Rick Steves' German Phrase Book & Dictionary (Paperback)

by Rick Steves (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
From chatting with waiters about the house specialty to requesting a room with a view of the local castles, this commonsense phrase dictionary was written with the budget traveler in mind. It's the linguistic equivalent of a four-wheel drive to navigate through German, Austrian, and Swiss culture.

Product Details

• Paperback: 181 pages
• Publisher: Avalon Travel Publishing; 4th edition (May 1999)
• Language: German
• ISBN-10: 1562614770
• ISBN-13: 978-1562614775
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #491,983 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect!, February 27, 2001

By	Balto Reader "bils" (Baltimore, MD United States) - See all my reviews

This has got to be the best-designed foreign language phrase book/dictionery ever written. Very well organized; shirt-pocket sized; all words spelled phonetically (in addition to their real spelling); an emphasis on real conversational phrases and practical situations that a traveler would actually encounter. I had to laugh out loud when I got to the section that dealt with romance... and also how to DISCOURAGE romantic advances (such as the translation of "I have many diseases"). If you are going to Germany, Austria, or Switzerland, take this along. People may argue about the utility of Mr. Steves' guidebooks, but his phrase book and dictionery is an undeniable winner.

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Keep this book within reach as you travel., June 4, 1999

By A Customer

My wife and I recently traveled through Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and France. I had both the German Phrase book and the French version. They read very easily and consist of enough common phrases to get you by, but not so many that you are overwhelmed or confused. Handy tips and observations are sprinkled throughout the book that make reading it fun and enlightening. I especially liked the United States Map (showing the states and their boundries). I used this to show my hosts where I was from (and to generate some lively discussions). The pronounciation guides for the phrases are very good and can make you easily understood by the natives. If you're planning on traveling in Europe, I strongly recommend that you read and review this book before you go (to get familiar and practice) and take it with you as you travel (for fast reference).

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Humor, too., September 22, 2000

By	"dodiemayne" (USA) - See all my reviews

This is the greatest phrase book I have ever used. It is funny and list phrases people use in real conversation. I honestly didn't have to use mine much because I found most Germans and Swiss eager to practice their English. However, it was a great tool. It is also small in size, which is important if you are trying to travel light!