Customer Reviews

Collins Gem Portuguese Dictionary

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Translation dictionaries usually have to compromise between size and completeness. The GEM series from Collins is particularly good at maximizing information content in small spaces, and this dictionary is no exception.

It has English, Continental Portuguese, and Brazilian Portuguese pronounciation guides in the front. I've seen other guides; these are effective and accurate.

The word lists are suprising; many words are included and omissions (due to size constraints) are very infrequent. Particularly important or useful words are set off with bolding and a typeface change, a helpful touch.

The back has conjugation tables, quick references to phrases and category lists (months, days, numbers, etc.) It's small enough to keep in a jacket pocket, but you'll wear it out from constant use.

Tip: be on the lookout for Palm Pilot versions of Collins Gems. They have one for Spanish-English, and it's nearly as good as the actual book.

Collins makes great pocket dictionaries. They have a handheld version of their Spanish Pocket Gem that sets the bar for handheld dictionaries, so buying the Portuguese Pocket Gem (paperback) was a no-brainer.

It lists colloquialism, slang, pejoratives, sets important words off from others with bolding, has verb tables in the back, has a pronounciation guide for both Continental and Brazilian Portuguese as well as English (so Portuguese speakers can find the book useful as well), and so much more.

The translations and definitions are very accurate and extremely helpful, and the pronounciation of each word is essential to students of either language.

An exemplary representative of the Gem dictionary series.

In general Collins English-Portuguese Portuguese-English dictionaries are quite good. The larger sizes cater better for both European and Brazilian variants. In this they are comparable to Nitti and Ferreira's book on Portuguese verbs and Manuela Cook's Portuguese course, in particular the new one, 2002, Hodder & Stoughton Teach Yourself series. They form a trio I would strongly recommend to anyone who wants to learn a Portuguese that can be used in Portugal, Brazil, some African countries, or anywhere else in the world where Portuguese is spoken.

I was quite impressed by this tiny dictionary. I am currently in 4th semester Portuguese at a university, and so far this dictionary has been all I needed. Unlike some dictionaries that privide only one definition for the word, this one gives the commonly used synonyms as well (in both English and Portuguese). You can't go wrong for the price!

Collins English-Portuguese Portuguese-English dictionaries are in general quite good. You can not expect much from the `Gem' dictionary, but it does the job adequately. Much better is the next size up. Both cater for both European and Brazilian Portuguese, which is a strong point. In this they are comparable to Nitti and Ferreira's 5001 verbs book and Manuela Cook's Portuguese course, in particular the new one, 2002, Hodder & Stoughton Teach Yourself books. They form a trio I would recommend to anyone interested in knowing a Portuguese you can use anywhere in the Portuguese speaking world.

This little book fits in the palm of your hand, and has a convenient, water-proof binding. It is very easy to use, with bold print for the words you're trying to find, and regular print for the definitions. It translates from Portuguese to English in one half of the book, and from English to Portuguese in the other half -- a useful feature in case someone needs to communicate something to you.

This dictionary has two major virtues: (a) it is really small, (b) it's not paperback, but rather "plasticback": the jacket is of a reasonably resistant plastic material. I haven't found any dictionary of similar size that is as solid. Thus, this is the dictionary I take in my travel backpack.

I haven't really pondered whether it's as good as the alternatives in terms of entries and such; but I just don't have to worry as much about its getting destroyed in transit.

This is a VERY tiny dictionary, which makes it very difficult to read. It also is geared toward British English, which further limits its usefulness for American readers. It is compact and plastic bound, which does make it a true "pocket sized" book, but if you are looking for readability and overall usefulness, I would look a bit further.

When I moved to Brazil, four years ago, I knew not one word of Portuguese. This book helped me get along São Paulo and now I speak fluent Portuguese! Now, I have unfortunately moved from São Paulo, but I still have this wonderful little pocket dictionary and it makes me remember about the good times in the land of soccer, samba, and soap operas!

Not bad for pocket dictionary.
Notice the absence of some words due to its compact size.
Never understood how people are able to figure out how to pronounce words using a dictionary, thus don't be surprise if your pronunciation doesn't make you pass for a Brazilian.

As a Portuguese speaker myself, I judge this little book can be some help for those that don't have the disposition to carry an encyclopedia collection in their backpack.
good for a quick reference but not carry any deep conversation. [....]