So I was thinking about learning Chinese (mandarin). English is my primary language and Vietnamese is my second. Anyone have a good/bad experience with this software? also, when do they usually discount the software? $500 is alot for levels 1-5.

Also, if one speaks an asian language already (such as Japanese, vietnamese, etc) does it make learning Mandarin easier?

 

I can answer your first two questions. I have had great experience with my software (I'm learning Spanish) and am able to have conversations in Spanish (granted they are basic conversations) after the 3rd disc. $500 is steep, I got a Groupon for all five discs for only $189, I'd check there before buying.

 

I did some research last year and the reviews were horrible (Italian). The cost is very high and the discs get locked to you, so you cannot resell them. I also found out it was basic content for 1-5, nothing you'd use while travelling. After running the numbers it was $1500 to 'learn' Italian enough to hold a business conversation and/or travel comfortable.

I'd happily fork that over if I could get half back on resale but they've closed that door some how. Research this will show more.

 

If any of you have Military friends they can access the first 5 lessons for free through their military sites (ex. army uses AKO) If there not using you can download it from their account. (only works once.....)

 

depends on the language, but for most pimsleur is better

FSI (foreign service institute) is also better and free

 

i am american born chinese, english/cantonese is what i speak. mandarin is very hard to pick up unless you have dedication. there is a lot of different tones/pitch in each sounding word that has to be pronounced correctly(it can mean different things if said in the wrong pitch/tone) which i think is just crazy.. good luck

 

I'm an American born Vietnamese. I took mandarin courses in college, and studied abroad in China a few times. Since Vietnamese is also a tonal language it does help a bit considering there is more tones in Vietnamese than Mandarin. You have to be extremely diligent with learning characters. Grammar wise, Chinese is not too difficult, it's much easier than Japanese(I took Japanese in college also). I can read/write Chinese at a good level, and can definitely hold my own in China, or talking with my Girlfriend's parents that don't speak English.

 

All discs can be had online for free depending on your morals and computer knowledge.

On an unrelated note, I believe I have a set of the discs lying around my house somewhere.

 

^agree

 

I'm using it to go to Thailand