Complete Italian: The Basics (Italian Edition) [Audio CD]

Living Language (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1400009219 | ISBN-13: 978-1400009213 | Publication Date: September 23, 2008 | Edition: Com/Pap Bl

The top-selling Complete series has been fully revised, with all new supplemental material and a bonus wallet phrase card for travelers. Each program contains everything a beginner needs–a coursebook with 40 lessons, three hours of recordings on three CDs, a quick-reference learner’s dictionary, and an all-new indispensable wallet phrase card, all in a convenient and compact package.

The courses still use the popular and effective conversation building-block method, but all content has been thoroughly updated and now includes e-mail essentials and internet resources for each of the eight languages in the series. In addition, 18 supplemental vocabulary sections, covering such topics as “Family and Relationships,” “On the Job,” “Sports and Recreation,” and “Around Town,” are now included. As an added bonus, the new handy wallet phrase card with 300 essential words and phrases is the perfect reference for on-the-go learners, travelers, and businesspeople.

With a fresh look, great new features, and the same rock-solid approach to language learning, the best-selling Complete series is better than ever!

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Living Language; Com/Pap Bl edition (September 23, 2008)
• Language: Italian
• ISBN-10: 1400009219
• ISBN-13: 978-1400009213
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Language Starts With Sound, December 20, 2007

By 

James Ellsworth (Caldwell, TX) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Complete Italian: The Basics (CD) (Complete Basic Courses) (Hardcover)

I just migrated my version of "Complete Italian" from cassette to CD, so I pretty much knew what I was getting: the confidence that I would be able to "hear it right" and "say it right" when I return to Italy. I have tried several foreign language products and find that what works for me is one that begins right with saying the alphabet and the basic sounds that are the building blocks of spoken language. I also am more comfortable with the learning approach that requires me to concentrate on listening and seeing the written word at the same time.

Learning another language has never been easy for me but I have done well with this series. Travel is my motivator and I am content with acquiring enough phrases to be courteous, book rooms, order a wide variety of foods and trade a few basic observations on what I am finding to be of interest in the country. This book-audio set gives me a fine start. The spoken exercises are clearly presented and I can pick up details of ennunciation of natural conversation. There is a good amount of space for my repetition of the instructor's models. I don't expect mastery from the first go round: spending time with a language is the key to learning some of it for me. It is agreeable to spend that time with these exercises.

No one basic course can be "all things" in meeting an individual's language learning needs. I always supplement courses from this provider with more exercises (such as provided in the "...For Dummies" series and I get a Marlings Menu Master or a food dictionary and work out the messages I might want to communicate in advance of leaving. But the whole process begins with a Living Language Product such as this one.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a great start for serious learners, July 24, 2007

By 

jizbsu "jizbsu" (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Complete Italian: The Basics (CD) (Complete Basic Courses) (Hardcover)

Language learning from zero has never been easy. i am about finish this basic pack. without any knowledge of Italian before, i can pickup some paragraphs in Bell' Italia (a magazine can be found at some newsstands) with some help from the included dictionary.

this set is not really for driving-learning. because the CD has no English. for me, who had no idea of Italian before, the learning is not piece of cake. There is no rush hour killing time stuff works for me. By putting effort seriously on this book about 30 minutes everyday, I saw the result at the end of this book. So, I think if you seriously want to learn Italian, this is a great start kit. If throwing out couple of sentences in exotic flavor from time to time is your goal, go for those CD only packages.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful learning resource, September 16, 2008

By 

M. King - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Complete Italian: The Basics (Book and CD Set): Includes Coursebook, 4 Audio CDs, and Learner's Dictionary (Complete Basic Courses) (Audio CD)

This has proven to be a most helpful resource for mastering colloquial Italian. I work as a priest in a parish with many elderly Italian parishiners, many of whom speak little or no English. What a blessing to have a language package that I can listen to in the car and read and review at home. It has helped me communicate with and understand Italians in a way no other audio course has.