Learning a language can radically transform your travels. One of our favorite learning tools is Rosetta Stone, which has been helping people master languages for more than two decades.

How Learning a Language Helps You Travel

You can immerse yourself in a destination by eating local foods or exploring neighborhoods, but one of the best ways to understand a place and its people is to learn the language. Even in places where English is widely understood and spoken, the gesture of speaking in the local tongue helps close communication gaps and can even start new friendships. Imagine chatting with street food vendors in Seoul, making friends with locals in Munich during Oktoberfest, or haggling in Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, all without having to use a dictionary or fiddle with your phone. It can bring the world closer to you.

The Basics

Rosetta Stone helps you learn to read, write, and speak a new language. Choose from 26 languages, including Spanish, Mandarin, French, Japanese, Hindi, and Arabic, and complete the lessons on your own schedule, even if you have just 10 minutes each day. Practice anywhere, at any time, on your computer, tablet, or phone. Individual immersive lessons take anywhere from five to 30 minutes, and you can expect that it’ll take about 40 to 50 hours to complete each level. 

The Details

A 24-month Rosetta Stone subscription costs $249, and it comes with a 30-day money back guarantee. Subscriptions include full access to the course, extended learning tools, downloadable lessons and materials, and, of course, the mobile app. You’ll also access TrueAccent, a program that helps fine-tune pronunciation.

To start learning a language today, visit Rosetta Stone.