Editorial Review

The first concise, compact and popular dictionary, indispensable to the traveler in modern Israel and to anyone seeking an introduction to the ancient language of the Bible. Its 7,000 entries are Romanized, and accompanied by helpful hints on pronunciation and communication, enabling the reader to use the language without delay. ... Read more

Reviews

Disappointed - I wanted a real Hebrew-English dictionary, September 7, 2010
I wanted a Hebrew-English/English Hebrew dictionary where the Hebrew words were in Hebrew. This English transliteration dictionary is of no use to me, because I correspond and receive e-mail in Hebrew. I am better off using Mozilla Firefox's add-on, "ImTranslator."

useful reference, July 10, 2000
This book is good if you know some hebrew and want to prime your memory for specific situations. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Easy Spanish Phrase Book is Invaluable, June 16, 2000
This book was invaluable on my recent family vacation to Zihuatanejo, Mexico! Spanish phrases are categorized according to the situation in which you will need them; for example, restaurants, banks, stores, post offices, etc. The pronunication keys were great. We ordered food, found an Internet cafe and a bank, and were able to get more toilet paper from the non-English-speaking hotel desk clerk at 10:30 p.m. I don't know what we would have done without it!

A great easy reference for the most basic Spanish needs, August 18, 2004
If you are intending to learn any new language, I first recommned that you read How To Learn Any Language. In that book, you'll find a recommendation to get a phrase book. The purpose of the phrase book is to give you prior practice in real-life situations. When you get a chance to memorize phrases ahead of time, that is the BEST way to use a phrase book. Your grammar book, and sometimes even your course, does not give you the "Which room is mine?" kind of phrases. Yes, you will need to flip through the book to find responses or the next question on different topic, but that is only if you do not practice a bit ahead of time.
This is a great phrasebook and is a great value!

Learn Spanish on the ..., June 2, 2003
You can't beat this book - for the price and the small, yet concise and relevant content. Learn how to tell time, order food, go through customs, as well as greetings and social conversations just to name a few. Especially helpful are the pronunciation guides listed below each phrase. Muy bueno for the traveler or beginner.

Love It but Don't Love It Alone, March 26, 2006
I give this handy little book a whopping five stars. I love the size of Easy Spanish Phrase Book and its useful sentences.
Very portable and loaded with common everyday phrases.
Here's a tip.
I am using my Easy Spanish Phrase Book with a CD course entitled Behind the Wheel Spanish. I just finished level 1 and 2 and will soon move on to level 3.
It's amazing how important these phrases are and how they continually pop up in everyday conversation and how much more effective they are when you can hear them
on the CD.
Naturally, your choice for sentence formation is limited if you just stick to Easy Spanish Phrase Book. There's only so much you can fit into this tiny book.
That's why I went with a full CD course and full text like Behind the Wheel Spanish.
But when I am pressed for time and space, all I take along is Easy Spanish Phrase Book.

Only for beginners, June 28, 2006
Everything in this book is what you would already know after a Spanish I class. Any new vocabulary words could easily be picked up elsewhere. As far as the phrases go, some of them could come across as rude if not used correctly. For example, the book often uses "Quiero" as "I want" when asking for something, when "Quisiera = I would like" would be more polite. "Traigame una frazada = Bring me a blanket" should be replaced with "Me puede traer una frazada, por favor?" Don't waste your time with this book unless you're an absolute beginner, and even then I would suggest something else.

Cheap,quick,easy to use spanish guide., November 12, 2002
About 70 pages long and for [dollar amount] you cannot beat this book.All the basic spanish for travel shopping dining emergency and amusement.Along with the spanish word is also a phonetic pronunciation guide,which is also a big help.

Excellent source for beginners!, January 18, 2005
my husband teaches spanish to high school students and to an adult class. He has found that this little book is extremely useful to both groups. We have ordered 100 of these books at the present; to give to the students and they love them.
He strongly reccomends this book for all interested in learning spanish.

"reads too much", August 29, 2006
LOVE this book. It has all the ready phrases you need and it also has the pronuciation phonetically spelled out for you under the phrase you are learning. Awesome!!!

Works Well With Behind the Wheel Spanish, April 16, 2005
The Easy Spanish Phrase Book we just bought is the obvious perfect compliment to the Spanish course we are using. You see, my wife and I are learning Spanish together using the Behind the Wheel Spanish series.
It's uncanny, but both our course and this phrase book have almost the same categories:
travel, restaurant, transportation, etc .....
The Easy Spanish Phrase Book is ideal as a supplement for any Spanish course (though I would not recommend you use it alone) because it is compact, inexpensive and full of useful everyday useful sentences in Spanish.
A must buy for any serious student of Spanish on a budget.
.

Exactly what I needed!, November 17, 2004
I will be traveling to Venezuela in the next few weeks. This book has most of the common phrases that I will need to use! It's user friendly and small enough to tuck into a purse. I would venture to say, though, that this book of phrases works best for people that have a fairly good base knowledge of the Spanish language... ie: those that took Spanish in high school and/or college, but never got an opportunity to actually use the language it to make it functional. I'm
currently "studying" this book, and also plan to keep it nearby me throughout my trip. It's great stuff!!! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Indispensable learning aid includes definitions of common Spanish words arranged by such categories as foods, numbers, days of the week, months, colors, seasons and family. The heart of the book is a dictionary, from a to zapato, in which each word is used in a Spanish sentence (with English translation) demonstrating its proper use.
... Read more

Reviews

Great Little Book!, May 10, 1999
With only 55 pages, it packs a ton of vocabulary! It's so thin I can put it almost anywhere, even inside another book! Wonderful for building vocabulary on the go. It has the Spanish word, it's definition, then it has A SENTENCE IN SPANISH to show context, AND the English translation!!! If that wasn't enough, the last few pages it has groupings of words under various subjects. AND some vocabulary tips!!! I can't say enough about this little book. And did everybody see the price??! Unheard of!! Every new student of Spanish should own one.

P.S. I think the person who gave this book a poor rating was being extremely unkind. This book never says it's anything other than it is. A book to build vocabulary. It's not a dictionary. Dictionaries cost a lot more, and are heavy. (This book weighs 2 oz.!)

$1.95?? Are you KIDDING me?, October 28, 2003
Okay, I thought that $1.95 was a misprint, and I bought it just to get a bargain. But omigod, talk about a bargain! At ten times the price, this book would be a bargain. It's not going to teach you to speak Spanish. It's not going to help you conjugate Spanish verbs. It's not going to make you fluent or able to read the newspaper in Zihuatenejo. But know what? It's going to make your next foray into a Spanish-speaking country a whole lot easier.
Overall, it's a dictionary, but there are subsections like food, colors, travel, clothing, and within those sections things are arranged alphabetically. Each word is used in a whole sentence (many of which are very handy sentences to have at your disposable) with translation, of course.
Anyway, stop reading this review and buy this book. Hell, at this price, buy 10 and give them to everyone in your family the next time you go south of the border.
Highest recommendation, and an utter steal at this price.

Spanish - Light & Easy!, August 6, 2000
A light (and I really mean light - the book weighs about 2 ounces) and helpful book for anyone trying to build their Spanish vocabulary. Printed by the good people at Dover Publications, the book lacks the fancy designs, illustrations, and other graphics that books are generally well known for, however it is a very resourceful book to have around.

Author Seymour Resnick does a great job in compiling the 1,001 most used words in the Spanish language, however there is one negative thing about this book. There is not a pronunciation guide throughout the whole book. Although it's not a dictionary, it is always helpful to have this reference mentioned in a foreign-language book. Besides this fault, this book will make excellent reading material for anyone trying to brush up on their Spanish before a trip, meeting, or just to chat with a friend or relative.

Useful on a small scale, September 3, 2002
This book has about 50 pages of dictionary, followed by word lists by category (such as the family, days, months, numbers, colors, foods, and animals, among others), and finally a page of "vocabulary tips," which are things like "English -ous is often Spanish -oso."

One major disadvantage of this book is that the dictionary section is Spanish-English and there is no English-Spanish section. Obviously, with only a little over a thousand words, the book is not meant to be an exhaustive dictionary, and it does not really function as one. I was surprised at how useful I found one part of the book- the list of foods (Spanish-English, like the dictionary section). There were many words on this list that I did not know but felt I should, such as "almond" and "celery."

I went through the dictionary section and found that each page (with about 22 words) had an average of 4 words I didn't know. (To give background on my Spanish knowledge, I have taken 4 years of high school Spanish, plus a lot of reading and studying in my spare time). I happily highlighted those words and began studying them, since they are, as the title claims, very useful. I think that this book might be most helpful for someone who has taken around 2 years of high school Spanish, as that person would know far fewer of the words. On the other hand, it might be an overwhelming amount to memorize, so maybe not.

Here is an example entry taken from the book (I think this falls under fair use...):
"arrojar to throw Se prohibe arrojar objetos por la ventanilla. It is forbidden to throw things out of the window." At times the entry will also specify that the word is used in a certain country or region, which is very helpful considering the variation in the language in different Spanish-speaking countries.

All in all, a useful little book, and a good resource for learning Spanish. Its scope is small, but it achieves what it aims for very well.

I never leave home without it, June 23, 2006
I am "conversational" in Spanish. I am not fluent in the language but confident that I will eventually become completely fluent in Spanish. After trying many different methods to learn Spanish with little success, I have devised my own method.

Both 1001 Most Useful Spanish Words and Easy Spanish Phrase Book have been two of the most important tools in my arsenal. My method of learning involves the following:

1.) Use both 1001 Most Useful Spanish Words and Easy Spanish Phrase Book to build you vocabulary.

2.) The two books that I mentioned above are very easy reads. It's a good idea to read them more than once. You can read them at your convenience because they are very compact and easy to carry around. That explains how I got in the habit of never leaving home without one or the other. And if I have to wait at the doctor's office, have my hair done, or wait to have my
car serviced, I always have one or the other book to read.

3.) You'll also need a comprehensive course to serve as your basis. Any of the big-league courses will do (e.g. Learning Spanish Like Crazy, FSI Spanish, Pimsleur Spanish). But I prefer Learning Spanish Like Crazy. Not only do I find its method to be a fun and easy way to learn Spanish but I don't have a lot of time on my hands so it is rare that I can actually "stop" in order to study. I like Learning Spanish Like Crazy because I can use it for 30 or 40 minutes per day while I am in my basement running on my treadmill. Let LSLC serve as your foundation. IMHO, it's the best of the big-league courses with one caveat: Make sure that you download the revised LSLC lessons as advised in the instructions that come with the LSLC CDs from Amazon. Use this course to develop a good Spanish accent and to learn how to form your own sentences in Spanish, think in Spanish, etc.

4.) The next step is a very important part of my lesson plan (only second to #6). Whenever I am in my car I'll have 2 different CDs in the CD changer from Learn in You Car Spanish and I'll also have 2 different CDs in the CD changer from Behind the Wheel Spanish. So whenever I am in my car, I'm exposed to a different teaching method and hearing different Spanish speakers.

5.) When using Learn In Your Car Spanish CDs and Behind the Wheel CDs, listen to each CD at least 4 or 5 times. And do the same with the Learning Spanish Like Crazy CDs. If you are not able to make your response before the speakers on the recordings, then you know that you have not mastered the CD and that you need to repeat the CD again before replacing it with another CD.

6.) The next step is probably the most crucial in my lesson plan. Make sure that you practice what you have learned with native Spanish speakers. Using 1001 Most Useful Spanish Words and the other resources will give you all of the fundamentals that you need, but to perfect your skills and become conversational and eventually fluent, you'll have to practice with a native.

useful for a beginning speaker, April 14, 1999
I found this book really useful. If you already know how to put together basic sentences in Spanish (I've only taken first semester Spanish)then studying from this book gives you a really good basis for conversation. When I was travelling in Mexico last year I remember trying to look up a lot of these important words and phrases in the dictionary but being unable to find them. If you plan on trying to use your Spanish you should study from this list of essential words, many of which are often left out of beginning Spanish books for some reason. The book also gives clear examples of how the word should be used in a sentence, which is helpful.

Make sure you need it before you buy it., July 22, 2003
If you've taken more than one semester of Spanish in school, this book won't be able to help you much. For me (my wife is Mexican and I have learned a lot from her. I have also completed up through Spanish 201 in college), this book did not teach me a thing. However, for my grandma who has no experience with Spanish and wanted to learn some voculary words in order to communicate easier, this book was perfect. This book could be one of the most useful you have or one of the most useless, depending on who you are and at what level of Spanish you are at. Make sure that you need it before you buy it, but for two bucks you can't do much better if you are looking for a good vocaulary list.

Well worth the money!, March 31, 2002
I am in Antigua, Guatemala, 7 weeks into an immersion spanish program. I have glanced through a number of small dictionaries or books that seek to build vocabulary. The choice of words is always puzzling. For example, you might find the spanish word for "elf" but then be unable to find "fork".

This book on the other hand has a very wise choice of words. It covers most of the verbs and nouns and what not you will need for basic conversations. "to have", "to want", basic foods, basic prepositions. So far, it has the wisest choice of words I have seen. Furthermore, each word comes with a sentence, which helps with grammar and usage. ...

Good little vocabulary-builder for intermediate student, November 26, 2004
It's appropriate to judge a book's success based on how well it fulfills its intended goals. If I write a book on modern popular music, for example, I would not expect it to be disparaged if it insufficiently covers medieval architecture or Roman medical advances.

This analogy comes to mind when thinking about this book. At first, I was myself tempted to dismiss the book. On the negative side, each word has only one sentence, and there's no English-to-Spanish section. What good is that?

Other reviewers have taken this tack. A book with 1000 words isn't going to be useful if you know much more than 1000 words. And a book with no pronunciation guide is not going to be very useful for beginngers.

On the other hand, the clear purpose of this book is one that I feel it does quite well: it's for the intermediate student (like me) and shows you which words to concentrate on learning. In other words, it helps me build my working useful vocabulary. I have several dictionaries: the problem for me is to know which words out of the 80,000 to concentrate on learning and which to ignore.

In some cases, you can look at the English and take a guess: the word meaning "talk" is likely to be very useful and "disambiguate" less so. Again, though, it's that middle category I want to know about: the ones that are useful even though, not having made a serious study of word usage, they don't seem so to me. And that's where the book really shines. It's a handy list of those words.

Its small size is also a plus. I carry it around with me and look at it from time to time when I have a free second.

In summary, this is a good little book that will help the intermediate student build his working vocabulary. It's not perfect, but it's a decent little book to have around.

Excellent value!, May 28, 2000
This is a great book to increase your everyday vocubulary. As a resident of Mexico, I used this book with great success and you certainly can't beat the price! The words used really are among the most common in everday speech. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Most Useful and Entertaining!, May 22, 2002
A friend bought Rick Steves' Italian Phrase Book & Dictionary for me last summer before I embarked on my first trip abroad. My Italian speaking friend had actually lived in Italy for a few years, and after careful consideration, felt that this phrase book/guide would be useful for me. He was absolutely right.

The book proved to be invaluable. It was compact enough that I could carry it around with me in a small purse/backpack that I carried with me throughout my entire trip. I did not speak any Italian whatsoever, and found the words and phrases in the book to be exactly what I needed to get around and communicate effectively. I especially appreciated the pronunciation guide to each Italian word in the book- that was extremely helpful. The practical advice given throughout the book proved to be invaluable, as well as humorous, and the menu decoder was also of particular help. I quickly got over any "qualms" I may have had over appearing too "touristy" on my trip and used the phrase book repeatedly as it proved to be a most definate asset. Thank you Rick Steves' for so accurately predicting the needs of the average beginning traveler. The book greatly enhanced a most wonderful traveling experience. In fact, I am still studying it in anticipation of my next trip to Italy.

Prego..., February 22, 2001
Now if you read this book, you'd know what that means (Can I help you. Do you speak Italian? Here it is). It's not a high school langauge class, but it's a lot more fun, and with some time you'll get pretty good.

I think Rick does a great job is laying out the phrases that you'll need if you go to Italy. We're going in a few weeks, and it's really helping. Now if he could only improve the memory.

The book is small, will fit in a shirt pocket. It's broken down into sections (basics, eating, chating, etc.) so you can focus in on a section that you need, master it, then move to another section. After you've been through it all, you can then start combining different phrases and make some great sentences. It's got a lot of mnaterial in it, so start early when you decide to use it.

Thanks Rick, I actually feel that I can go into the Italian world and be somewhat understood. And, not to worry, I'll smile as I butcher the language, use my hands a lot, and laugh at the whole thing.

Is there one better?, August 29, 2005
Admittedly, maneuvering your way through the sections may be a little tricky at first, but we found that most relevant phrases and lingo was repeated in several different sections to reinforce the learning process. We had looked at and even purchased a couple of other phrase books and dictionaries but found this to be the best one overall. Great pronunciation guides, common everyday conversational items and even the humor is a good break in the studies. I already speak decent Italian, my wife did not, and she found Rick's guide to be much better in format and usability and was the one we chose to take to Italy with us.

The most helpful "little" Italian book, October 3, 2002
I purchased Rick Steve's Italian Phrase Book & Dictionary in preparation of my trip to Rome. Rick not only makes Italian easy, he makes it fun. This book spells out hundreds of everyday words and phrases, as well as the common phrases and words that will be used by a tourist. He gives helpful hints on how to speak with the locals and make the most of your experience. He also includes many words/phrases that many people would want to know how to say but would be embarrassed to ask someone to translate for them. His attention to detail is fantastic. Although this book will not teach you fluent Italian, it gives you a great foundational vocabulary to start you on your way. A must for anyone planning to travel to Italy! Buon viaggio!

Nice Basic Start, September 26, 2001
This is a nice way to start to learn "By the Phrase" Italian. Having just been to Italy, I can vouch for the generally friendly and helpful nature of most of the residents. Also, in most of the more popular tourist destinations, English is often spoken. So, if you were to work with this book and learn some of the useful, ordinary phrases, it would probably make a nice impression on the native Italians and would make you feel less like a clueless tourist. This book will not make you really fluent, nor will it teach you the real mechanics of the language. Keep in mind this a phrase based, quick start approach that is easy to read and should help the average tourist.

Great for General Use, March 14, 2005
This book has all the basics including a few that you may need to use but hope you never have to. It is well organized. Better than the Berlitz books I thought. Some things seems goofy- why do I need a translation for I have a social disease? Then I found out - it is perfect for the gross old man trying to grope you on the train in Milan - that's why. Not to make Italy sound bad. They just have their fair share of perverts riding on local trains hitting on young women just like my home city does. Anyway, where I found this book lacking was food. As you travel around Italy, the dialects change fairly dramatically. So, sometimes it can be tricky figuring out what it is that you just ordered until you have it in front of you. In Germany I bought a language guide that was just for food (not by Rick Steves) and that helped. I wish he would write an Italian food translation book. The good thing is that a lot of people in Italy speak some English. If they don't they often understood my mix of Spanish and French vocabulary. I recommend Rick Steve's phrase book because he encourages you to speak to the people in the place that you are visiting - perhaps even thumb wrestle.

Not useful, May 15, 2004
I love Rick Steves, but this book is too broken up into categories to use very well. We read all the great reviews on this prior to our trip and bought it - mistake. Any time we wanted to look up a word it wasn't in there (first example coming to mind, BLACK! - it was in the Italian to English, but you'd have to be translating that direction only). It's good for a laugh and has funny translations, like slow down the car or i will vomit, but realistically, will you really use that (OK, in Italy if not elsewhere, but it's not something you'd look up at that moment feeling that way). Impractical is the best description of this book

Very useful pocket translation guide, November 9, 2004
This book was a great help during my recent trip to Italy. I liked that Rick Steve's would also add a little bit of the culture and things you should note in here. In the restaurant guide he gives you suggestions, and the fact that your going to pay a bread charge when you sit down at a restaurant. While this book is not complete with all of the words you may need. This coupled with patient folks, you will get what you need.

I think this book is a good starting point, and certainly helped me out as a tourist. I was able to order in a restaurant, get subway directions, receive assistance in a shop without too much trouble. This was one of my best investments on my trip.

Everything you need to say - and more, June 1, 2004
Of course, it has the obvious phrases regarding directions, hotel rooms, food, etc. It also has things you really need to say, but that aren't found in standard phrase books. For example, in the "Taxi" section, you can quickly find out how to tell the driver, "If you don't slow down, I will vomit!" There is just enough humor to keep you smiling without wasting your time, and succinctly hepful comments throughout. This is the phrase book to get for your next trip to Italy.

Great take-along phrase book!, May 31, 2000
Contains the words and phrases you will actually use on a trip. Organized for easy, quick reference. Highly recommend Rick Steve's guidebooks as well. Have used them with great success in the past! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Based on the student's ability to create--not memorize by rote--the Madrigal method can help readers convert English into Spanish in an instant, develop perfect pronunciation (thanks to a handy pronunciation guide), form sentences from the very first lesson, and more. Previously announced in September. ... Read more

Reviews

Entiendo Espanol..., May 9, 2001
I got decent grades in college Spanish; two “A-‘s” and a “B+.” However, when I needed to actually speak Spanish, I was lost. I couldn’t say much except “Mas cervezas, por favor (More beer, please)!”

"Madrial’s Magic Key", along with the expensive (but quite worth it) Pimsleur tapes, have corrected the “mis-education” I was subjected to. The drills Ms. Madrigal presents are easy to remember and fun to do, not like those tedious translations and verb conjugations that college texts are so fond of. In two months, studying this book in my spare time, I retained more Spanish than I did in an entire academic year. And, for the first time, I can actually say that I understand Spanish.

I would supplement this book with a comprehensive book on Spanish grammar (I have the Barron’s, but I suppose any would work) and a dictionary. I would definitely recommend “Breaking Out of Beginner’s Spanish” by Joseph Keenan for an in depth take on colloquial Spanish as well. Further, if you have the money, buy the "Pimsleur Comprehensive" series as well. Get vol.’s 1-3, even though they are pricey. If you are an audio/tactile learner like me, I guarantee that you will retain more Spanish idioms using the Pimsleur method than any other.

Fantastic start to learning spanish, January 10, 2004
Magic Key to Spanish is one of those rare books that you come back to again again, it inspires progress and there's so much to learn from it- it's certainly not going to be a dust gatherer if learning Spanish is what you truly want. If I've convinced you already buy it- if not read on.

The book starts with a very positive introduction and goes on to explain that an English speaker already knows hundreds if not thousands of words in Spanish and it gives you the rules that unlock this 'magic key' to Spanish. It then moves on to teach you grammar in a very novel way, none of the boring conjungations that had to be learnt by rote when doing languages at school. She starts with the past tense as this is how we speak to friends and then moves through much of the essential grammar required to Speak, Read and write Spanish.

I would recommend this book to all beginners in Spanish. It has got two downsides which are the layout, which is now dated (it was written in the early 1950's with Andy Warhol as the illustrator) and also (for me living in England) the fact that the emphasis is on South American Spanish not peninsular Spanish.

I wish the Magic Key to French and German were still in print as I have made substanital progress with my Spanish using this book, the method obviously works. If the publisher is reading this, please consider a reprint of the other two editions given the success of the Spanish version.

The late Margarita Madrigal was ahead of her time as the method she used in this book is akin to what trainers would now call Accerlerated Learning. A word of warning, make sure that you do all of the exercises and tests or you will not be learning to your full potential.

I recommend that you buy this book and use it in tandem with an audio course either the Pimsleur series (expensive) or Michel Thomas would be great- as these will give you the pronunciation which you will require to progress further. Both the audio courses are structured so that there is no repetition and so you have to consciously form the language and remain motivated not bored. If you would like more in-depth information on Spanish grammar I highly recommend 'Buscalo'

Hope this helps you with your introduction to the beautiful and very useful Spanish language- buena suerte!

An Excellent Book for Teaching Yourself to Speak Spanish., October 27, 1999
I have searched for years to find good books to teach myself Spanish, and this one is head and shoulders above the rest. The clear structured organization and presentation make it easy to read and to study. Most others are too basic or, it seems, oriented to very young students. If you are seriously interested in teaching yourself conversational Spanish, then this book will be very helpful. It progresses at a good rate, integrates vocabulary painlessly and uses excercises that build conversational ability. If you are interested in teaching yourself Spanish, then this book is very effective. It uses some very effective shortcuts. For example, it omits the familiar form which reduces the number of verb forms without limiting your ability to comunicate. Many books seem oriented to college course work and seem tediously and academically oriented to stucture and detail, rules and form. This book does not suffer these defiencies. It is committed to teaching you to communicate in Spanish easily (at least as easily as possible)and effectively. I am just someone who wanted to learn to speak Spanish and for that purpose, I found it very effective.

A brief note about accents, July 13, 2002
Since the original date of publication (1951), the Real Academia de la Lengua Espa�ola (guardian of the Spanish Language) officially removed the accents on some one-syllable words. The old spellings appear in the book. For example, in Chapter 31 (common irregular verbs), these words have changed:

Old form: v�, vi�, d�, di�, fu�, fu�
New form: vi, vio, di, dio, fui, fue
(NOTE: this is not a complete list!)

Old spellings also appear in exercises using these words.

These changes don't change the pronunciation of the words! Accent marks are used to show how a word should be written in accordance with the way it is pronounced. The rules on pronouncing weak-weak, weak-strong, strong-weak and strong-strong vowel combinations apply: so, for example, vio (new form) sounds the same as vi� (old form).

This is a great book for learning Spanish. Don't let the age of it throw you.

My plug for a top-notch dictionary: get the Pocket Oxford Spanish Dictionary Second Edition (2000).

Simply the best book I've found....and I've bought them all, July 17, 1998
Learning Spanish should be fun and easy. If not, the odds are that you'll get frustrated and never learn this fantastic language.

Madrigal's Magic key is trully "magical." The book simply is entertaining and a very easy read. It makes learning Spanish fun and not a chore. The book gets the student right into the language without all those complicated rules. The emphasis is on buidling your confidence and establishing a Spanish vocabulary quickly without pain. This is accomplished based on your knowledge of English. For example, she teaches you the tricks of converting english nouns into verbs. The result is that you're not memorizing verbs but focusing on applying simple rules to building a large spanish vocabulary quickly and maintain conmfidence.

The book would truly be outstanding if it combined more exercises (writing) with her "See It and Say it in Spanish" book which is great also.

This is not a book that you'll read and forget a! ! bout. The second and third time I read it increased my comprehension significantly. My ownly regret is that I found this book after spending alot of money on books that only frustrated me, were virtually useless and definitely too much like work.

Madrigal's Magic Key to Spanish, July 4, 2000
I've been studying Spanish for over 3 years and I have purchased dozens of books. I've also completed 2 years of study in a local college. This book is by far may favorite of all the books that I have collected during my studying. The lessons are put in a very logical order and the book has been written so that it is much easier to learn! I hope to see more of Madrigal's work in the future. This is a great book. It's worth every penny. In fact, soon I will have to purchase another because I have dog earred the pages and have written all inside of the book, soon it will fall apart because I have used it so much. How's that for a write up? Seriously, it's a great book for the student who really wants to learn the language and understand how the language is assembled, etc.

Leverage the 'Spanish' you already know within English, June 8, 2001
This book is loaded with great info on vocabulary-building, grammar, verb-conjugation, usage, etc. even though it was originally written in the 1950's. But what makes this book stand out for me is the "magic key" that Madrigal provides that allows one to derive or intelligently "guess" hundreds and hundreds of words, including verbs, based on words you already know in English which can be converted into Spanish with little to no modification following a few basic rules. It's actually AMAZING!

In addition to the "magic key" and the other useful info it presents, Madrigal's Magic Key to Spanish is written in a very informal, unpressured style that reassures the reader constantly that they will master the material in short order, with quizzes and periodic self-tests to reinforce the learning process.

As I was already a beginning to intermediate Spanish speaker when I first encountered this book, I cannot say how well it would work for someone with little to no previous experience with the language. My sense is that it will be more helpful for people who are at least familiar with Spanish pronunciation and rudimentary grammar, although it is written as if the reader has no previous knowledge of the language.

It's also cool that Andy Warhol did the illustrations for this book.

I love this book! I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to exponentially leap forward in their knowledge of the living Spanish language.

The fastest way to learn conversational Spanish, August 6, 1999
This book is the clearest, easiest and most rapid way to learn a foreign language I've ever experienced, and I speak 6 languages. I learned to speak rather fluent Spanish in record time because of the ease of using this book. I was able to rapidly perfect my fluency later because I was fortunate enough to find the late Margarita Madrigal in New York to teach me. She was a fun person, hence the fun of using Magic Key to Spanish to learn the language. I'm now using it to teach Spanish to my friends and they are advancing rapidly. It is an amazing book

The BEST Spanish guide, January 22, 2004
I found this book by chance in a bookstore in Berkely California 12 years ago. At the time I had only taken 3 years of Spanish in high school. My spanish took off after studying this book and most people now think I am a native speaker of Spanish. I think this book boosts your confidence from the start by showing you all the Spanish that you already know (the conjugates) and by teaching you the past rather than the future first. I highly recommend it. Also remember to practice at every opportunity! Speaking a new language is like learning to dance. You feel silly at first and will make mistakes. But with practice you will become more confident and you will experience the joy of communicating with others in this beautiful language.

Best 1st Spanish book I've ever seen, September 8, 2001
This book is undoubtedly the best that I have seen for people starting their study of Spanish. Its rapid introduction of past tense and simplified grammar rules are unique as far as I can tell, and I have an extensive library of current texts. It's a great way to get "up and running" in Spanish. When I first started studying Spanish, it was amazing to me how everyday after studying a chapter I would hear examples of what I was learning as I would walk around Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. This book stimulated me to further study because it made me conversational much more quickly than the more conservative, "let's master the present tense first approach" of other academic text books. Also, for the price it is unbeatable. It's nearest competitors in value per dollar would be books for a more advanced level of study, "Practice Makes Perfect: Spanish Verb Tenses" and "Practice Makes Perfect: Spanish Pronouns And Prepositions," they are great supplements to any text. You cannot go wrong with Madrigal's Magic Key to Spanish! ... Read more

Editorial Review

The world's bestselling Spanish verbs reference book has just gotten better! The authors focus directly on a command of Spanish verbs--and fluency in Spanish starts with knowledge of verbs. This new seventh edition shows students and travelers exactly how to use the 501 most common and useful Spanish verbs in all 15 tenses and moods. Each verb is alphabetically listed in easy-to-follow chart form, one verb per page with its English translation. Enclosed with the book are two discs, a CD-ROM with language-learning aids, and an audio CD that reviews the formation and usage of Spanish verb forms.

New features include--

Editorial Review

About this LEARN SPANISH Book:

Spanish Language Book - LEARN SPANISH in 12 DAYS - Speed Learning Course


The Spanish Language Speed Learning Course Book for the Kindle will help you learn conversational Spanish in a very short amount of time. Are You Getting ready to travel overseas, Mexico, or Spain? Want to pick up Spanish as quickly as possible? This Book will get you on the fast track to speaking the Spanish language confidently and proudly in 12 days or less!
Learning a foreign language can be a frightening thought for many. According to them, it will just take up a lot of their time. They often disregard the wonderful opportunities that knowledge of a second language brings.

It can help you bond with people who speak the same foreign language as you do, create job opportunities and enhance your career, and impress your friends. Furthermore, engaging yourself in foreign language training actually adds self-confidence and broadens your knowledge.

That is why I extend my congratulations to you, as you have decided to improve your personal, intellectual, and social being.

Your decision to learn the Spanish language is another wise choice as it is among the most spoken languages in the world. You can never avoid dealing with a lot of its speakers some time in your life. Therefore, it isn’t really enough that you know simple greetings like hi, how are you, and basic vocabularies in Spanish.

Common foreign language trainings usually bombard you with thousands of words and phrases in their vocabulary and let you memorize them until you get used to speaking them out – without really knowing how they became that way.

The most effective way to learn a foreign language is through the linguistic approach – training starts from sounds, from which words and phrases are formed, until eventual construction of sentences using these words are made.

Did you know that…

* Sounds are among the fundamentals of one language because all through out language training, these sounds are used to speak out words and form sentences.

* Words should be learned one at a time according to the word category they belong to (nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc.), as they have characteristics unique to the category only.

* Sentences are actually proper arrangement of words only. Hence, enough knowledge of words and their characteristics can create sensible sentences.

* Learning a new language involves being familiar with its greetings and most basic phrases, and actually knowing how they came to be.

Linguistics, the study of the structure of a language, is an area of knowledge that is very important and effective; but is never really exposed to many. Yet you could be one of those few people to benefit from it!

In this light, I have prepared a comprehensive report to help you learn how to speak the Spanish language using linguistics … in just 12 days or even less!

“The Spanish Language Speed Learning Course: Speak Spanish Confidently … in 12 Days or Less� is the best training material for you, as you will be held by the hand each step of the way - from the basics up to the complicated topics in Spanish.

With pronunciation guides, accurate glosses, and ample examples, you will never have any problem understanding each Spanish word and sentence you’ll be encountering, until you’ll be able to create your own sentences as well.

The best thing is …

You don’t need one whole school year or even a semester to train yourself in a language that more than 250 million people speak. 12 days is all it takes to learn how to speak Spanish!

Get Your Copy Today and Start Speaking Spanish with the Fastest Method Possible... ... Read more

Reviews

bogus reviews, December 21, 2010
Interesting that the book is by J. SMITH, All of the 5 star reviews are by someone named SMITH from TEXAS except for one, which is from Cowboy from TEXAS! Talk about bogus reviews! You just convinced me not to buy this.

This is the original Best Seller Learn Spanish Book, September 15, 2010
This is the original Best Seller Learn Spanish Book. I was happy with it. However there is a revised version that has the table of contents hyper-linked and formatted better, but you have to pay a couple of bucks more, so it depends on what you like as to which one of these versions you would want to buy. Check 'em both out, same best selling book, try it out...The new edition will have the orange star-burst on the cover.

Text to speech is useless, November 10, 2010
The book may be good, but I bought it to test the text-to-speech. I was curious to hear if the Spanish would be pronounced in Spanish or in English. It's pronounced in English. Perhaps a Spanish version of the Kindle is needed to hear text-to-speech that pronounces in Spanish.

Simple Fast Learn Spanish for Kindle Course, August 3, 2010
Simple Fast Learn Spanish for Kindle Course. If you need to learn spanish fast this is a must course. No fluff. Not a bunch of garbage spanish words that you are not going to use. Teaches you spansish fast.

Good spanish learning book, November 14, 2010
I would say this book is good, not great. The revised version is much better formatted but for the price this one works. There are a few spelling errors but if you speak English already you know what it means.

Learn Spanish Fast with this., August 4, 2010
Great no fluff, to the bones spanish language book that I could use and helped me learn all the basic words fast. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn it fast and only what you need to get by. Good learn spanish book. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Merriam-WebsterÆs Spanish-English Dictionary is a completely new dictionary designed to meet the needs of English and Spanish speakers in a time of ever-expanding communication among the countries of the Western Hemisphere. It is intended for language learners, teachers, office workers, tourists, business travelersùanyone who needs to communicate effectively in the Spanish and English languages as they are spoken and written in the Americas. ... Read more

Reviews

Wonderful., February 11, 2002
This is a fantastic dictionary. I spent quite a bit of time on amazon researching the best Spanish/English Dictionary. This one lives up to all of the positive reviews below.

I have found this to be very helpful. One nice feature is that if you look up a conjugated verb, it actually appears in the dictionary with a cross reference back to the unconjugated verb.

It also has several tenses of the words, so you can say the right thing even if you're wanting to speak in the past tense. I also like the sample sentences that it gives for many words...you can easily see how the word would actually be used.

It's also conveniently small in width and height. But still packs a lot in!

Great student or traveler reference, March 29, 1999
This book packs a lot of bang for your buck. Being the third dictionary I've owned, I am very pleased. Contains great phrasing examples and is well-organized. Has 80,000 entries, including modern terms and expressions. And it's small enough that you can pack it around with you! I highly recommend this as your choice of dictionary.

If you trust this one, you may offend, September 25, 2005
While good in every other way, this dictionary is missing a vital part for anyone who wants to be able to communicate without embarrassment. It neglects to warn of vulgar words and phrases. It skips from "shirt" to "shiver" in the English section. On the Spanish side, it fails to tell that, while "coger" is a perfectly ordinary and acceptable way to say "to take" in Spain, it is very vulgar in Mexico and other parts of Latin America. There are many other examples, but it is not necessary to cite them here.
Whether you are looking to offend or looking to avoid offending, Merriam-Webster's will not help you. Always check. If this feature is missing, keep looking. The University of Chicago Spanish-English Dictionary, Cassell's Spanish & English Dictionary , and others do list and warn of vulgar and extremely vulgar words in both English. Whatever they cost, they are a much better buys.

Big book in a small package, August 27, 2000
This is a very powerful mini dictionary at a very competitive price. It contains explanations, examples and phrases making it far more useful for travel than the smaller pocket dictionaries. It has also replaced my desk dictionary as it contains more recent words, is better organized and easier to use. If you're looking for a "one-size-fits-all" book this one is worth checking out.

Must-Have for learning Spanish, August 29, 2004
This is the only spanish-english dictionary I've ever owned. I've used several over the 8 years that I've spent learning Spanish, but this is by far the best one. It's lay-out is very easy to read/understand, plus there's great conjugations, examples, etc. that make it very user-friendly. Not to mention, there's tons of words that you don't find in many Span-Engl dictionaries.

I find less than half of the words I look up, June 9, 2006
The pocket size is nice, however that's about the only thing I liked about this dictionary. I can't believe how often I can't find the words I look up. Also, if you hold the Spanish-English pages with your fingers, it is half as thick as the English-Spanish section, and it has a very cheap feel to it.

I also have the NEW WORLD "CONCISE" SPANISH DICTIONARY, and even though it is a little bigger, it is much much better. I bought this one because I gave my CONCISE to a relative. I ended up buying another CONCISE.

Excellent reference for Spanish classes, September 17, 2007
The Merriam-Webster paperback Spanish-English Dictionary is an excellent reference for my high school Spanish classes. I teach 1st through 3rd year Spanish and I recommend this book to all my students. Not only does it contain 80,000 words and 100,000 translations, its comprehensive treatment and vast store of various usages and phrases is invaluable to a student learning Spanish (and a teacher teaching it). The first 20-some pages explain how to best use the dictionary, and the next 40 pages are a mini-course in Spanish grammar, punctuation, and parts of speech. And at a listed price of $6.50 it is a bargain! Besides straight definitions of words, many synonyms and idioms are included. I highly recommend this dictionary to anyone needing to translate from English to Spanish or Spanish to English.

Excellent complement to curriculum, October 7, 2005
My daughter is learning Spanish via computer curriculum and my rusty memory. This book has been a tremendous aid in building vocabulary, as well as bringing understanding to the conjugation of verbs. Its ease of use makes her bring it to our workplace so she can converse with the bilingual people there.

One of the Best on the Market!!, April 11, 2006
This dictionary is simply excellent. It's one of the best bilingual English-Spanish/Spanish-English dictionaries I've ever seen on the market - better than VOX's, Cassell's, Oxford, and other brands. The reason it's better is because the definitions are clearer, more precise, and easier to use. The dictionary is laid out in the typical Merriam-Webster format. Example phrases are given with many definitions, and definitions of idioms are also given under word entries, with the idioms highlighted in bold.

Since Spanish pronunciation is very regular, the dictionary doesn't give any pronunciations to the words, but the English words all have standard IPA pronunciations.

This dictionary, though, seems to be aimed slightly more at native English speakers. There is a good overview of Spanish grammar and pronunciation at the front, but there is no English grammar tutorial in Spanish. Also, the appendices all have English headings, and so does the preface. Disregarding the front and back matter, though, the English-Spanish part of the dictionary is an excellent decoder of the English language for Spanish speakers, while also helpful for English speakers (some other dictionaries, like Langenscheidt, specifically designs one of their sections to either "decode" or "express" another language, but this dictionary does both). In the English-Spanish section, examples of English idioms are given to help Spanish speakers, and vice versa.

I really found this to be an dispensable resource. Looking up a word is really fast, and you get a clear, accurate, precise, and Merriam-Webster styled translation. ?Muy bien!

Best Price / Performance Choice, June 20, 2005
For use in my English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, I bought several different dictionaries. I find that both I, and my students, reach for this one much more frequently than the other references available. Even for twice the money, you will have a hard time making a better choice. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Go beyond conjugation and learn the right verb tenses for speaking and writing in Spanish

If you are looking for help memorizing Spanish verb conjugations, then any Spanish verb book will do. But if you are interested in becoming fluent, you'll need to learn how these language building blocks are used in everyday speech and writing. That's where Practice Makes Perfect: Spanish Verb Tenses comes in.

The ideal reference/workbook for beginning to intermediate Spanish-language learners, Practice Makes Perfect: Spanish Verb Tenses shows you when and why to use certain verb tenses and gives you plenty of examples, increasing your confidence in choosing the right word.

Practice Makes Perfect: Spanish Verb Tenses lets you:

• Learn when and why to use different verb tenses
• Reinforce your knowledge with everyday examples covering a wide range of topics
• Build your verb skills using more than 250 engaging exercises

With numerous skill-building exercises, comprehensive verb conjugation tables, and the proven Practice Makes Perfect format, you will learn to speak and write in Spanish fluently in no time at all.

Topics include: Present Tense; Conjugation of Regular Verbs;Ser and Estar; Hay; Tener; The Personal a; A Dozen Highly Useful Irregular Verbs; Saber and Conocer; Stem-Changing Infinitives; Noteworthy Infinitives; Reflexive Verbs; Gustar et al.; The Present Progressive; The Past, Future, and Conditional Tenses; The Preterite Tense; The Imperfect Tense; The Future Tense; The Conditional Tense; The Present Perfect Tense;The Past Perfect Tense; The Imperative, Subjunctive, and Compound Tenses, and the Passive Voice; The Imperative; The Present Subjunctive; The Imperfect Subjunctive; The Future Perfect; The Conditional Perfect; The Present Perfect Subjunctive; The Pluperfect Subjunctive; The Passive Voice

Reviews

Great book, with one suggestion, May 21, 2010
This book is great, I started learning Spanish two months ago as a complete beginner, I purchased this book along with Basic Spanish and Pronouns and Prepositions.

I went through Basic Spanish in 2 weeks and then delved into verb tenses. I have to say I love these exercises, it is really interesting and encourage you to continue without making you feel bored. I finished this book today with 1.5 month of daily effort.

English is not my first Language so I know how boring learning grammar could have been. I wasted so many times before trying to understand these English verb tenses. But when using this book, everything is just naturally falling into its category with the great explanation and exercise provided by the author(of course, some of them is quite similar to english, so it saved my time)

I'm not go for a grammar expert in spanish, so a clear explanation of the commonly seen verb structures like "se puede" is my expectation. Right now, I think Spanish Verb Tenses did a fantastic job

Only suggestion for this book, I wish there's review sections and exercises in the book covering different chapters, because the exercise under its own chapter title makes me little bit lazy to think about the tense deeper, I just have to use the one indicated by the chapter title.

(Another thing I'd like to mention is that the conjugation of Spanish verb is much more complex than English since it's directly from Latin, while English is not. So at first you might be little bit scared, but believe me, it is really nothing. People are not very interested in memorization these days, but if you've made up your mind to get started with these verb tenses, you can memorize of all them in a few days, firmly, and refresh it again and again in the coming days with the exercises in the book, after that, your memorization understanding will become real understanding)

Update: another suggestion for this book is about imperative. In this book, imperative is introduced before the the subjunctive, so when I used this book for imperative, I just felt that all these formation rules of imperative are just so random that I totally can not categorize them. Later someone tell me that all imperatives are just the corresponding present subjunctive except for the affirmative of t� and vosotros, So I think it might be a good thing to introduce present subjunctive before introducing imperative

Update Sept 30
It has been 6 months since I started learning Spanish, and right now I can say this book is enough for you to get a good sense of this language, to be honest, you don't need to buy any other books(maybe the pronouns and prepositions, but I found the only thing that is critically important is the RID pronouns). But you have to learn some real Spanish, the Spanish which you can not learn from any text book or work book, as for the grammar, you're already prepared after you finished this one. Practise your knowledge learnt from this book in real Spanish conversations, until turning them into your second nature

4.5/5 Highly recommended

Why didn't I get this when I first started learning Spanish?, May 10, 2010
This is by far the best investment I've made in my Spanish learning career. This book has helped me understand so much more than anything I've ever had. Visual learning is a good start, but when you get down to the knitty gritty of things, you realize that you are going to have to know how to form sentences on your own if you ever plan on getting anywhere. This book is marked for beginner to intermediate and that seems about right.

Best practice book EVER, May 19, 2010
This is by far the best spanish workbook I have ever used. It gradually exposes the reader to vocabulary while keeping it's focus on grammar. I love the way it describes "rules" that I never could get before. I have studied Spanish for a long time, and this book helped clarify somethings to me that I didn't learn in the classroom. To anyone who has self-motivation, I would highly recommend this book.

Very good book, July 20, 2010
I have been living in Chile for about a year (picked this book up while visiting the US) and learned Spanish basically only through semi-immersion. I didn't have a background in Spanish so I've learned a lot of Spanish through living in Chile, but what I lacked was some basic foundational Spanish. This book has really helped provide a good foundation for me for the things I have picked up while living in Chile. I love it! I'm learning so many things that I had questions about before. I'm a little less than halfway through, and I'm finding it so helpful. I've decided to buy a few more Spanish books by the same author, because I really like her simple straightforward style. It doesn't skip around and give you lengthy explanations about things. It just provides you with the information you need to know in an orderly fashion and then you do the exercises.
The only complaint I have is that there isn't any review from previous chapters. In order to review you have to go back through the chapters and review for yourself. That doesn't bother me so much, because the way the author explains things is pretty simple, and you can just flip back through the pages and do some reviewing for yourself. I'm using this along with Rosetta Stone and I think I'm getting a very good foundation that I can build upon when I go back to Chile.
This book is for the beginner to intermediate level.

Excellent Learning Tool, June 28, 2010
I bought Spanish Verb Tenses as part of the Practice Makes Perfect Spanish language learning set. I have purchased several learning manuals over the years by various authors and I find that the Practice Makes Perfect series to be the best by far. It teaches and reinforces basic grammar which is the foundation for learning any language. The exercises are helpful. Even though I have been taking Spanish lessons for quite some time, I discovered some new tools with the Verb Tenses manual which helped me with my understanding of Spanish grammar and also in speaking Spanish. I would certainly recommend Spanish Verb Tenses as well as any of the manuals in the Practice Makes Perfect series.

Working well for me., September 11, 2010
I took two years of Spanish in high school nearly 50 years ago. I can converse in simple present tense with a limited vocabulary. I am trying to get so that I can converse and understand in most situations. It also requires that you write a paragraph in each section which helps immensely in reinforcing what you have learned. This book replaces one I had been using that I was not that happy with. I am finding this is much better structured and I can progress quickly. They say you can't learn at 65 but with this book I am making great progress. Has anyone seen my car keys?

Exactly what I needed, August 11, 2010
I am so pleased with this workbook on Spanish verbs, particularly how the author writes why and when to use the verbs in each of their tenses. I also like her explanations about irregular verbs. I'm one of those people that if I can remember the "why", I can remember it better. As someone who has taken the equivalent of 7 years of Spanish, but has become rusty in recent years from relative lack of use, the book addresses my current needs right where I'm at. I feel like the author understands native English thinkers/speakers well and bridges the gap to speaking/writing Spanish correctly. I feel like "Yeah!!", somebody gets it! The exercises are very helpful and so are the paragraph translations that have you utilize the verb form you just learned in a paragraph. Also, there's a English/Spanish and Spanish/English dictionary, and you can check your answers in the back after you've completed a section. She's a bright woman, and she gets it! Thank you Dorothy!! I'm grateful for your book, knowledge, thinking and planning in how the book was organized. I'm trying to hang on to a small job I recently took as a bilingual office assistant, and I think this book is a good tool that will enable me to do so. If you already know some Spanish and need help brushing it up, and/or making what you know more permanent, this is a great book.

I bought for myself and then my Spanish teacher wanted her own copy, October 20, 2010
I bought this book before my Spanish exam ( lower intermidiate level). I wish I owned it months ago. My teacher reviewed it and asked me to order a copy for her as well. This book has conversational style and explains in detail the concepts that are sometime difficult to grasp in class or from other texts that I own.

Learning Spanish for love, October 12, 2010
Absolutely fantastic! Fun, well-written and incredibly useful. I have three of these books (vocabulary and grammar also) and they really compliment each other. The exercises are challenging, yet realistic and develop well in intensity as you go along.
I'm getting to the point where I'll be able to speak to my prospective South American mother in law when I meet her!

Excellent Workbook!, September 10, 2010
I got a series of these "Practice Makes Perfect" Spanish language workbooks to refresh the 2 years of Spanish I took in high school many years ago. They are reasonably priced, well organized, and full of practical information and fun exercises (with an answer key in the back). Between studying these, watching Spanish language TV and chatting with some Latina friends at work, I feel I'm making real progress. I also recommend getting an Espanol-Ingles Diccionario as a handy reference. The Oxford Gran Diccionario is a huge volume which gives many examples of how each word is used and has many extra features. It's a sturdy hardcover that will last you a lifetime, and it's only about $30. Gran Diccionario Oxford: Espanol-Ingl�s:Ingl�s-Espanol ... Read more

Editorial Review

GET D!RTY

Next time you're traveling or just chattin' in Spanish with your friends, drop the textbook formality and bust out with expressions they never teach you in school, including:

• Cool slang
• Funny insults
• Explicit sex terms
• Raw swear words

Dirty Spanish teaches the casual expressions heard every day on the streets of Spain and Latin America:

♦What's up?
¿Qué ta

♦I'm wasted
Estoy fumigado.

♦Your mom's a ten.
Tu vieja es un cuero.

♦I gotta take a piss.
Necesito mear.

♦I wanna nail that ass.
Quiero clavar ese culo.

♦What a sunnuvabitch!
¡Qué 'jueput

♦Goooooaaalll!
¡Gooooooolllll ... Read more

Reviews

Great little tool!, November 20, 2008
They never teach you slang in those high school foreign language classes. At least they never did in mine. But of course, we all wanted to learn how to swear in the language we were learning. I became better acquainted with the intricacies of another language when Maria, a foreign exchange student from Colombia, and I became friends. I mispronounced something that caused her (1) face to turn tomato red, and (2) to break out in hysterical laughter. Although I knew I'd just committed some major faux pas, she would never tell me what I'd actually said. That alerted me to the fact that I'd better be careful what I say when I try to speak someone else's language.

A little book like Dirty Spanish is a great tool. Not only will it help you to not sound as if you've just wandered out of Spanish 101 in high school, you'll learn that harmless slang in Mexico might get you a fist in the nose in Spain. Divided into chapters such as Howdy Spanish, Friendly Spanish, Party Spanish, Body Spanish, Angry Spanish and Hungry Spanish (among others), the author also tells you which Spanish-speaking country uses the particular phrase. There's lots to learn in these 126 pages, and you'll laugh along the way.

Dirty Spanish is indispensable for any trip you're planning to a Spanish-speaking country, or if you just want to understand what Spanish-speaking employees are saying as they walk past. (I'd received a compliment and didn't even know it!)

[...]

Dirty Spanish: Everyday Slang Review by James, December 11, 2009
This is James from James Spanish (the learning Spanish blog).
Not your average textbook, and certainly not for the faint hearted, this book gives translations for the somewhat spicier side of the Spanish language. While these words and phrases shouldn't form part of your everyday vocabulary, understanding them can be handy when you are talking amongst native speakers. Having an awareness of these insults, slurs and slang will also help you to avoid any embarrassment caused by using them inappropriately by accident. In 2008 an American singer competing in a televised talent contest in Spain caused an uproar when he mispronounced one word and changed a romantic lyric into an offensive obscenity that left the audience gasping in shock. Don't let a similar social situation happen to you! Brush up on the terms in this book for some guidelines on what not to say, or to be able to express yourself with typical Spanish abandon if the occasion demands it!

Of course, the book doesn't just cover obscenities, but also some colloquial expressions used in Spain and Latin America. The regional differences are important to note, as what is harmless slang in one country may earn you a slap in another. However, these types of slang words and phrases can help you to seem more like a native speaker, and convey a more informal and relaxed tone when you are talking. The book is great to take with you while you travel, and can be an amusing conversation starter with other travelers you meet during your trip.

Each word or phrase is provided in context, letting you see how it is used in real life situations. The book is divided into topics, which lets you brush up on any particular social situation that you might find yourself in, for example reading the section on eating, may help you to feel more like a native when you visit someone's home for a meal in Spain. You will learn that when someone points to a particular dish as says "Eso es la leche!" they are not literally saying "That is the milk!" but rather commenting on how wonderful the food is.

Whether or not you choose to use any of the expressions in the book, it is good to be familiar with them so that you can understand what is being said by native speakers around you. At the very least you will be able to identify a complement from an insult!

In closing my review of this product, I'd like to share with you the three Amazon products that I have found most helpful in my pursuit to learn Spanish. If you are truly serious about achieving fluency, I'd recommend getting all 3 of them if you can afford it.

1. Lights, Camera, Spanish (Book + DVD): Learn Conversational Spanish by Watching a Romantic Adventure This is actually a 90 minute movie for Spanish-language learners. It gives the option to watch the movie with subtitles but I'd recommend not using them to improve your Spanish. This "movie" also includes a workbook so that you can reinforce the Spanish vocabulary words and phrases from the film. The workbook also has lots of exercises to keep you engaged in the film. But be prepared to hear Chilean accents. Although pleasent to the ear, the accents from Chile are very different from most Latin American accents.

2. Verbarrator Version 1.1 (Windows Version) This software replaces the traditional verb conjugation books and makes learning how to conjugate Spanish verbs an interactive and fun activity. This should be a required resource for anyone who wants to improve their ability to conjugate Spanish verbs. Especially anyone who is challenged by the drudgery of learning how to conjugate Spanish verbs and who is looking for a new way to make learning how to conjugate Spanish verbs an easy and fun activity

3. Diccionario esencial de la lengua espanola de la Real Academia Espanola (Spanish Edition) If you are really serious about speaking the language fluently, then at some point you will need to replace your Spanish-English dictionary and get a pure Spanish dictionary with both the vocabulary words and the definitions entirely in Spanish. I use this one only because it was highly-recommended by a friend from Spain who teaches Spanish. According to him, in academic circles in Spain as well as Latin America this Spanish dictionary is the standard.

This is the Book !!, March 14, 2009
I loved it! I am fairly fluent in Spanish, having lived in Mexico and gotten a Bachelor's Degree in the language, but neither my friends nor my teachers along the way wanted to "corrupt" me with slang or obscenities. So I always felt there was a gap in my learning, which this little book fills in nicely.

Its contents run the gamut from the simply informal to cool slang, funny insults, explicit sexual terms, and raw swear words. It gives you all the nuances to understand how a word or phrase is intended, so that you don't embarrass yourself if you attempt to use a new saying--or it lets you know the speaker's frame of mind if you are simply the listener. There are sections devoted to eating, sports, entertainment, working out, and so forth. Written in 2008, the book is quite up-to-date which is important as colloquial speech tends to evolve quickly. And as the Spanish-speaking world is so diverse, the author made a point to differentiate which phrases are used in different countries (although he tried to write using terms that would pretty much be understood universally). And it's got all the new-tech stuff you might want: lots of computer-ese, text messaging lingo, etc.

I read the book with a highlighter, skipping many expressions that I would never use in either English or Spanish. That left me with exactly what I wanted, a short and colorful list to expand my use of the vernacular. Andale!

save your money, October 9, 2009
Good title, weak content. I'd suggest "The Red-Hot Book of Spanish Slang and Idioms" if you'd like to get "dirty Spanish" plus about all the idioms and slang you may ever encounter in Spanish speaking countries.

Disorganized, Contains Typographical Errors, July 28, 2010
As a native Spanish speaker I was disappointed with this book. I gave it two stars because it contains at least some useful material. My main gripe with the book is how disorganized it is. I liked the fact that it contains slang from Mexico down to Argentina, but the slang is completely disorganized. You can't use Mexicanisms with someone from Bolivia or Chile or anywhere. Sometimes the regionalisms are not even labeled as such - so the reader would not know with whom to use a phrase or word. A non native speaker will have a hard time with this book. Slang in the Spanish language is regional. What works in one country does not work in the next. Eg. You say X phrase to someone from Mexico. It turns out that X phrase is only understood in Colombia. So your Mexican interlocutor will have no clue what you're saying -- and vice versa. The idioms are regionally mixed and this is not effective. Eg. you will read a Mexicanism, next to a Venezuelanism, coupled with an Argentinism. I believe only a native speaker can benefit from this book as a reference. I intended to give this book to friends that are learning Spanish, but this book would only confuse them and it would be counterproductive to their learning. What I can do is pick sentences from different chapters and explain them to them. Hope my review is helpful to you. Had I known this fact before the purchase, I would not have bought this book.

Ay Caramba!, March 6, 2010
The key to getting along or request in any language is to use the slang, for it says more about what you want or feel than normal language. That said, every Latin American country, or spanish speaking one, has an entirely different set of modisms (modismos), and usually one phrase that works on one region or country, isn't the gig in another. Some call the language Spanish , while others call it Castellano. The former being the country as a whole, while the latter is the region out of 9 that was made the official language representing Spain overall. In spite of Castellano as the official Spanish, there are another 8 separate languages used and still prevalent in Spain.

Besides language, facial or body gesures can cause concern or rifts, including which way you use your hands or palms, how you cross your feet, and which part of your body or outerwear you show towards your guests; any of which may get you kicked out of the house. While the formal base language gets you into the house, so to speak, it's the slang that will get you places, depending on terminology, tone, manners, and eloquence. Some countries use more of the formal language than slang, while others use slang more than formal language. Again, every region or country has a different selection of idioms that will convey the message or insult the listener- the same for USA as Mexico. Mexican terms aren't to be used in South America.

It also pays to use a translation dictionary specific to the country. University of Chicago translations tend to be more mexican, and to use those in say, Chile, could invite insult, or disaster- by one who knows.

Other useful books are Chicano terms by Barron, which tend to be more moderate across the board in several locales. Usually South America common language usage is most represented by Larousse dictionaris, as well as the Oxford Pictorial dictionary, or anything using the term Sopell. Every Spanish speaking country claims their usage is the most correct.

Great FUN gift, January 10, 2010
I speak Spanish as a second language and thought this book was funny. Beware bad words not to be used lightly. But has witty stuff that can get you action in the bars LOL a good deal

Worth Having, April 3, 2009
If you love traveling to Mexico you'll enjoy this book. I own the Japanese slang book also which is set up the same and is put together the same great way as this one. I have a few other language books, spanish and yucatec maya. This one is right up there with the rest of them, im glad i bought it. If you travel like me you wont be disappointed with this purchase.

Slang, January 27, 2009
Not a bad book but tends to dwell more on the words and phrases in South America.Probably 25% of the book was everyday Spanish,not what I would call slang howeer it amused some of my spanish friends. ... Read more

Editorial Review

A fun and easy new way to quickly acquire or enhance basic reading skills

These unique guides are based on the premise that the best way to learn a language is to start reading it, immediately. Suitable for raw beginners to intermediate-level language learners, the new editions of these popular titles feature engaging readings of progressive difficulty that allow learners to rapidly build comprehension.

Easy French Reader begins with the adventures of two friends, an American and a Parisian, as they learn about their respective cultures. This is followed by readings on the history of France, from ancient Gaul to the present. The final section features four abridged short stories by famous French authors.

Similarly, Easy Spanish Reader begins with the story of two high school seniors involved with their Spanish Club, followed by a history of Mexico, from the Conquistadors to the present, and an abridged version of the classic story of "Lazarillo de Tormes."

• Progressive format makes it easy to quickly build comprehension
• Marginal word glossaries conveniently present new words and phrases
• Exercises challenge comprehension and build reading skills

Attractive new editions, fully updated and featuring appealing new artwork and expanded exercises

Reviews

I really enjoy it!, March 22, 2001
I really enjoy this book. The texts are fun to read as well as easy to absorb. In a short time, i feel that my reading comphrehension skill level has shot up dramatically. There are a few reasons why this book is successful:

(1) Unlike other language programs which gives you set conversational pieces (which quickly becomes boring and too regimental), the stories in this book built on each other. Key phrases are repeated in different chapters to reinforce learning.

(2) the stories are memorable and fun to read. I've also found that in a very short time i've become very familiar with how phrases/sentences should be put together - something i had not experienced with other French learning materials. This teaching method is remarkably effective.

(3) Because the stories are so interesting, i want to read them over and over again. I would also recommend that you should read them aloud.

(4) Finally, it teaches you a lot about French culture and history. You will learn about all the important periods in French history, French kings, famous French authors and their works.

All in all, it is a very good book to supplement your French studies. Bonne chance, mes amis!!

They're still publishing this? Nice!, February 3, 2007
Wow, I haven't even thought about this book since I started studying French with it when I was a little kid. I can't say I'm surprised it's still so popular - the book works.

What made this book so great was you're learning about French culture and history and literature through the language, so you're not just learning straight vocabulary. At the top of each section is a list of new words, and at the end are reading comprehension questions. In the beginning of the book, the lessons are extremely simple and geared toward the absolute beginner (the equivalent of things like: Christine is American. Charles is French. Christine has a little dog named Chou-Chou.).

As you progress, the sections become more involved, finally evolving from short skits involving fictional French and American students to short summaries about French history. Finally, you'll have actual short tales from French writers like Maupassant (whose "The Necklace" is still one of my favorite stories for its wicked humor). Through the progression of the textbook's three sections, the reading comprehension questions get progressively more advanced as well as the vocabulary.

All told, this is a great book for beginning to intermediate students. This book may be a little beneath advanced students, who would only find the last few stories to be at their level. In that case, I would recommend Wallace Fowlie's "French Stories/Contes francais" (a dual language book), which is a very nice compendium of Voltaire, Balzac, Gide and other great French writers and at a level appropriate for the advanced student.

It should be noted that, in addition to French history and culture, this book is about building up vocabulary and reading comprehension skills. That's it. If you're really serious about your French proficiency, you're going to need to apply yourself to learning grammar and conjugation, and those things are not covered in this text. So in conclusion, this is a great book, but it should just be a supplement to your learning arsenal.

Just a tip: a book that I STILL own, because it's the best French resource ever, is "The Ultimate French Verb Review and Practice" by David Stillman. Whereas already-conjugated verbs just appear in the Easy French Reader with no explanation, Stillman's book offers three-hundred pages covering every aspect of grammar, from the basics of conjugation all the way up to proverbs and figures of speech. Well-worth the investment.

Lover of the French Language, April 26, 2005
I gave this book three stars,because it is not really for true beginners with zero background in the language. I have been studying the French language on and off for 3-4 years.It is an excellent book for someone like myself who has some background in the French language. It helps either to reinforce what you already know and helps to advance your grammer, reading, and comprehension skills.The stories are short and simple. Each story emphasizes on key words that are located in the margin of the page. There is a vocabulary section, simple crossword puzzles, and lessons after each story. It, also, has an answer key to check your answers.The book keeps everything short and sweet as not to bore or lose the learner.However, I feel that a true beginner may require supplemental material to help him/her understand some of the material in the book.

A good supplementary reading text, May 1, 1999
It's important to pay attention to the title: this book is for those who want practice *reading* in French. (This isn't a comprehensive teach-yourself-French book.)

But for those who want to practice/improve their French reading skills -- at both beginner and advanced levels -- this is a fun text.

The book is divided into 3 sections: Dialogues, Profiles in History, and Short Story Adaptions. The Dialogues are easy enough to understand that even someone just beginning French study will be able to use them. (For the more advanced, they function as a handy review). There is also a very brief Basic Grammar section at the end of the book, along with a vocabulary list of most of the French words used in the text.

Text difficulty increases as the book goes on, so you really can see where you've made progress. My only quibble is that no answers are provided for the quizzes following each chapter.

French newspapers and magazines are still a little too difficult for me -- I find this a fun, informative alternative.

Stellar, February 11, 2002
A graded reader for beginners. The vocabulary and (especially) the verb forms are strictly controlled. This makes it a good way to start noticing agreements, prepositions, and so on without running into a lot of unfamiliar grammar. The readings are fairly interesting too!

One of the best NTC lnguage books.

For even the weariest of language learners, April 20, 2005
I personally have about as much luck mastering languages as I would have trying to single-handedly launch a space shuttle. And I know that I'm not the only one, so, fortunately for those of us who are challenged, this little book exists.

I picked it up and was reading French. Better yet, I was understanding it. It really gets you into the language and then subtly challenges you to stretch your comprehension.

I would like a better grounding in grammar, but the fact that this book doesn't provide an intense explanation of grammar shouldn't count against it. That's simply not the purpose of the book.

If you want to learn to read French and feel like you're actually getting somewhere, get this book!

Not too easy!, March 15, 2005
This book has worked well in my effort to study French at home, without taking a class, with zero background knowledge. It is much more entertaining than memorizing vocabulary and studying grammar rules. The language is presented in context and the gradual progression seems to purposefully expose you to passages where you must use your brain to intuit meaning, just as you will in a real situation. I go to french.about.com for grammar explanations

a truly great book, April 19, 2001
Whether you are studying French in a formal course or learning at home with CDs, this book is a GREAT resource for learning to read French. It is made up of three parts: a clever dialogue section to get you warmed up, then some interesting (really!)readings in French history, finally ending with French literature (slightly simplified & with a few translations in the margins). A person beginning French from ground zero, with no more than basic (subtitled French movie) knowledge, will find him/herself reading and understanding pages and pages of French after a few nights' read. Amazing! I'm ready to move on to France Soir or Le Figaro -- with the help of a decent dictionary bien sur!

Vraiment francais, December 5, 2007
Being a native speaker , I always have trouble finding a reader for my students that is without mistakes...This is it! Not only is it fun because of the topics but it is 100% accurate...what a thrill!

Easy French Reader is just that., March 10, 2006
I am a French teacher for a senior center and was desperately looking for a textbook that would provide easy learning, humor and achievement. This excellent text does just that without all the overwhelming information that a high school or college text has. I highly recommend it! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Italian Survival Guide is a down-to-earth, bare-bones introduction to Italian that aims to make a trip abroad as smooth and enjoyable as possible. This information-packed mini-course concentrates on preparing readers to travel in Italy in a limited time by focusing on what is most useful or interesting to travelers and cutting out unnecessary vocabulary and grammar.

This Survival Guide helps readers communicate in the Italian language and culture. It prepares travelers for what to expect and how to deal with it, what to say and when to say it. It's like three books in one--a phrase book (so you know what to say), a grammar book (so you know how to say it), and a culture book (so you understand daily social expectations)--all focused on a traveler's needs.

Learn how to greet people and introduce yourself in Italian, how to line up lodging, order food and pay properly, how to shop and ask for directions in Italian, how to drive a car or take the train in Italy, how to get help in an emergency or talk about your family or discuss the weather, and much, much more!

Get key insights into Italian social conventions: how to talk to people, how to avoid taboo subjects, how not to look like a tourist, how to tip, how to have good table manners, how to be a gracious guest, how to discourage unwanted admirers, how to overcome poor customer service, how to avoid petty crime.

Discover the fine points of city buses, grocery stores, train stations and coffee shops. Read how to achieve la bella figura--the style and classiness Italians prize. Learn gestures and geography and how to pronounce Giorgio.

Italian Survival Guide is packed with culture notes, study tips, travel hints, and reality checks galore. It includes optional exercises for practicing material from the lessons, Italian-English and English-Italian dictionaries, and inside-the-cover Survival Summaries travelers can use on the spot. In addition, Italian pronunciations are written throughout the book, so users always have guidance on how to pronounce new words and phrases. Includes an extensive index to help readers find the topics they want, fast. All this packed into one volume small enough to tuck into a bag and take along. ... Read more

Reviews

Pack this Book in Your Travel Bag, March 28, 2008
Bingham's book Italian Survival Guide is a must-have resource to pack in your travel bag for Italy! This book is practical; including pronunciation guides for many of the common phrases used to interact with native Italians. I particularly appreciated the Culture Note sections interspersed through the book. I visited Rome and Florence last year, and found these sections accurate and insightful--a big help to the traveler who does not want to look like a tourist!

This book is invaluable and I plan to have a copy stuffed in my handbag when I return to Italy in 2009!

Worth every penny!, June 12, 2008
I have bought just about every book on Italy and this is one of the best! It has great tips and information! Unlike other books, I find this information to be truthful! I lived in Italy and now take students on exchanges every year. This book has really helped them! I think it's a must! :-)

Just the right amount of information, March 12, 2008
This guide is as practical and useful as Bingham's German Survival Guide. While the vocabulary lessons are helpful, the culture notes are priceless. This is a great introduction to both the Italian language and to Italy and the length is just right so that the traveler with little time to prep should not be overwhelmed.

Quick survival guide for traveling in Italy, June 1, 2008
Elizabeth Bingham's Italian Survival Guide is clear and concise in its presentation of the most important information a traveler needs to use while traveling in Italy. The guide is organized well; therefore, finding the information one wants is not difficult. The pronunciation guide is invaluable. The book itself is not so big that a person gets lost in it when trying to find a specific piece of information. The cultural notes are short and to the point, so that one can read them quickly and gain important information about interacting with the people of Italy. I would be apt to photocopy the information on the inside front and back covers to carry along on daily excursions. Overall, this guide would be extremely helpful to take on a trip to Italy!

Very interesting!, April 2, 2008
I read the cultural insights on Italy first. They are great! The practical hints are superb. Even though I speak Italian, I will take this book with me when I go to Italy.

Italian, June 22, 2010
I'm leaving for Italy in a few days and I bought this book about a month ago. It exceeded my expectations. Inside the front and back covers are basic words that you need to know. There are many cultural tips that are helpful and interesting. I already speak some Spanish and I'm sure that helped, but I feel ready to communicate on a very basic level. I am taking this book with me!

better then a help button, August 14, 2009
This was an excellent preview to Roman culture. It helped to bridge the culture gap so while in Rome, I did not offend unknowingly.

Great info. Small book. Perfect for light packing, September 6, 2010
This is all I need to bring with me for an education. Maybe a tiny translation book would be nice to add for words not included in this book. Yes, I read other travel books on Italy, and they are helpful. THIS is the book I will bring with me and flip through again on the flight. The cultural information is priceless.

Fabulous!, March 19, 2010
Excellent quick resource for Italian language. Provides exactly what you need. I found it very helpful on a recent trip to Italy. Notes on Italian culture/personality sprinkled through the book are very helpful. Well written and easy to read. Good phonetic "sounding out" of Italian words/phrases. Quick guides on front and back inside covers VERY helpful. Economical. Dictionary in back of book could be larger...this book plus a small Italian-English dictionary is all you need when travelling.

A recommended travel guide, April 20, 2010

This is a great item to take along on a trip to a country where you need to know a little of the language to survive! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Twelve superb tales by Chekhov, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Pushkin, Bunin, other masters. Excellent word-for-word English translations on facing pages. Also teaching and practice aids, Russian-English vocabulary, biographical/critical introductions to each selection, study questions, more. Especially helpful are the stress accents in the Russian text, usually found only in primers.
... Read more

Reviews

Read classics, learn Russian, January 14, 2001
This dual-language book features twelve shortstories by 19th-century masters of Russian literature. The pages are specially formatted with Russian Cyrillic on the left opposed by English translation on the right. The Russian and English texts match eachother nearly line-for-line, simplifying cross-reference. Here is an entertaining way to enrich vocabulary and perfect syntax, for the intermediate to advanced student who already has the basics of grammar. The editor chose some great examples of Russian writing, including Pushkin's haunting "Stationmaster", Gogol's grotesque "Nose", and Dostoevski's macabre graveyard drama "Bobok". Only one thing detracts from the book's usefulness as a learning tool, which is that many of the phrases and expressions are somewhat archaic. There are several dual-language compilations of contemporary (Soviet) shortstories available, for those who prefer to familiarize themselves with more modern language usage.

First Rate, July 17, 2002
With stories by Tolstoy, Pushkin, Gogol and Chekov this is a great book to help you improve your Russian skills and read the masterworks in the original. It's a great way to check your Russian against the English tranlsation on the opposite page.

The book itself has been around for several years and while it is a bit expensive for what you get used editions are fairly common. My only real criticism is that this is one of the few dual readers available in the US on the Russian language. Hopefully the publishers will remedy this by printing another volume. A real must for Russian language students.

Duel language books provide a gift of reading for Russian friends, September 25, 2005
This book is a wonderful rare find. I am a friend/neighbor of highly educated recent Russian immigrants with limited expertise in English. Although they are taking English classes, it is almost impossible for them to find interesting books to read in English beyond those of a childrens book reading level. Having to use a Russian/English dictionary while reading eliminates a lot of the simple pleasures that reading provides. This book's dual language format is absolutely perfect. They can finally enjoy a book written in English that reflects their reading interests due to the fact that the exact Russian version resides on the opposing page. This dual language format is also an absolutely perfect tool for English students learning the Russian language. It gave me so much pleasure to provide them with this opportunity to both practice and better enjoy reading books in English. I only wish that there were a lot more books available in this style for my friends to enjoy....

Great literature and challenging Russian practice, January 22, 2008
This book works on two levels: One, these short stories are by the Russian masters of the genre. In English translation, they are powerful, evocative, and moving, on their own. There is a reason why Pushkin, Chekhov, and Dostoevsky are still popular: Those guys didn't write any garbage. They set the bar for all writers as high as it could go. I would especially recommend "Sleepy" by Anton Chekhov. Read it on Halloween night, as I did, for a good old fashioned fright.

Secondarily, for those of us learning Russian, these short stories provide fascinating and very challenging works to translate. Be advised, this is a high level of Russian literature, written for educated and literate native speakers, so it's a big challenge. Pack a lunch.

The short story format is especially beneficial. If you can get through one story, believe me, you are ready for the psychological reward of starting a new story.

The perfect language learning tool., August 2, 2005
That's what this is, the perfect language learning tool for a student of the russian language, with one or two years of college level russian who wants to continue their study of the language. I would be surprised if universities did not use this text for intermediate level students. The only thing more that I could wish for would be an audio version of this book, which would help me to consolidate, and strengthen the knowledge it gave me, by allowing me to listen to the stories it contains in Russian, as well as being able to read them.

Enjoyable But..., January 23, 2007
I bought this book as part of my ongoing acquisition of the Russian language. The layout is excellent and typical of these types of book; the stories are well selected and entertaining, with a wide range of vocabulary and grammatical usage.

But...

Anyone wanting to use this book as a booster to their contemporary Russian language skills should bear in mind that a Russian person learning English would not be best served by heading for the library and taking down Dickens, Tennyson, and Gaskill. Languages shift, change, and evolve and today's spoken Russian is as different from that of Gogol as English in San Francisco is different from that of Thackerey. Arguably the English spoken in San Francisco is fairly nasty ("He was like, that was so totally awsome, and I was like, cool...") because it is imprecise and unfocused and in fact fails to convey much meaning; nevertheless a solid grounding in Henry James wouldn't prepare someone for a close encounter with the local natives of the Sunset District. Likewise, the stories here won't really help you much with contemporary Russian as spoken by a teenage girl in Peter or a xenophobic hoodie near Red Square.

But as a pleasure in itself, this book is a gem and a worthwhile addition to the library of anyone who is just establishing a beach-head in the language.

Highly enjoyable and easy to use, January 7, 2008
Got this book a while ago, its way too hard for me for my level but the good thing is you can work through at a slow pace and still get a lot out of it. Stress marks are very helpful, would have been useless to me without them basically, and the glossary is also helpful although it doesn't include everything (good to have a dictionary nearby). Layout is good, that is, having the english on the adjacent page, makes for very easy reference to the english. Archaic language is usually noted and explained as such, which is useful. Great for reading practice, highly recommendable book for all skill levels (i have only been learning for around 6 months but have still got a lot out of it so far). Good selection of stories and enough to keep an beginner reader going for a long time!

A fabulous language resource. Give me more books like this!, January 23, 2009
As a long time student of Russian, I have found it very difficult to lay hands on dual language books like this one. On the left page is the original Russian text, and on the right is a corresponding (and very well rendered) English translation. The true beauty of this volume, though, is that the modern translation provides a bridge to the literary style from the age of the masters like Pushkin, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Chekhov and my personal favorite, Gogol, among many others. An even dozen stories allow intermediate to advanced Russian speakers to deepen their familiarity with this particular subset of the language. I would love to have many more books like this one. Highly recommended.

I have two copies and bought one for my friend, June 9, 2008
you can make this as easy or as challenging as you like. You learn words when they keep popping up in the stories

Very useful for studies of advanced English, November 1, 2009
I am a native Russian speaker and as an advanced learner of English I found this book amazingly useful. It spurs your curiosity to first read the original Russian text and then see how Prof. Struve goes about translating the endless archaisms and idiosyncrasies of the 19-th century Russian.

Kudos to Prof. Struve! ... Read more

Editorial Review

TALKING WITH YOUR HANDS LISTENING ... Read more

Reviews

Excellent introduction to ASL, May 11, 2003
This book is an excellent introduction to ASL and Deaf culture issues. There is a manageable number of basic signs and insets providing details about being deaf in a hearing world, information on famous deaf people, and technological advances useful for the deaf. The introduction also contains a concise history of deaf education. The author is extremely credible, which is something important to me when learning a new language!

From the instruction of a single deaf individual, I have developed a rudimenary knowledge of sign language: the alphabet, numbers, various greetings, some nouns and adjectives. This book has helped me to reinforce what I know, clean up the sloppy signing I had been doing, and learn new things. I have had trouble learning signs from books in the past because I would often miss something important. With this book, I've felt very comfortable with the new signs because of the format. The combination of specific written descriptions with pictures gives a very understandable way to learn new signs. The added bonus of mnemonic devices to remember which sign is which is very helpful. It's embarrassing to admit, but I kept confusing the signs for "yes" and "no" until I read the helpful hints in this book - not a good thing to get wrong!

There may be books with more words in them, but I would recommend this book for all beginners, and advanced beginners like myself. Once the signs here are learned (and as in my case cleaned up considerably), then start looking for more comprehensive works. I've been practicing about 30-100 words a night depending on how many I already knew and feel very confident that I'm finally doing them correctly.

the perfect book has yet to come out, June 21, 2004
One of the best sign language learning books available. The pictures and desciptions of how to make the sign are excellent. However, no one book has every sign. Buy this for your personal library, it is the clearest book on how to make a particular sign. Even books that I consider very good such as "The American Sign Language Sign Book" by Louie Fant sometimes leave me confused by unclear drawings or descriptions. Gabriel Grayson's book is a great cross reference for times like these or for building your vocabulary to the point where you can move on to learning phrases and grammar.

Most Helpful Sign Language Book I've Found!, May 12, 2003
This book edges ahead of others in that it features clear photographs, has words listed topically, and explains deaf history and culture throughout the book. It is much easier to use than books with a "dictionary" layout. The author has the experience and backing to know what works. I highly recommend it.

Best Book To Sign, June 13, 2007
This is the best book I have found to learn to sign.
I kept the copy from the library checked out for so long, and kept going overdue, and was wearing it out, I figured I'd best go ahead and purchase my own copy.
I tried other books, but they were useless to me.
I purchased a dvd set from amazon, but the dvd set was horrible - and if your looking for sign dvd's, you'll see which one (set) I warn you about.
A couple copies of this book (you'll will wear this hvy duty book out - from much use) or a hard bound edition will get you communicating w/ your deaf friend quickly - but you have to study.
Money well spent.

Excellent resource, January 14, 2006
This book has quickly become one of my favorite sign language reference books. Though I prefer a dictionary when searching for a particular sign (Perigee and Random House are my favorites), this book is excellent for studying and increasing vocabulary. My favorite feature is that there are two pictures per sign in most cases. You can see how the sign starts and how it finishes versus trying to discern the motions from arrows in other books I've used. I also appreciate the selections throughout the book on deaf history, culture, technology, etc.

Comprehensive. A great guide for beginners., January 18, 2003
This is a clearly written and helpful guide, authored by the hearing son of two deaf parents. Its breadth of coverage, attention to details, and hundreds of photographs make this book stand out.

I especially appreciated the insets, which added insight into deaf culture.

Mostly useless, December 16, 2010
Looks like I get to be the first negative review for this book. I'm guessing the author has lots of colleagues/friends/family/students.

I got this book so I could learn ASL to talk with a deaf friend.

The good: It contains a fairly comprehensive set of signs. There were only a couple signs I tried to find and couldn't.

The bad: For starters, while there are photos for the facial expressions, the other head and face movement components of the signs are not indicated. Nor is there any text to describe the shown facial expressions, so one has to guess as to whether or not any facial expression is actually necessary and what its intention is. These are vital parts of ASL signs that are mostly left out of this book.

When I started going through this I found that some of the signs conflict with 3 other ASL books I had been using. When I showed this book to my deaf friend she said the book was wrong. We both went through Chapter 2 together, counted, and 25% of the signs were signs that she said were wrong, and my other 3 ASL books, for the most part, agreed with my friend. I had at first attributed this discrepancy to regional variation, but the problem is too pronounced. Either regional variations in ASL are mutually unintelligible (in which case they wouldn't be regional variations of the same language) or this book is using the wrong signs a quarter of the time.

It should also be noted that many of the signs in the book that we classified as correct are actually only just "close to correct". Many of them are simplified versions of the real ASL signs. Important hand (and head) movements are quite often omitted in both the photographs and the text.

Even more disappointing is that this book contains absolutely nothing about ASL grammar. It's just a dumping of signs, a categorized dictionary. This book provides no instruction for learning the actual language. A language is much more than just the vocabulary. If all you want is a dictionary, there are numerous free ASL dictionaries online which will show you the signs, many showing signs with videos so you get all the information needed to PROPERLY make those signs, and those dictionaries are at least as accurate, most are more accurate, than this book.

I recommend you save your money for something else.

A good book for beginers, January 9, 2007
I bought this book when I was learning sign language and now as an Interpreter I use it to teach others.
It has great pictures and wonderful memory aids to help you remember why the signs are done that way.
I would highly recommend it!!

AMAZING!!!!!, February 9, 2006
This book starts by telling you what Sign Language is. It talks about the history of signing, the "ups and downs" of being HOH and deaf. And, the detailed descriptions on how to make the signs that are presented in the book are absolutely outstanding. I highly recommend this book to any person interested in learning American Sign Language!

sign for dummies, June 8, 2007
Very helpful in learning the sign language. The use of photo and memory hint is excellent. We have tried other material and find this one easier and more conducive to memory retention. ... Read more

Editorial Review

As society becomes more international in nature, knowing a few words in other languages has become more useful. Perhaps you travel frequently abroad, or your business requires you to travel overseas. Perhaps you have friends and neighbors who speak other languages, or you want to find out more about your heritage by learning a little bit of the language your ancestors spoke.

Whatever your reason for wanting to learn some Italian, Italian For Dummies is the right book for you. Written in partnership with Berlitz – experts in helping people learn foreign languages – this book gives you the skills you need for basic communication in Italian, and it will get you well on your way to becoming fluent. Just think what you're family and friends will think when you order off the menu at your favorite Italian restaurant!

Italian For Dummies covers not only ordering at an Italian restaurant, but also these topics:

• Basic spelling, grammar, and numbers
• Meeting and greeting, and making small talk
• Shopping, shopping, and even more shopping
• Going out on the town
• Business situations
• Traveling, checking into a hotel, and planning a trip
• Handling emergencies
• Top Ten lists with advice on how to pick up Italian quickly, things you should never say in Italian, and favorite Italian expressions

The best thing about this book is that you can learn at your own pace; for example, if you're planning a trip to Italy next year, sit down once or twice a week with this book and go through the chapters that you'll think you need for your trip. That's a lot easier than dragging yourself to a class twice a week – not to mention a lot more fun, too! ... Read more

Reviews

Italian for Students of Italian, February 12, 2001
Italian For Dummies is for the serious student who wishes to learn the language. I didn't feel as if this book would help the traveler who wishes to learn only a few "get by" lines. I am going through Italian language lessons right now and I have purchased many many Italian books and I still keep referring back to this Italian For Dummies. It is very useful and very easy to use. Which is what the "For Dummies" series is all about. If you want a start-up book which will help you learn the language this is the one. If you are looking for a traveler's guide to Italian I would suggest another book. Berlitz makes a nice Italian phrase book if you just need to learn a little Italian.

Good for limited long-term study, April 9, 2002
This is way to deep for those who wish to learn a little Italian for that one-week vacation, but for those of you who have an extended opportunities for limited interaction, this is the book for you.

Just like other books in the series, Dummies successfully "dumbs down" Italian as much as possible, which is pretty hard to do with an entire language. Although it is billed as being a Berlitz-written text, the focus is primarily on grammar and pronunciation. There are some entertaining dialogs, too.

It's easy to follow...much easier than comparable (an much more expensive) text and CD combinations.

However, if you are just going on vacation, I recommend Fydor's Italian Phrasebook. On the other hand, if you are really serious about beginning Italian, or any other language, I strongly recommend the Triple Play Plus series software. Together with the "Dummies" series, you should be functional in no time.

Italian for Travelers, November 21, 2000
I really like the set up of this book. I have been listening to Italian audio tapes and that has helped with my Italian accent but I did not know how the words were spelled. In some cases, I was mispronouncing the words because I did not hear them correctly. Also, the tapes did not deal with all of the things that I will have to know when I travel to Italy next spring.

This book addresses the topics that I think I should know - how to check into a hotel, order food, ask for directions, make a phone call, go to the bank, go shopping, use a credit card, deal with an emergency, talk to a doctor, etc.

The CD is a great bonus because you can listen to the conversations along with the book. Overall, I did not feel overwhelmed because I can look at a section at a time before my trip. Learning a foreign language without attending a formal class is very difficult so I will be using this book to supplement my audio tapes.

Just a peek, April 30, 2007
This book and CD is a bird's eye view introduction to Italian. If you a serious about learning the language, choose a product with lots more audio content. Unless you hear the spoken language you'll never grasp it.
On the other hand, if a quick look is what you're looking for, then this is the book for you.

Not for dummies!, May 7, 2007
Learning a language is difficult, at least for me, and I was disappointed with this book. Yes, it does provide a lot of information, but it is not presented in a way that makes learning the language any easier, fun or engaging. And, since I enjoy learning Italian, I've tried several types of programs. I use this book more as a reference tool. Can't imagine ever learning the language from scratch with it! Clearly not for dummies.

A book about Italian, not a book to learn Italian, January 27, 2008
This is a pleasant introduction to the Italian language. For the speaker of another romance language, it might be a decent, down-and-dirty way to muddle through. It is also a very pleasant book to spend time with-cute, patient and decidedly non-threatening.
If you're thinking about learning Italian, this could also be a good introduction-a way to sample the language's complexities before diving in.

Lynn Hoffman, author New Short Course in Wine,The

Fantastico!, March 11, 2007
This is a really easy book to use. believe it or not, Italian is my first language, English my second & I speak several others as well! I used this book as a refresher course & I was totally amazed at the ease of use & the ability to understand everything that was put before me! I highly recommend this book to absolutely anyone that wants to learn basic Italian!

Italian for Dummies, January 31, 2008
Very informative book into the Italian language.. Don't expect to be fluent in the language by the end, but you will have a general knowledge of the meaning of many phrases. Also this book is excellent for the person who wants to know some grammar rules and would like to have some knowledge of how the words are pronounced. Definately worth the time and money.

Italian for Dummies, October 11, 2009
I've taken a lot of self-study foreign language courses this one is not the best. This is because they offer little in the way of structure so that it would be possible for you to construct a sentence on your own. Instead they have focused on offering you complete sentences to memorize for a number of situations.

disappointing, May 9, 2004
After reading the great reviews of this book, I was eager to start learning Italian in anticipation of a trip to Italy. What a disappointment this book is. In the introduction of this book it says, "You don't want to have to memorize long lists of vocabulary words or a bunch of boring grammar rules." It then goes on to do just that: lists and rules to memorize from pages 9 to 40. It is indeed boring. If you have to buy this book for some reason, skip these pages, and go back after you've read Chapter 3: Bongiorno! Meeting and Greeting. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Many language books are boring--this one is not. Written by a native English speaker who learned Spanish the hard way--by trying to talk to Spanish-speaking people--it offers English speakers with a basic knowledge of Spanish hundreds of tips for using the language more fluently and colloquially, with fewer obvious "gringo" errors. Writing with humor, common sense, and a minimum of jargon, Joseph Keenan covers everything from pronunciation, verb usage, and common grammatical mistakes to the subtleties of addressing other people, "trickster" words that look alike in both languages, inadvertent obscenities, and intentional swearing. He guides readers through the set phrases and idiomatic expressions that pepper the native speaker's conversation and provides a valuable introduction to the most widely used Spanish slang. With this book, both students in school and adult learners who never want to see another classroom can rapidly improve their speaking ability. Breaking Out of Beginner's Spanish will be an essential aid in passing the supreme language test--communicating fluently with native speakers. ... Read more

Reviews

This book is deserving of about 10 stars!, December 4, 1999
As a Spanish major who has also spent several summers in Mexico, I have read pretty much every Spanish text I have come across. In all that reading, I have never found another Spanish book that even comes close to this one (in accuracy, helpfulness, readability, and other key areas).

Keenan does an excellent job of picking out the specific Spanish words and phrases that cause English speakers the most problems. I have several friends who are also studying Spanish. It seems like 9 times out of 10 when they ask me a question, it is an issue that was covered in "Breaking out.."

This book was written with the reader's attention span in mind. Imagine: a Spanish text that is actually enjoyable to read! I read this book cover-to-cover at least once a year. Every time I glean some new pointer that I can implement in my constant quest to sound like less of a gringa.

Sections include a discussion of the subjunctive, a chapter on cursing (!), cultural info, general language learning tips, useful verbs to add to your repertoire, and discussion of the evolution of the Spanish language. To me, the most helpful sections were those dealing with word choice: a couple of chapters that deal with stuff like "what is the difference between regresar, volver, devolver, etc.?"

If you have a general grasp of the basics in Spanish but feel like your learning has kind of reached a plateau, this book is an excellent resource for learning how to get your Spanish to the next level.

The only negative I can think of is that the book is not indexed. As a result, after reading the book initially, when you find yourself with a question that you know was answered somewhere in the book (a frequent ocurrence), it sometimes takes a moment to flip through the book and find the exact paragraph where he talked about it.

If I could only have one Spanish book, it would be this one. I would even choose it over 501 verbs and probably even my dictionary.

Not so much a language book as a guide into another culture, April 1, 1999
You may as well be trying to learn Latin with most Spanish books. Not only are they dry and boring, they are absolutely lifeless! Keenan presents Spanish as a living language, full of real life examples and situations (and I don't mean asking the maid in your hotel room for more towels!) I have read this book until the pages have fallen out. Take it from someone who followed Keenan's advice, went to Mexico, and started talking to the locals - you will never find a more helpful resource for your sojourn. The section on invectives and obcenities is worth the price of admission. You may never have an inclination to use any of these words, but I guarantee you it is very, very useful knowing when they are being used toward you. Finally, never have I encountered a Spanish language book which enlightens one as to why everything in Spanish is reversed, e.g. blanca y negra for black and white. Keenan's wonderful book helps you get inside the Spanish speaker's mind and world to the extent that you might just realize it is the English speaker that has everything backwards.

Excellent but not for amateurs..., January 16, 2002
I moved to Mexico two years ago and enrolled in a language school right off the bat. I also bought this book. After reading it, I thought it was helpful, but not excessively so because I didn't quite "get" everything it was trying to tell me. I stuck it on the bookshelf.

Now, two years later, I'm going through it again and discovering a virtual gold mine of information. My point being: Take the book's title seriously. It is a book for people firmly at the intermediate level or above. For these people, it answers a ton of things that have proved baffling. For these people, the book is a gem. If you are departing the beginner stage, this stupendous book will answer lots of those things you've been scratching your head over. Immensely valuable.

But don't buy it for Spanish 101.

Good, but not perfect, February 17, 2002
I would have given this book 4 stars, but with all the 5-star reviews one needs to take another off to get across the point that this book is not perfect. Given all the justifiable good things everyone says about this book, it's worth mentioning a shortcoming and making some contrarian points.

First, the LACK OF AN INDEX is a BIG SHORTCOMING. This is a reference book written by a journalist, with an entertaining style and interesting anecdotes and verbal illustrations. It's therefore easy to forget that it is, first and foremost, a reference book. After my first quick read through this book I recall wanting to check back on a fine distinction between a couple of similar verbs (I don't remember now which ones). They might have been in chapter 7, "Sixty-four Verbs", or in chapter 11, "Which is Which". I couldn't find what I was looking for by skimming, and an index would have been greatly appreciated.

Second, a number of reviewers keep emphasizing that this book is for intermediate or advanced speakers. If you're interested in this book, I wouldn't let that stop you from getting it. I've been seriously attempting to learn Spanish for about a year and a half. From my perspective, that of having been a university student a long time ago in a place far, far away, terms like "beginner" and "intermediate" are of more use to academic bureaucrats than to teachers and learners. I consider the community college courses I've taken have been auxiliary rather than primary means of learning Spanish. A few months ago I was in Bogota for a week and surprised myself with how well I was able to communicate with the locals. More recently here at home in California I sat in on a reading course in which most of the students were, to some extent, native speakers. I had the realization that I still sound VERY awkward trying to speak Spanish (or more accurately, trying to read it aloud to a group at conversational speed), and that there's a reason that bilingual speaker (there are more of them in California than Colombia) tend to switch me back to English. From this perspective, some of the items in this book struck me as useful. My reaction to other items was "well, duh!" This book could have been quite useful to me 6 months or even a year ago. And the nice thing about a reference book is that it can sit on your shelf, ready for when the need for it arises.

The third "yeah, but..." this book does not offer magical solutions. Of course no reasonable person expects magical solutions, and the blurbs for this book do not explicitly promise them. Still, all hyper-positive reviews for this book could create very high expectations. In the introduction Keenan offers a few suggestions on picking up the language, but precedes this section with the warning: "...there's no magic formula or secret recipe to speed you on your way to fluency." That might be as good as any piece of advice in this book. It is, nonetheless, well worth having.

Buy this book! Compre este libro!, May 12, 2002
I am a 52 year old spanish student. I began my spanish education in the summer of 2002 with a two week stint at a language school in Oaxaca,Oaxaca,MX. I have followed that up with the Pimsleur Speak and Read CD set and a private tutor once a week. I have purchased Dorothy Devney Richmond's excellent books on spanish verbs and suffixes. BUT the book that is providing me with the most fun and an indepth insight into the spanish mind as expressed in the spanish language is Joseph J.Keenan's " Breaking Out of Beginner's Spanish". My biggest coup to date was when I used an spanish expression that I had learned from the book and immediately was "corrected" by a more "knowledgeable and fluent" student of spanish. Happily, when the more "accomplished" student of spanish had finished telling me how wrong I was... a native spanish speaker quietly and graciously stated that my expression was absolutely correct. As I read through this book and practice my ever growing spanish language skills, I am deeply grateful to Mr.Keenan for having paved the way and assisting us all in avoiding some of the potholes and gaining important new insights into the age old question.."But why is it like that?" Muchas Gracias a Senor Keenan.

Great!!!, June 7, 1999
If you've been studying Spanish courses and feel confident that you could ask where a hotel or restuarant is but do not feel that you could get into a real conversation with a native speaker, this book will help. It gives you a good way of looking at the subjunctive verb that other books would only confuse you with. Lots of everyday ways of saying things where conventional teaching aids give you ridged ways saying the same thing. If you want to sound like you know what you are saying then this book will help. It will help you stop saying "um" & "uh", and show you spanish stuble-words cause let's face we are all going to stammer reaching for the right word so why not sound a little more fluent doing so. The obscenity section is helpful, even if you don't want to curse(I don't) it is good to know if someone says something to you and there are words that are harmless in some Spanish speaking countries that are dangerous in other and you'd be wise to know the difference as to not offend anyone or embarrass yourself.

Probably the BEST book for learning Spanish ever written, June 9, 1999
This is the best book I have ever read for learning Spanish. I have almost a whole "libary" full of useless theoretical Spanish books that I bought hoping to increase my skills. This is the first (and really the ONLY) book that I have read that takes a whole new approach to teaching Spanish--a PRACTICAL approach.

I have even felt like writing the author to congradulate him on such a well-written book, but I haven't had the time. (How many people feel like writting the author of Spanish books?)

If you're Spanish skills are just a bit above beginner, then I recomend this book. This is one of the only books in my whole "collection" that I have read over 5-6 times. I have lived in Mexico for more than 2 years now, and I owe much of my language mastery to this book. 5-Star without a doubt!

What other book ...., August 6, 2000
...tells how to hem and haw in a foreign tongue?

I am a serious student of Spanish. I own more text books and grammar reviews than any of the professors I know. This book taught me more about *speaking* the language than all the others combined. It is unique and indespensible. I have recommended it and continue to recommend it to anyone I meet who is studying or has studied Spanish. No matter your level of linguistic competency, if you are not a native speaker of Spanish, this book will help you.

You simply must have this book.

A unique reference that tackles important concepts, August 21, 2002
I purchased this book 3 years ago and I clearly remember my first impressions. I thought to myself "how handy this is the first of its kind". This Spanish reference will definitely give you the finishing touches to your Spanish in terms of authenticity and helping your day to day Spanish sound natural and on the level of a native speaker.

I bought the book to find out the greatest challenges that students who are studying Spanish face outside of grammatical, pronunciation and phonetic issues. Although the title of the book is: Breaking Out of Beginner's Spanish, the topics covered and the information offered is definitely beneficial to the advanced student and to those who have travelled around Latin America or Spain. Chances are these students will have heard the numerous verbs, phrases and expressions used and have had difficulty understanding the meaning, nuance and how to use the verb or expression correctly in everyday speech.

The book's intent is to clarify traditional errors that non-native Spanish speakers make and to offer an explanation and the logic behind the usage in Spanish. The book covers a broad range of topics such as: tricksters (also known as false cognates which are words that look similar to an English word but have a completely different meaning),verb usage and key exceptions, tips for correct usage of the subjunctive which always proves to be problematic for non-natives, a special look at sixty-four verbs with a complete analysis of proper usage, key phrases typically used by native speakers, making the right choice of words and anglicisms.

The book answers questions that grammar books and dictionaries don't offer. As an educator of the Spanish language I am familiar with and have read numerous reference material in English and Spanish and this is the first of it kind. Finally, a book that focuses on problematic concepts in Spanish that need to be addressed in order to speak correctly, avoid blunders, to know when you have been insulted, increase cultural awareness and to sound as authentic as possible when speaking Spanish.

The book is definitely beneficial to those who have advanced knowledge of Spanish and a solid command of its grammar, those who have travelled to several Latin American countries and those who have specific queries about an idiom, verbs, "must know" vocabulary and terms. I suggest reading the book thoroughly for understanding of the its objective and then re-reading the book with a focus on your own queries that need clarification. I think the book is great and true to its objective, unfortunately I have yet to use the concepts with my students because of their level but it has been put to good use thus far as I enjoy reading it from time to time because it has such a wealth of information beneficial to all. I strongly recommend this purchase to all students and those who have an interest in Spanish. This was a carefully compiled reference material. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

If you drive 15 minutes a day, you can learn Spanish!, December 19, 2008
I drive 15 minutes to work and 15 back. I have used this course and improved my Spanish dramatically just by doing what I do 5 days a week. Instead of listening to the radio, I listen to these CDs. It is almost effortless. A native speaker allows you to improve your accent. I took an adult education course recently and by far my accent was the most authentic. It is well organized, even though at times you wonder where he is going. I am so enthralled with this course that as I was finishing part 1 and looking at part 2, I ended up buying both 2 and 3 at the same time. And I am glad I did.

Ultimately very impressed, January 20, 2009
To get right to it (for those of you that just skim the first couple lines of these reviews like I do), this program is exactly what it claims -- simple to use and effective. I was really quite surprised at how quickly the Speed Immersion method had me speaking (and even thinking) in Spanish. Growing up in Texas, I have definitely been exposed to Spanish over the years, which definitely helped, but even still I feel like anyone could pick up the language pretty much as soon as you dive into the first CD. I also liked the book a lot. I had planned to use it mostly for the transcript, to follow along with the audio, but the charts and grammar explanations were great and I went back to them over and over again as reference.

The only real con for the program is that it doesn't really cover as much material as I thought it would. But then, the material it did cover I learned completely and easily, so maybe that is part of the process. I have already ordered Spanish 2 though, since I want to be a bit more advanced in my Spanish. And at these prices (versus the competitors) it's still a pretty good deal. Overall I am pleased, and would maybe just recommend buying both level 1 and 2.

Fun and improved!, October 13, 2008
These discs are a lot of fun to fill the time on the commute and it is great to learn such a useful language without effort or having to make time for it.

These are based on early an earlier cassette version, but they are completely updated with additions and more user friendly timing, i.e. longer pause for translations.

Thoroughly disorganized, May 18, 2009
Knowing that I wouldn't really have time to sit down and study Spanish at home or on the computer, I was looking for a CD-base program that could make my learning largely happen during my commutes.
I made it through the first 6 CDs before I left for Costa Rica. Ok, I did survive there, and was even identified by locals as the translator on our serving team, but little thanks to this CD program (the pocket dictionary with concise grammar section had a lot more to do with that success!)...
These CDs may work for somebody like me who has already learned a language before and knows how to apply the concepts learned before to the bits and pieces that this program throws at you - but I pity the learner who does not have that prerequisite knowledge.
The program is thoroughly disorganized and jumps around like crazy, rather than teaching a concept sufficiently before moving on to the next.
There are lots of times when just the words are thrown at you without the concept being explained, other times when a concept is explained without examples given to practice the concept.
The learning is very fractured, just for the sake of avoiding to admit that conjugations exist.
Basically all you do is memorize words, without being pointed in the right direction for how to apply what you're learning to other words or sentences.
The only reason I am giving this program 2 stars instead of 1 is because of the extremely useful very first section, which introduces the phrases "I want...", "I have to...", "I like...". That was awesome, but afterwards it really went downhill in usefulness.
The accompanying book is even worse. Not only do the chapters in the book not match up with the learning on the CDs, but the review sections at the end of a chapter are using words and concepts that weren't explained in the chapter or the CDs, so this is new material rather than a review - which is very frustrating for a learner who is trying to apply the concepts learned in this chapter to the exercises. And it fails in little details as well, like the vocabulary sections not being lined up so you could actually cover up one side to practice translating the words.
I don't know if there are any better CD-based programs out there, but this one is too disorganized for my taste.

EXACTLY What I Was Hoping For, August 21, 2009
If, like me, you took Spanish many years ago, wish to relearn it, and have time to devote to it in the car, this product is wonderful. I could not be more pleased that I purchased it, but I did want to review it because I think how perfect it will be for you depends on your needs and expectations.

1. I do find this most useful in the car but less so around the house. I tried using it while I cooked but found I ended up just mindlessly repeating what the speaker was saying without thinking about the words being woven together. My mind was on cooking, not on learning Spanish. It's probably why this is called "Behind the Wheel Spanish" and not "Over the Stove Spanish!"

2. If you've previously studied Spanish in written form - even if it was years ago - I think you'll love these CDs. The course dives right into conversational Spanish, and as the speakers introduce Spanish words, I so clearly "see" the words in my mind and have been delighted to find that I even recall some words before the speaker pronounces them, but I know this only happens compliments of the high school Spanish I learned years ago.

3. If this is your first exposure to Spanish, I think the course will probably still be great, but I think you'll have to hit the accompanying book first. The CDs dive right in and do NOT teach the Spanish alphabet or letter sounds, but they are covered in the accompanying book. There's also a transcript of the CDs at the back of the book, too. Boring, right? NO - fabulous! You can go there and see exactly what the sentences look like in Spanish.

4. The native speakers are terrific, especially Luis. Just the right amount of pause is given for you to practice pronunciations. I like how the reviews are timed and like how the CD tracks are separated for me to easily go back and review certain sections again and again if I feel the need. I have worked on CD 1 for several weeks now (off and on), feel like I've mastered it, and I'm ready to move on.

Sept 09 Update - Surprise! The alphabet is covered on disc 2. Why? I have no idea, but anyway, do yourself a favor and study it first if you haven't seen the Spanish alphabet before now. I'm still really enjoying this program. I can see how some might perceive the program as disorganized because it is a COMPLETELY different approach from a traditional Spanish class - BUT - it gets you saying things, and saying things you understand, very quickly. I think it's fun and challenging, and when it's TOO challenging, I just back up a few tracks and plow thru it again until I get it.

EASY, FUN, HELPFUL, December 23, 2008

Como esta'?

Muy bien, gracias.

How many who say they do not speak Spanish understand those words? A good many I'd assume, which is a simple example of how familiar Spanish is to many of us. Most will be surprised at the number of English words that are related to Spanish words, thus quickly become a part of our vocabulary.

The ease with which it can be learned was not the only reason I was prompted to try Spanish, but we do live in Texas and have a large Spanish speaking population. Plus, I'm told Spanish is the fastest growing language in the world, and is the official language on four continents.

After just a few hours of listening I realized what a truly beautiful language it is, and how easily pronounced (compared to my forced jousts with French).

Those who have experienced Mark Frobose's method of teaching know just how effective and practical it is - with an emphasis on frequently used vocabulary and a wonderful native speaker to demonstrate proper pronunciation. For us there hasn't been time better spent than with these lessons. Seldom is learning such pleasure.

- Gail Cooke

Makes learning Spanish easy, January 18, 2009
I have always struggled learning foreign languages, but I have a niece who is being raised bilingually and I want to be able to communicate with her in both of her languages. After just a few sessions with Behind the Wheel Spanish 1, I am able to put together simple sentences. I particularly like that there are English translations throughout the program so I don't have to guess at the meanings of words. The native speaker is easy to understand and there is plenty of time to try repeating the new phrases and vocabulary words on my own.

Nothing instructional about it., July 25, 2010
You better have a healthy background in Spanish before purchasing even Spanish 1. With its strictly "listen, repeat, listen, repeat" method of delivery, this is not an instructional set of CDs. It's more like audio flash cards. Almost no time is spent helping the learner understand why a sentence or question is phrased the way it is. Almost no time is dedicated to discussing conjugation. The CDs simply jump right in. Here's the word. Here's that word in Spanish. Here's the next word. Here's that word in Spanish. Here's a sentence. Here's that sentence in Spanish. Terrible, terrible, terrible approach to teaching. And when other reviewers point out that the lessons are random, that is no exageration. Instead of introducing a verb, for instance, and then using that verb in multiple ways in succession in order to reinforce it, the listener hears it once, and then we're off to something new. Yes, I am still putting my set to use. With a year of college Spanish and a couple of night classes under my belt, I am getting something out it, but there is so much more they could have done with this to make it more effective and even a little fun. One more thing: The presenter's voice is horribly monotone with such little expression, you might want to avoid these CDs if only because they might have you falling asleep at the wheel.

Convenient and effective language program--it really works!, January 21, 2009
What I liked about this program is how enjoyable it was. I've always wanted to learn Spanish, but I just kept putting it off because I thought it was going to be really hard and intimidating. Recently, I heard someone recommending Behind the Wheel programs, so I gave this one a try, and it was great!

It starts out really simple, with basic vocabulary and sentence structure, and always provides an English translation- after just a day of learning in the car while running errands, I was able to try out a couple of new sentences on my Spanish-speaking friend. She was amazed at how comfortable and confidant I seemed after just one day, and the rest of the program built on that. This program didn't make me fluent, but it definitely gave me the basics I needed to communicate comfortably about my everyday needs. I can't wait to try out Behind the Wheel Spanish 2 & 3, and maybe I'll try a new language after I master Spanish.

Great way to begin your journey of speaking Spanish, September 28, 2009
I bought Behind the Wheel - Spanish 1 a few weeks ago as a complete novice without ever having previously studied Spanish. I have a long workday commute so this has been an excellent way to gain a basic understanding of the language, but more importantly, to practice speaking essential phrases to use in common travel, dining, and business settings in Spanish speaking countries.

The first CD quickly dives into learning some basic verbs and vocabulary to allow a learner to communicate common 2 and 3 word phrases which become useful building blocks for the rest of the material. Luis, the native Spanish-speaker from Peru, is outstanding with his enunciation and cadence when sounding out each syllable. The English speaking narrator presents the English phrase and Luis repeats the Spanish translation twice slowly with a break after each phrase so that you can practice.

The audiobook comes with 8 CD's and while a lot of material is covered, there is plenty of review and repetition on each CD. The information builds on itself and by the 4th CD you will be learning how to put together complete 5-8 word sentences for basic situations as mentioned above.

While this is an outstanding value for less than $35 new--there is a reason this series does not cost hundreds of dollars. Were it not for the following flaws, I would have given the product 5 stars. For a few phrases, the speaker is inconsistent in translation and if you are paying attention you will notice. This appears to be derived and republished from an older audiobook so there are a few overdubs in places. 98% of the material is spoken by Luis who is fantasic, but the other 2% is spoken by a woman who falls into the stereotypical female Latin TV spokesperson. Her phrases are rattled off so quickly and the syllables so slurred that if you are new to Spanish you will not be able to understand any of it. Fortunately, she was used very little for this Edition.

Overall, this product is an outstanding way to begin your journey in learning Spanish. I have no hesitation in giving it 4 stars and recommending it. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Say sayonara to your fears of speaking Japanese!

Interested in learning to speak Japanese but feel intimidated by the complex characters and pronunciations? No need to worry! Even if your only experience is ordering sushi, Japanese Demystified will have you saying konnichiwa to your new language skills in no time.

Beginning with a review of Japanese writing systems, basic pronunciation, and everyday expressions, this book covers key grammar fundamentals such as particles, nouns, verb forms, and honorifics. You'll build your Japanese vocabulary with essential words and phrases and quickly master this challenging language. Test yourself at the end of every chapter for reinforcement that you're fast on your way to speaking, writing, and understanding Japanese.

This fast and easy guide features:

• Clear and straightforward explanations of Japanese grammar fundamentals
• Numerous examples of simple and complex sentence structures
• Japanese hiragana, katakana, and kanji with phonetic transliterations for all Japanese words
• Helpful writing and speaking exercises that bring the Japanese language to life
• Coverage of everyday topics as well as conversational expressions
• Quizzes at the end of each chapter to reinforce new material

Simple enough for a beginner, but challenging enough for a more experienced student, Japanese Demystified is your shortcut to mastering this complex language.

Reviews

Finally, something helpful and affordable!, October 20, 2008
Finding this book was a wonderful thing.

With so many books on learning Japanese out there, it's hard to find a couple of good ones that provide you with the means to learn the easiest way. That "easy" way is different for all people. I have always thought that fundamentals, basic building blocks, are essential in order to understand the way something works, so that learning more difficult or involved concepts later is easier. For example, in my life, this applies to math, playing an instrument, or learning a language.

My requirements for teaching myself Japanese without the availability of local, affordable classes are as follows: First: it must be affordable. A $20 book is more my speed than an $60 or $80 one, for instance. Second: like most people, I want the most bang for my buck. I don't want to be lugging around 6 books if I can get the same information out of 2 or 3. Third: I would like it to contain Japanese writing so I can learn to read and write what I am saying. Fourth: I prefer some sort of self-test included so I know if/what I am retaining.

This book delivers all that. 445 pages of information, delivered in Japanese characters, romaji and English at the same time. Chapters 1-3 are pretty basic. I have the entire set of Pimsleur's Japanese lessons, which I love, and aside from some new vocabulary, it's about the same. Pronunciation, writing, names, titles, pronouns, particles and questions. The CDs teach you to speak, but explain nothing of the fundamentals of grammar or how the Japanese language works, nor do they explain the many verbs and their forms. I feel strongly that to learn Japanese well and thoroughly, these things are important in order to facilitate fluency as learning progresses.

I am really looking forward to using this book to augment my Pimsleur lessons. It gives me hope that I will someday be able to engage in conversation in this language with confidence. I get vocabulary, grammar, verbs and forms, and self-tests all in one book! I love that it is all arranged according to English grammar structure. This is familiar and helps me to understand the information.

For the really curious, there are 20 chapters arranged in four parts with a "final exam":

Part One is Identifying People and Things.
Including pronunciation, everyday phrases, questions, describing people and things, and expressing existence and location.

Part Two is Talking About Actions
Including coming and going, what you do (verbs), talking about the past, the Te- form, and asking permission.

Part Three is Stating Facts
Including your opinion, adverbs and adverbial clauses, comparing people and things, complex phrases and clauses, and indicating change.

Part Four is Expressing Implication, Attitude, and Perspective
Including implication, attitude, considering and planning your actions, changing perspective, and using honorifics.

At the end is a 100 question "final exam", followed by two Appendices (sentence predicates and verb forms {as a table}), two glossaries (J to E and E to J), an answer key for all the test and practices, and finally an index.

This is not the only book I plan to buy, or already own (my other favorite now is Japanese Step by Step). I highly recommend learning about Japanese culture while studying the language because so much of how Japanese express themselves is ingrained in their society and how they interpret things. It is a point of view that can be radically different from anywhere else. It is not enough to learn Japanese, you need to learn about the people as well in order to effectively express yourself in their language. Japanese Beyond Words is a wonderful book to start with.

In short, buy this book. I don't think you will be disappointed. Beginners, dive right in, it will help! Advanced students, this will probably serve more as a great reference book, or it may clear up something you've been struggling with.

Heck, for this price, you definitely get what you pay for, and then some. ^_^

modern and easy to use but lacks abit in vocabulary, June 2, 2010
When a friend of mine asked me which beginner book on Japanese to use, I recommended this one. The focus of this book is on explaining Japanese grammar as clearly as possible, from basic to complex structures.

Like most self-learners I have a stack of books on Japanese at home, including: Japanese For Everyone, Japanese For Busy People, Genki, and so on. This book 'Japanese Demystified' is one of the best for beginners who struggle with Japanese grammar.

The reasons are many:
1. the grammar is explained in a simple way
2. the chapters are arranged according to grammatical concept
3. the book uses the real script from the start
4. it is roughly equal to a one-year course at university (as far as grammar goes)
5. it is modern and teaches you all sorts of words and does not focus on college-life or business use
6. it has a wide variety of exercises in each chapter
7. all the text are in both script and romanization
8. it is fully aimed at self-learners and have no class or group excercises

The exercises include:
1. translations
2. putting the correct word into a sentence
3. building sentences
4. transform a word into the correct grammatical form
5. reading exercises

If you are thinking about buying this book you should be aware of a few things:
1. there's no audio material
2. it does not show you how to draw the Kanji characters
3. the book has no system for teaching you the Kanji

You can easily find information on the web on how to draw characters so that's not really a problem. The book has no system for teaching you the Kanji - it is up to you to write them down on paper and practice them yourself. These are not actual complaints I have with the book, it is simply something the persons reading these reviews should be aware of.

However a minor complaint I DO have is that the glossary is too short and does not list all the words taught in the book.
In addition and perhaps more significantly, the vocabulary covered is quite small compared to other textbooks. 'Japanese Demystified' only covers about 500 words (excluding verbs), while other books such as 'Japanese for Busy People (I-III), Japanese For Everyone, Genki I & II' etc. cover at least 2000 words.
I think the author deliberatly did this so that the learner can focus on understanding the grammar really well without being stressed by learning new vocabulary.

I still rate this book very highly because the way it covers grammar is just brilliant, it is all right there in front of you and explained so clearly. I think this far outweighs the negatives. The book works so well on its own and because it is structured according to grammar it also works really well as supplement to other textbooks: if I don't get clear explanations from my other textbooks I can just look things up in this one. This book and my old favorite 'Introduction to Modern Japanese' are the only two beginner's books I plan to keep in the long-run.

In short, the book is easy to understand, modern, shows you the complete script, and will teach you basic vocabulary.

It... makes... sense!, October 17, 2009
After facing the horror of "Minna no Nihongo" (sorry fans of the book, but it proved not to be my cup of tea), I discovered that "Japanese demystified" made far more sense to me; it's friendly, you learn at your own pace, and it's not intimidating at all so buy it already! However, I strongly suggest that before you dive into it, (or any other Japanese learning books, by the way) you invest a few weeks into learning your hiragana, katakana, and a few hundred kanji as well, now that you are into it. It sounds like too much work but believe me, it will make your learning experience a more enjoyable one. Books from James W. Heisig (Remembering the kana, Remembering the kanji) can be of vast help to achieve this. Also, and to help "Japanize" your mind, Boye Lafayette De Mente`s "The Japanese have a word for it" can provide a rich cultural background, with dozens of words and terms that simply don't have a direct translation into western languages, and will help you "feel" the language from a native's perspective. I'm not going to lie to you; it's not going to be easy, it's not going to be fast, but... what the heck, it makes your brain a better one.

good for JLPT3 and under, December 12, 2008
I'm taking third semester Japanese (finished half of Genki II) and found this book a bit too "easy." Almost wish I'd gone to Kinokuniya and bought something else. However beginner students will find it extremely helpful.
"Japanese Step By Step" (roughly same cost) is a better investment IHMO.

Great book, August 19, 2010
This was a great book, as a workbook to accompany my Japanese course.
I would say though, you can NOT use it alone to learn Japanese.
It has very clear explanations and is an excellent workbook for beginner students.

After using this book, you may want to check out "Japanese Sentence Patterns for Effective Communication: A Self-Study Course and Reference", which covers everything in this book and a more as a nice compact review.

Unfortunately, non of these books help with speaking or listening, its not something that is expected from these books but just keep it in mind.

A GREAT SEF TEACHING BOOK, ALL IN ONE, REALLY EASY TO UNDERSTAND GRAMMAR, September 22, 2010
THIS IS DEFINITELY THE BOOK YOU CAN TAKE WITH YOU ANYWHERE. YOU GOT ALL THE IMPORTANT INFO TOGETHER, STARTING WITH THE WRITING SYSTEM TO GRAMMAR ISSUES, WELL ORGANIZED, FRIENDLY PAPERBACK BOOK, FOR YOUR TRIPS TO SCHOOL OR WORK BY UNDERGROUND OR BUS, JUST GREAT!

It's Awesome!, December 5, 2009
This book was the best japanese book i got to learn out of b/c it teaches how to write in the first chapter and also has oral exercises with english pronunciation to make sure that you get it. i'd recommend it if you are itching to learn a new language!

An Excellent Japanese Grammar, November 7, 2010
This is an excellent book for people who want to know how to learn Japanese and to learn with the proper grammar.

Japanese Demistified, December 14, 2008
This is a great book for anyone who is studying Japanese at any level. It gives a person the information they need to know in a easy manner. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Over 50 fun songs, games and everyday activities to get started in French!

From taking a bath to going shopping, books in the Play and Learn Language series turn everyday routines into fun language-learning activities for parents and children.

Packed with lively four-colour illustrations, each package features fun songs, games, and activities, key word illustrations, engaging comic strips, sidebars with fun cultural information and English translations for all activities. ... Read more

Reviews

Wonderful, April 20, 2006
While this book is geared towards children, I found it to be very helpful to me as a beginning French college student. I originally bought this mainly for it's pictures and dual translations as I'm a visual learner and because I've heard many foreign language audio programs that I didn't care for at all. This, however, is obviously done by a native speaker (and a good singer at that).

The audio and pronounciation is clear, making it easy to follow along with the text. The topics that are covered are everyday activities, making it easy to find ways to make use of what you learn in real life practice. Also, as the previous reviewer noted, the use of colloquial terms is also very helpful and useful.

As an experienced adult language learner, I feel that this will do well to improve not only my pronounciation, but my vocabulary as well.

Painless colloquial French, June 29, 2005
I was surprised at how much I liked this book. Most language books cover the basic, standard vocabulary in a set format. This one covers colloquial vocabulary that children learn, so you hear the endearments that parents use with their children and how roosters crow and the words for 'see-saw' and common phrases like 'Time to wake up!'. I can see myself using some of these phrases as ice-breakers in informal chats in my travels. Delightful!
I'll be looking for other works by these authors as they become available.

Rich content with helpful vocabulary help, January 9, 2007
I bought this for my 3-year-old girl who's going to a French immersion preschool. She loves it! She likes it when I read to her (I speak pretty fluent French) and she can figure out things by looking at the pictures. E.g., when I read a sentence and ask her in French what a certain object is, she'd point to a picture. She also likes to hear the CD. The book is colorful. The pictures and the English translation for the scripts are very helpful. My 7-year-old boy who doesn't speak French also likes to read with us and he'd read the English and I do the French part. I can tell the book is appealing for kids no matter what language it's in. I give 4 stars because I think they could have done better on the recording with more animation and variety in the tone, etc.

Play and Learn is not very engaging, January 9, 2007
I haven't been able to find something as entertaining as Learn in Your Car French for Kids (Marie and Robert going to the fete). The CD on Play and Learn is completely in French without any clever songs, stories, or activities that the kids can really follow along to. If they know a LOT of French then maybe it would be something they can follow along to, but it certainly doesn't teach anything using English/French together in an engaging way.

Fantastic to learn to talk to your child in French, June 30, 2007
As someone who had some very rusty high school French I have found this book and 60 minute CD invaluable in teaching my 1 year old son to understand and speak French. He even enjoys listening to the CD in the car while Mummy learns French as he recognises phrases and songs that we have begun to use. The book and CD show you how to conduct everyday conversations with your child in many situations such as getting dressed, eating, cleaning up, bath time, going to the park and playing games. In addition to the vocabulary there are lots of easy songs that you can learn and sing during those activities.

Great as an addition to any curriculum, August 24, 2007
I am bilingual (Spanish and English) and wanted to add in French with my own children. Since I just partnered in working on Flip Flop French: Ages 3-5: Level 1, I've been using that of course, and I so enjoyed using Ana Lomba's Play and Learn Spanish for my own students and classes, I got it in French.

I haven't been disappointed! After the children (three of them, ages 5 down to 2 years) completed lesson three, they were able to pick up quite a bit of this book and the interesting conversations that go along with the pictures in the book (it's full color!) My children really enjoy coloring and drawing, so after we do the Flip Flop French activity for the day, this is a great supplement and change for them. It's a little advanced for them without the other more simple lessons, but I think they'll continue to grow into it!

All in all, I love it!

Solid resource for useful phrases in French, July 26, 2007
I learned to speak French as an adult (and am still learning).

As a result, I have had very little exposure to 'children's French' - how to speak to a child and use phrases appropriate for them.

This is a fantastically reliable source for just that, and it is enjoyable to expand my own vocabulary along with my children's.

Learn French with a childs' book, July 19, 2007
Highly recommended for any adult who is trying to learn basic French. A great compliment to Pimsleur and Michel Thomas.

Horrible, annoying, and to avoid at any cost, July 6, 2010
The voice is horrible, from the beginning to the end. It really sounds like the woman who is speaking is either bored, tired, and has no more motivation in her life...

Clearly not a product that will motivate your kids to study French.

As French native myself, I used other methods, and you can hear better quality of sound, and happy people singing...

The singer sounds like, she never studied music, and does not like what she is doing.

Just Ok, March 13, 2009
I am a little disappointed with this product. Although the book is great for non-French speaking parents (it has French on one side and English on the other, along with illustrations) the cd is not very entertaining for a baby or toddler. Not to mention, at many points, the voice on the cd does not even sound like a native French speaker (I speak French and have lived in France). There is really only one person speaking the entire time (it sounds like the same person does the adult and child voice), and the whole cd is the "adult" saying or asking something and the "child" responding. There is no music or anything that would make my baby want to listen to it. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Now beginners can master Spanish grammar with the proven Practice Makes Perfect method!

Combining clear presentation, exercises, and a focus on practical conversational skills has proven a winning formula for the Practice Makes Perfect workbook series. Practice Makes Perfect: Complete Spanish Grammar builds on the series' success with a similarly interactive approach, embracing all aspects of Spanish grammar that you need to master. This engaging guide offers:

• An extensive grammar review, highlighted by illustrative examples
• Dozens of exercises, including fill-ins, translations, and creative writing
• Time saving thematic vocabulary panels to cut down on dictionary drudgery
• Boxed summaries of key grammar points for focused learning
• Detailed answer keys for progress checks

Reviews

Thorough but full of mistakes, January 17, 2007
I have been studying Spanish for 7+ years and used this book as a text book in a college course that focused on the verb conjugations and tenses. We did about 90% of the exercises in the book. It's very thorough with the material that it covers, but the answers in the back are full of so many mistakes that the book almost isn't worth it. It was frustrating for us students to use the book and check our answers only to find mistakes. Eventually our professor stopped using the book.

EXCELLENT, March 5, 2005
This book is amazing. It really does contain ALL aspects of spanish grammar. There are clear grammar explanations, plenty of practice excercises and good vocabulary/idiom lists. Seriously, buy this book.
BTW: don't listen to the above reviewer. My copy is not missing a single page.

Awsome and Cheap, December 3, 2005
This book deserves a 5-star rating because it is very comprehensive and it is very cheap. I love the exercieses because not only can you practice the grammar but also learn more new vocabularies.

However, this book is NOT for beginners. The author states in the preface that this book is for advanced beginners or above. You should have at least very basic knowledge of the lauguage. I started learning Spanish by listening to the Michel Thomas CD's (the complete 8-CD set). I really learned a lot, but the Michel Thomas course does not cover every thing. If you really want to be fluent or to be able to read Spanish, you should study more on your own. This book is a great follow-up.

My copy of this book does not miss anything. Don't listen to the other reviewer.

Excellent review for someone with previous knowledge, February 24, 2006
Fantastic series!

What kind of learner am I?
I teach in a university-based adult education program, where many of my students are native Spanish speakers. My high school and college Spanish classes were a distant memory, but when I chose this book and its companions (pronouns and verbs), I DID remember enough to communicate at a basic level. I've found this series excellent for improving my Spanish enough for my students to comment enthusiastically after a relatively short time. I have no instructor, but I learn well from books, and I already knew how to pronounce Spanish words. For someone else in my position, I can't recommend this series highly enough--it's the best I found after extensive searching, library loans, etc.

Getting the most from this product:
I also recommend getting all three books (complete grammar, pronouns, and verbs) as I did. I've found that it's been helpful to work through a few sections in one book, switch to one of the others, and move ahead in similar jags through all three at once. I can tell when to switch by when I start to feel like I'm getting in over my head--I think it would be difficult to learn alone using just one of these.

Another tip: This series is pure grammar, but there's plenty of culture and literature available free online. I've supplemented the books by reading Spanish-language newspapers online (my favorite seems to be the BBC/Latin America), pasting the text into www.freetranslation.com to check my reading as needed. Often, I've translated these in their entirety for practice (the free translation's enough to understand, but not a particularly good translation). I also found a Spanish-speaking penpal by visiting Spanish chatrooms, and write back and forth frequently as a way to practice my written Spanish. These activities have provided the learning richness that simple grammar texts aren't intended to offer.

Who shouldn't use this?
However, if (for example) you know no (or almost no) Spanish now or remember very little vocabulary, this would be a poor choice. It definitely assumes some level of familiarity with the language.

Great Supplementary Learning Tool, May 17, 2007
First let me clarify by saying that if I could have given this 4 and 1/2 stars, I would have; it's ALMOST worth 5 stars, but not quite.

This book is an excellent learning tool if you already have a little bit of experience with Spanish going in. I bought it to use during a year off from school so I wouldn't forget the Spanish I had learned in my 100-level courses in college. If you do the exercises conscientiously and make an effort to really learn the material, this book can be an invaluable tool to your success in doing so.

That said, the only thing preventing the book from receiving 5 stars is that if you have no prior knowledge of Spanish, it can be a bit confusing going in, as the author completely separates the sections on verbs from those on nouns, adjectives, pronouns, etc. This is an okay idea, but it makes it difficult to complete some of the exercises in the earlier chapters if you don't already know how to use the more basic components of a Spanish sentence.

Still, I more than recommend this book, especially if you just want to brush up on Spanish you learned a long time ago and have since forgotten.

Excellent Resource for Learning Spanish, February 25, 2007
My husband who is a Spanish professor picked this book out for me when I first started learning Spanish. In the very beginning, it was too difficult. But, after a few weeks into my Spanish class it became manageable.

It was an excellent supplement to my class and it really helped to reinforce the grammatical concepts. Also, my Spanish class was all in Spanish, even the grammar explanations, and I really appreciated how clearly this book explained the concepts in English.

I'm now moving on to more advanced Spanish exercises, but I will keep this book handy as a reference. The explanations are really, very good.

The vocabulary introduced in the book is also very comprehensive for the most common words and phrases in many aspects of daily life. However, there is an inclination toward Latin American Spanish vocabulary rather than Castilian Spanish.

The exercises are also good overall. But, each chapter and topic is isolated and the exercises do nothing to reinforce concepts learned in previous chapters. Therefore, this book is not the end-all-be-all program for learning Spanish. However, it's a great introduction to the grammar and could be an integral component of any beginner's study program.

Regarding the other reviewer's comment about the answer key being full of mistakes, I did find a few, but it by no means rendered the book useless. Perhaps he/she was using an earlier edition and the mistakes have since been corrected.

Outstanding grammar review, February 20, 2006
This book covers all parts of the spanish grammar exceptionally. It not only explains the focused topic in a chapter clearly and give a lot of exercises to let the reader practice, it also contains concepts from other chapters, which reinforces understanding of other chapters. The fact that this book can be covered in any order is also very good.

The vocabulary used in here is also quite complete, but only a fraction is in the glossary (the others should be mostly known at this level anyway). Be sure to have a spanish dictionary handy when learning, as always.

Really good tool for self-teaching, November 19, 2006
I've been trying to improve my rather rudimentary Spanish for awhile now, and this book helped more than anything else so far. I thought it was much better done than the other two books in the same series. I would say it is meant for a "2 or 3 out of 10" speaker, and if you apply yourself to all the exercises and review them you could get to a "5 out of 10." For the money and time invested, that is simply unmatched.

Good review book, November 9, 2006
It's a good book, but I would go for Spanish Verb Tenses since the latter is better written and organized.

Sitting on the shelf, August 17, 2008
I have mixed feelings about this book. I bought it expecting a good and thorough workbook on Spanish grammar, which it is thorough. However, it's frustrating because some of the exercises don't seem to "go with" what the chapter is covering. There's a translation exercise at the end of each chapter and after dutifully translating as I had just studied, I turn to the back and the answers are completely different. There are some glaring errors in the book too. Example: "Mi hermano cumplio treinta..." is translated as "my brother turned twenty". If a beginner such as me can catch this - it's glaring. The frustration was so great that after struggling through 3 chapters, the book now sits on the shelf - a bad place for books. I've since purchased The Ultimate Spanish Review and Practice and am working along quickly with this user-friendly and consistent book. ... Read more