Learn Chinese Product Reviews

ABC Rating: A
Manufacturer: Rocket Languages
Download Price: $99.95
Shipped Price: $299.95
Platform: Windows, Mac
Type: Software
Media: CD-ROM, CD
• Learn More
• Order Page

Rocket Languages provides a free 6 day course if you want to get a better feel for what they are offering. It contains sample audio tracks from Rocket Chinese aswell as Chinese grammar and culture lessons. You can sign-up here: Free Chinese Course

Rocket Languages also provides a free downloadable 58 page ebook titled: “Ordinary Ways To Learn A Language Extraordinarily Fast“. Just right click the following link and “Save Target As…”
• Download Now

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Pros:
• In-depth instruction
• Interactive audio tracks
• Grammar and culture lessons
• Simple for use by kids and children
• Fun games

Cons:
• Shipped version is $200 more!
• Could use a little more grammar lessons

ABC Rating: A-
Manufacturer: Rosetta Stone
Price:
• Chinese (Mandarin) Level 1: $233.10
• Chinese (Mandarin) Level 2: $251.10
• Chinese (Mandarin) Level 3: $269.10
• Chinese (Mandarin) Level 1+2: $377.10
• Chinese (Mandarin) Level 1+2+3: $494.10
Platform: Windows, Mac
Type: Software
Media: CD-ROM
• Learn more at Amazon.com

You can try a free demo directly from the RS website: Rosetta Stone Demo
(note – demo is in Swedish)

This set will help you:
• Spell and write accurately
• Speak without a script
• Retain what you’ve learned
• Read and understand Chinese
• Share ideas and opinions
• Talk about everyday life
• Express feelings
• Build your vocabulary and Chinese abilities

Sample topics include:
• Age and family relations
• Questions, greetings, introductions
• Times of day, calendar terms, the weather
• Directions, locations, telling time
• Present, past and future tense
• Apologies and polite requests
• How to order at a restaurant
• Give and receive directions
• Emotions, opinions and ideas
• Political, media, business and religious terms

Rosetta Stone is used and trusted by:
• NASA
• U.S. State Department
• U.S. Army
• 10,000+ schools

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Pros:
• Vivid imagery
• Clear organization of all lessons
• Well-structured navigation
• Clear and to the point
• Encouraged to speak from the first lesson
• Foundation of key vocabulary
• Speech recognition
• Dynamic immersion
• Audio companion
• Most trusted and well-known
• 10% off at Amazon.com ($55 off)

Cons:
• Steep price tag
• Voice recognition at times faulty
• Can be repetitive at times
• Pace can be slow for fast learners
• The immersion style learning might not be suitable for all learners

ABC Rating: A+
Manufacturer: Fluenz
Price:
• Level 1+2 (Windows): $323.00
• Level 1+2 & Mobile (Windows): $373.00
• Level 1+2 (Macintosh): $323.00
• Level 1+2 & Mobile (Macintosh): $373.00
Platform: Windows, Mac
Type: Software
Media: DVD-ROM, Audio CD, Mobile
• Learn more at Amazon.com (Windows)
• Learn more at Amazon.com (Macintosh)

Video Demo: Go
Sample Session: Go

Product Features:
• 60 units / sessions
• Program designed for teens and adults
• Over 170 explanatory videos
• English-Mandarin glossary

Sessions designed to help you:
• Ask directions
• Order a meal
• Make hotel reservations
• Give instructions to a taxi driver

Instruction to help learners understand:
• Issuing commands
• Forming questions
• The four-tone system
• Pronoun usage
• Ordering food at a restaurant
• Shopping
• Buying tickets and other travel activities
• Making a hotel reservation
• Vocabulary related to work
• Going out at night and entertainment
• Telephone communication
• Counting up to 999
• Monetary transactions

Click to read.
• Read All (45+)

Pros:
• 10% off at Amazon.com
• Clear organization of all lessons
• Well-structured navigation
• The overall graphic design is pleasing
• Clear and to the point

Cons:
• A more systematic way of keeping score is the only relevant element missing

* We strongly recommend Fluenz Mandarin.