Spanish dialect with people speaking the words and you are to repeat them into a microphone. It will then tell you if you are pronouncing them correctly and where you need to improve. I am very impressed with this software.
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29 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
BBB, October 14, 2008
This review is from: Learn to Speak Spanish Deluxe (DVD-ROM)
I would recommend this course to any one who wants to learn spanish. The cd rom works well with the exception of one dialoge. If you are trying to follow along with the book when listening to the cd's, find the diolog first/ The diologs are randomly selected.The course topics are very interesting and the learning excersises are not boring.Yes , I am learning spanish and enjoying it.
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20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
El Gusto es mio!, December 20, 2008
This review is from: Learn to Speak Spanish Deluxe (DVD-ROM)
Hola! Been wanting to learn spanish, been a long time since spanish class in high school. Also didn't want to spend alot. This product delivers what I was looking for. Inexpensive, decent instruction, and good examples to listen to and then try. I loaded this onto my mp3 player and use it while walking, workouts and other free time.
Me encanta!
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24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
Highly Recommend!, February 5, 2009
This review is from: Learn to Speak Spanish Deluxe (DVD-ROM)
First I completely agree with KeyBored's review. The others were less informative, but add some. I've only just started using Learn to Speak Spanish Deluxe, but I chose it based on these comments and a particular review I read that compared it's previous release to many other Spanish language programs rating it higher than almost all.
Personally, I've tried 5 different Spanish computer courses -- I recommend this over all the others (although the older Berliz course I used 10 years ago was also very good.) I recently tried the Rocket Spanish free demo, but was put off by the technique, the cost and the fact that it was oriented more toward translation.
I particularly like the MANY alternatives provided by Learn to Speak Spanish Deluxe 10 to learning and improving my knowledge and understanding of Spanish. From the manual to the drills to the interactive scenarios, there are many varied ways to develop your language skill. Of particular interest to me is the pronunciation feedback. Because of childhood experiences in many countries and languages, I have strong pronunciation skills -- but these language lab recordings with feedback and graphic display have dramaticly helped me with spoken Spanish. Some have difficulty with accents, some (like me) pick them up easily, but regardless this capability can help shape and sharpen your accent. I may always be spotted as an American speaking Spanish, but not as an American cow trying to speak Spanish! (That comes from an old insult -- not especially polite.)
Save some money, get this course and have fun learning or improving your Spanish.
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