Spanish for Dummies [Paperback]

and the Language Experts at Berlitz (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0764551949 | ISBN-13: 978-0764551949 | Publication Date: December 15, 1999

Spanish For Dummies is the fun and easy way to learn Spanish quickly and painlessly! Written by the experts at the renowned Berlitz school, this hands-on resource shows you the ins and outs of the Spanish language and culture, acting as both a guidebook and a reference. Soon you will have all the tools you need to:

• Master the nuts and bolts of grammar
• Greet others and introduce yourself
• Get to know people with small talk
• Order in restaurants
• Shop anywhere
• Go out on the town
• Enjoy yourself with local recreation
• Have a conversation on the phone
• Work in an office and around the house
• Ask for directions
• Check in and out of a hotel
• Use transportation
• Call for help in an emergency

This guide features ways to start speaking Spanish quickly, as well as common expressions, important holidays, and phrases that’ll make you sound fluent. Complete with an audio CD that allows you to hear actual Spanish conversations by native Spanish speakers, Spanish for Dummies is the ultimate guide for speaking Spanish quick and easy!

Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

This unintimidating guide from the experts at Berlitz helps you start speaking Spanish quickly and easily! Whether you're a student, a traveler, or just want to pick up basic Spanish, you'll find its packed with practical lessons, cultural facts, fun, and handy references including a Spanish-English mini-dictionary, common verb lists, and more!

Discover how to:

*Have everyday conversations in Spanish

*Make sense of Spanish grammar

*Improve your pronunciation

*Get a handle on verb conjugations

*Use idioms and popular expressions

*Get around in a Spanish-speaking country

From the Back Cover

The fast and painless way to learn to speak Spanish

Are you a student studying Spanish; a traveler gearing up for a trip to a Spanish-speaking country; or someone who simply wants to communicate with Spanish-speaking friends, neighbors, and colleagues? Spanish For Dummies is your hands-on guide for quickly and painlessly grasping the basics of speaking Spanish. You'll get a handle on grammar, essential vocabulary, verb conjugations, and pronunciations in no time!

• Spanish 101 — learn to recite the alphabet; pronounce words and phrases; and meet, greet, and exchange pleasantries with other Spanish speakers

• It's as easy as uno, dos, tres — discover how to ask key questions, chat about the weather, describe family members, order food, talk about where you live, and more

• Happy trails — take your Spanish on the road and discover how to plan a trip, exchange your money for local currency, get around with various modes of transportation, and check into a hotel

• Take care of business — grasp the essential Spanish language skills you need to talk on the phone and perform everyday tasks at the office

Audio CD Includes

More than 30 conversations that reinforce lessons from the book

Open the book and find:

• Basic grammar and common expressions

• Sentence structure and verb conjugations

• Formal and informal greetings

• Information on numbers, time, and measurements

• Pointers for describing everyday activities in Spanish

• Tips for making small talk, asking for directions, and more

• Fun activities to help you practice your Spanish skills

• Spanish-English and English-Spanish dictionaries

Learn to

• Speak Spanish quickly and effectively

• Master basic grammar, verb conjugations, vocabulary, and pronunciationsTake your skills to the next level with real-life conversations on the accompanying CD

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies (December 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764551949
• ISBN-13: 978-0764551949
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (57 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #150,969 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

177 of 181 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Prety good book!, September 6, 2003

By 

M. L Strickland (Marietta, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Spanish for Dummies (Paperback)

I like this book. A lot. It's one of my favorites for learning and reviewing bite sized pieces of Spanish.

I agree with the reviewer who said that it should not be used alone. Actually, what I am finding after trying to learn Spanish for business for about a year, is that there is NO single resource that can be used alone.

I travel a lot on business to various Spanish speaking countries and this is the book that I take along most often. It deserves a place in your Spanish-learning library.

My experience has been that to learn Spanish on your own, you need books, tapes, dictionaries, videos, Spanish TV, newspapers, PLUS you have to practice, practice, practice with native speakers. Every type of resource you can think of. If you want to learn quickly, move to a Spanish speaking country for a year and devote the year to learning Spanish. Otherwise, it will require persistence and patience.

134 of 139 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not to be used alone, February 17, 2002

By 

C. Wolfe "cmw328i" (Miami, fl United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Spanish for Dummies (Paperback)

Im trying to learn spanish because I live in Miami and I think I'll have a better time getting a job if I can speak it. However, this book is really like a primer book for the absolute basics. personally, I dont think anything beats a computer program for pronounciation. On the computer, you can hear certian words over and over and have the program help you pronouce. But, I find the computer programs to be pretty much useless unless you already know the basics of the language, so I think this book would go perfectly with any material that teaches at a higher level. And in response to the person who gave this book one star I would say that this book is not designed to get you fluent, its for people who have no clue when it comes to the language and I think its excellent at preparing you for the real study of spanish

138 of 145 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Spanish for Physicians, Patients and Everyone, April 5, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Spanish for Dummies (Paperback)

This book 'Spanish for Dummies' is a joy to read. The author stresses learning at your own speed. I am learning Spanish so that I can converse with my ever-increasing population of Spanish-speaking patients. It really makes a difference. I see lots of smiles when I struggle to get the accent correct. The book comes with a CD that is invaluable for pronunciation. Have Fun!