Customer Reviews

The Oxford Paperback Spanish Dictionary and Grammar

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A handy combination of a good dictionary with a superb grammar. What I like most about this work is the descriptive nature : it is not a normative book, but describes the reality of the Spanish language as such, which makes it less useful maybe for the beginning student, but the more for intermediate and advanced levels. It includes sections on language varieties, even specifying the individual Latin countries when appropriate. If only they could publish this style of books for other languages too! I discovered the book through a Spanish friend who was using it as didactic material for her Spanish courses for foreigners in Sevilla.

If you only need a small dictionary, I suppose this one will do. But don't expect anything else. The book's big grammar section is not useful at all. You have to be extemely patient to read through it. In addition to the small print, this section is confusing and badly organized. This book is definitely NOT handy for a quick grammar reference.

I would prefer that instead of cramming everything together publishers gave more space to the dictionary part, including more words and using a bigger print, and then may be inserted some reference table (verbs, etc.) for people who have studied Spanish grammar before.

I think you should look around for similar items before settling on this one.