Babbel or other (or nothing) for upcoming trip?

My wife and I are taking the kids (15 and 11) to Italy for spring break in 2 months. Is that enough time to learn enough from Babbel or another program to pick up a small part of the language?

I do not expect to be fluent. Heck, I do not expect to even be able to converse. But ordering something basic in a restaurant, understanding parts of a conversation, those basics would be nice.

I do travel in my car a few days a week, hours at a time, so something phone based that I listen to and do not have to pay attention to the screen would be ideal.

Posts: 2310 | Location: Orlando | Registered: April 22, 2007

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I think it would. You wouldn't probably have any long term retention, but a few lessons a day would get some basics down for you.

I tried Duolingo and all the languages I flirted with seemed to start with the easier things like food, numbers, relationships, and directions; those are going to be the things you would probably find useful on a trip.

"The people hate the lizards and the lizards rule the people."
"Odd," said Arthur, "I thought you said it was a democracy."
"I did," said Ford, "it is."
"So," said Arthur, hoping he wasn't sounding ridiculously obtuse, "why don't the people get rid of the lizards?"
"It honestly doesn't occur to them. They've all got the vote, so they all pretty much assume that the government they've voted in more or less approximates the government they want."
"You mean they actually vote for the lizards."
"Oh yes," said Ford with a shrug, "of course."
"But," said Arthur, going for the big one again, "why?"
"Because if they didn't vote for a lizard, then the wrong lizard might get in."

Posts: 3516 | Location: Two blocks from the Center of the Universe | Registered: December 30, 2004