Customer Reviews

Spanish with Book (Berlitz Basic) (Spanish Edition)

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I have used the very fine Pimsleur course for another language (Hebrew) but, in looking for a course that costs a fraction of the Pimsleur price, I struck gold with the Berlitz Basic Spanish. There are 24 lessons, each about 7 minutes long. The lessons are divided into scenes on three audio tapes. The lessons are taught entirely in Spanish. It is amazing how well this works by putting the conversation in context and by using a guidebook. By going through each lesson several times and doing the exercises in the book, you learn Spanish in an easy and enjoyable manner, Having used Pimsleur, I believe that dollar for dollar, the Berlitz method compares well. You can't go wrong with either {Pimsleur or Berlitz) but, for less than 30 bucks, your money is very well spent with the Berlitz basic Spanish. The big difference between these two fine methods (Berlitz & Pimsleur) is the following: (1) Pimsleur has a series of 32 longer lessons in which the language is taught using both English and the language you are learning on the tape. The Pimsleur lessons are about a half hour long. (2) The series of Berlitz lessons are about 7 or so minutes long and no English is spoken. The accompanying book provides English translation in marginal notes for new words that are introduced into the vocabulary. Both programs are effective but Berlitz is a great bargain.

I spent weeks trying to find Berlitz Basic Spanish. It is no longer available from the publisher. I've owned it once before and lost it during moving. It is very easy to understand and learn from. The speakers speak slow enough for you to figure out what is being said and what type of environment you are in. I would recommend this product to anyone wishing to learn Spanish.