Before you pack for an exciting trip to Italy, you’re probably hoping to learn a few common Italian phrases to make your trip easier and more fun. Once you’re there, you’ll likely pick up on some of these words even more quickly once you’re hearing locals use them often. No doubt they’ll appreciate your efforts to go beyond “ciao” and “mamma mia.” Even if you can’t say all of the words and phrases listed below, the first step toward language learning is understanding. If you capture these basic Italian words and phrases, you can get the gist of what the other person is saying. But to really pr ..read more

For many, the city of Venice evokes an image of relaxing in a sleek gondola with a serenading gondolier guiding you through a romantic canal next to candy-striped mooring posts. While heavily used by eager tourists and the local transportation of goods, the canals in Venice, Italy, are a part of what make this floating city magical. They’re also an essential part of how the city functions even today. You can explore the canals in Venice by taking a boat ride, walking over a ponte (bridge), or strolling along the fondamenta (foundation), which is the sidewalk or walking bank along the canal.&nb ..read more

Like many aspects of cultures around the world, languages aren’t easy to tally. Many outside Mexico might assume Spanish is the only language spoken there, but that assumption would be incorrect. However, when you explore the languages of Mexico, Spanish is a good place to start. Rosetta Stone’s tutoring sessions can help you learn Latin American Spanish quickly through conversational practice with an expert language tutor. Mexico is a vast country of more than 126 million people with diverse linguistic heritages captured in different languages and dialects. It’s actually recognized as the mos ..read more

Action words, or verbs, are core elements of communication in any language, and different types of verbs enhance understanding. Le conditionnel (the conditional) can be a French verb tense, but we’re going to focus on the conditional as a verb mood. What’s the difference? We’ll explain below. There are many uses in French for le conditionnel: hypothetical situations, politeness, and regret. In English, the word “would” is often used to express the conditional mood, although it can be translated in a few different ways: I would do my homework if I had enough time. Could you pass me that pencil ..read more

Most people in the United States know a little Spanish, even if it’s just the words in the English dictionary like “patio,” “salsa,” and “rodeo” that come from Spanish. But if you want to speak Spanish with confidence, you’ll need a little guidance. It takes more than a dictionary and 30-second videos to learn how to speak Spanish well. A well-recognized Spanish program and method for learning Spanish will serve as an anchor for speaking with proficiency. Learning through Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion method helps you learn in an immersive Spanish environment with lessons that teach you th ..read more

“Dad,” “Father,” “Vater,” “Padre,” “Papà.”  No matter the language, fathers—and affectionate names for fathers—exist in every culture. From biological fathers to father figures, people all over the world use Father’s Day to celebrate the presence of a father in their lives. Some countries have special traditions to celebrate dads, while others have no formal customs. If you’re looking for ideas to start some new Father’s Day traditions, then we have some great tips for you! Rather than getting your Dad socks again or scratching your head about what to get him this year, you could truly su ..read more

Eating local food is a highlight of any trip abroad. Before you can satisfy your taste buds, you have to tell the waiter what you want! And you’ll likely have to order in Japanese because most people in Japan don’t speak English. With a little preparation, adding key vocabulary and phrases to your language toolkit will take any stress away and allow you to enjoy your meal.  Explore more about dining out in Japan with vocabulary and conversation lessons from Rosetta Stone. Identify different foods and learn adjectives to describe them through our Dynamic Immersion method that goes beyond r ..read more

Thanks to the incredible variety of regional cultures, you don’t just travel to Italy. With enough time, you’ll explore the rolling vineyards of Tuscany, cruise the azure waters of the Amalfi coast, glide through the canals of Venice, retreat to the scenic northern lakes, marvel at history in Rome, and immerse yourself in the art and culture of Florence. Picture yourself with all the famous landmarks, enjoying pizzas, vino (wine), and panini (sandwiches) in every city along the way. Perhaps you’ll step on the same stones as Caesar Augustus, gaze on the art that Raphael painstakingly created, o ..read more

The sunset view of the magnificent Duomo and the meandering cobblestone streets have a naturally occurring sepia filter that makes you feel like you’re stepping into history. Or maybe into a painting. Florence is the cradle of the Renaissance, home to the House of Medici, a bridge filled with untold wealth, fine Italian leather goods, and the giant bistecca (beef steak). Florence, or Firenze, is more than luxury jewelry and the massive Uffizi Gallery. There are unique treasures here to delight the seasoned traveler and the first time visitor: a lucky boar, anatomical Venus statues, an astronom ..read more

We talk about the future all the time, from what we are going to do tomorrow to things that are going to happen soon. In French, we can express these ideas with the futur proche (near future). An entirely regular conjugation pattern makes it the easiest French verb conjugation to learn and the most common way to express the future. We’ll show you how to put any French verb into the futur proche in two simple steps.  Some aspects of the French language are relatively easy to learn and remember. For those that aren’t, Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion method helps you master the language t ..read more