Customer Reviews

Latin American Spanish: Lonely Planet Phrasebook

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

 

 

I originally picked up the 3rd edition some time ago, and found it to be a wonderful reference. The layout was easy to follow, and the dictionary had most of the words that I would use in brief conversations. The grammar section also helped me pick up the lttle differences that seperated Spanish form Portuguese. Because it was so pratical and user friendly I decided to pick up a set of these books for a brief Spanish course I was going to teach. Unfortunately the 4th edition almost entirely left out any talk on grammar. While not much of an issue if the book is used exclusively as a phrasebook, it is extremely limiting in what this book can teach you. Lists of common verbs are absent. List of conjugations are also absent. Unbelievable! While the layout has improved, and the food dictionary is nice, I can't beleive they would voluntarily leave out any discussion of verb conjugation! For this reason I really can't recommend buying this book. Look for the 3rd edition. The breif information on grammar there makes the two books worlds apart in how far they will take you in picking up the language.

This book has worked out great for me. I bought it for my trip to the climbing area, El Potrero Chico, in Mexico. Lucky for me, English will get you by around the climbing area. However, when I wander into town, Spanish is a necessity. This book is by no means comprehensive, but it's great for a book that fits in your pocket. If I knew nothing about the language, it might not be enough. However, since I took Spanish 10 years ago in High School and remember the basics, it is perfect. I only have one small complaint...I know it is not meant as a 2-way dictionary, but it does have a small one with important words in it. I would prefer it if that section was larger.

FOr most situations, you will find the exact phrase. For a more substantive discussions, the dictionary is weak-ish, but it will get you through. It's a useful accessory for any Latin American travel in case you're a total Spanish dumm, like me. :)

I've kept this little baby in my back pocket for two weeks in Peru and it has been invaluable. Simple phrases have allowed me to catch the local buses, order food etc. and generally come across as not a complete gringo.

I took this book with me to El Salvador this summer, and a friend I made down there told me it was the best Spanish-English phrase book he'd seen (and he's seen many Americans' phrase books, he says). Just a few words here and there that he said were either antiquated, overly formal, or used in other parts of Latin America, but not El Salvador.
Good size for carrying in your pocket or passport bag. Came in handy when I was without my native Spanish-speaking friends.

This was a great compliment to my spanish skills. I am not fluent, and therefore, this resource was a huge help. I would not count on just this, as we were in many areas with no english speakers. It was a great supplement to my Spanish I level of speaking.

I love that there were 3 dictationaries: english to spanish, spanish to english, and restaurant terms in spanish to english. All came in very handy.

Highly recommend this pocket reference!

I bought this for an upcoming trip to South America. It seems like it will serve its purpose, size is just right. But since I don't know any Spanish, I'm not sure about accuracy although the choices of words and phrases seems appropriate.

This is not a Latin American Spanish course or a full dictionary as some seem to think it should be. It contains many useful words and phrases that are helpful for travellers and for those taking a comprehensive language course and want to be able to speak the language quickly. I found it quite helpful.

I took it to Argentina and Chile recently. It was adequate, well-organized, and seemed to be accurate. There are a few reasons I didn't give it five stars.

It hasn't been updated since 2003; the section on cameras had the words for film-related items, but nothing on digital cameras. The cover did not hold up well. It's still firmly attached, but halfway through the two-week trip, it looked scratched and blistery. The big surprise, though, is that it had absolutely nothing on laundry or laundromats! I would have thought that would be a must-have for the Lonely Planet crowd. We managed by miming things (ironing, folding) with a very patient laundry worker.

Still, it's a good book, and I'd consider buying an updated version in the future.

I thought this was basically alright. We liked DK much better, and found ourselves using it a lot more. DK was better at grammar and pronunciation as well. The layout was good and easy to follow (Lonely Planet). However, a word of caution,there is a whole social section of phrases that you will want to keep away from the kids! This is clearly an adults only phrase book!