Customer Reviews

Harrap's Spanish and English Dictionary (Harrap's Dictionaries)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I shopped extensively for a good dictionary at Barnes & Nobles, Borders and libraries and this one is the only one that met all of my requirements:

* lots of idiomatic phrases under relevant root words
* slang and "dirty" words with idiomatic usage
* recent edition with modern technology terms
* thick--no skimping on words
* flexible binding so it would stay open on a desk

Additionally, it has an excellent, 100 page summary of the Spanish language with lots of examples.

This book is almost identical to the "Webster's New World Concise Spanish Dictionary" produced by the same publisher, but under a different brand name. But the "Harrap's" version of the dictionary has the advantage of being about an inch smaller in width and length and a little cheaper, while appearing to be just as complete. This dictionary is clear, well laid out, quite comprehensive, and includes a helpful number of idioms and examples. It's overview of the Spanish language and grammar is perhaps the best I've seen in a dictionary.

An unabridged dictionary like the Oxford or Harper-Collins will be more comprehensive of course, but at a great increase in size, bulk, and cost. This volume strikes a superb balance of usefulness at a moderate size.

(NOTE: this review does not refer to the "Pocket" dictionary published by Harrap, but to the somewhat larger concise edition.)

I just finished a month long trip to Chile and found this dicitonary to be quite useful. This dictionary is not truly pocket sized, but it is more compact than most. It has many definitions by region (e.g. ostión = pacific oyster in Mexico, but scallop in Chile; frutilla = strawberry in Bolivia, Ecuador, Southern Cone; llanta = wheel rim, but tire in Americas). It has a useful center section of verb conjugations and a wonderful conversation-travel phrase guide. Word definitions are often accompanied by their use in combination with other words both in english and spanish (e. g. spring, the lid sprang open, to spring a leak, to spring up, are all covered together; tiempo, a tiempo, a su tiempo, a un tiempo, al mismo tiempo, al poco tiempo, antes de tiempo, con el tiempo, cuanto tiempo, demasiado tiempo, estar a tiempo de, hacer tiempo, and many more uses are all covered together. Most of the time I find every thing I am looking for and the few instances where I can't find a word in this dictionary I simply use the web to find the definition.

This is the best dictionary I have found. It not only gives current words and translations (this is important as language changes) but it puts these words into commonly used phrases or sentences. This is extremely helpful. It also has an excellent comprehensive grammar review in the middle of the dictionary. Finally, it covers Spanish words (and their translations) that are found over all parts of the Latino world, not just Spain. I use this dictionary constantly in my ongoing study of Spanish!

Although a little bulky at 2" thick, this book is one of the best dual language dictionaries I've delt with. Great shelf resource, but you don't want to have to carry it around!

This was the perfect bilingual dictionary for my composition class. It not only gives you a definition and the gloss, it also gives you examples of how to use it. The book came in a timely manner and in excellent condition. I highly recommend it to students.

This Spanish and English Dictionary is very comprehensive and up-to-date. It is certainly a dictionary you can have by your desk, and use when the need arises. It also has a whole section on Spanish grammar and tables of conjugated verbs in various tenses. It is easy to follow.

A book no traveler or expat should be without! Can fit in most purses and all back packs. Most words are found and some have a simple sentence with it. I had thought the book would be much smaller, but it hasn't been a big issue.

While this is not a "pocket dictionary" no student of Spanish should be without this superb resource. As others have noted it includes idioms, slang expressions, profanities, as well as synonyms for many entries. The grammatical appendix at the center of the book is excellent and describes not only the grammar but grammatical usage as well and obviates the need to lug around a grammar in addition to a dictionary. I have been studying Spanish for seven years and this is the most useful all around tool I have found. The frosting on the cake is its very reasonable price.

There is not too much to say about this book other than that it's great, it's just formatted so well. It's formatted similarly to a Webster's dictionary so it's fairly easy to understand. It includes grammar, English to Spanish and Spanish to English dictionaries, and pronunciations.