Speaking Spanish Like a Native (Paperback)

~ Brad Kim; Erika Domínguez (Author) "You can't really call yourself a swimmer if you don't get wet..." (more)
Key Phrases: buenas tardes, United States, Latin American

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Speaking Spanish Like a Native makes eye contact with the reader. This book will awaken the student to a more lively way of learning while spicing up their Spanish speaking ability. Written in an entertaining and colorful style, Speaking Spanish Like a Native pulls you out of the classroom and places you into the huddle with native Spanish speakers—giving you the inside scoop on words, phrases, and expressions you cannot get from textbooks. While many books merely inform, this one also teaches, and it leads by example—practical and engaging examples that show the student how to speak in the context of real conversations with native speakers.

About the Author

Brad Kim is a native English speaker and learned Spanish from scratch while living in Mexico. From the first day he set foot in Mexico years ago, he kept a journal of every interesting word and expression he heard from native speakers. This book is a culmination of his dedication to learning Spanish and to his persistence in documenting his curiosities onto paper. Erika Domínguez was born and raised in Mexico and was immersed in the Spanish language and Latino culture. Erika provides the inside perspective on the various subtleties and nuances of the dialect.

Product Details

• Paperback: 193 pages
• Publisher: Golden Zone Publications (August 30, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0976451808
• ISBN-13: 978-0976451808
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #152,952 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most fun and practical way to learn Spanish!, March 14, 2006

By	C. Yetts (Dallas, TX, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I am bilingual in English and Spanish and actually bought this book for my husband who is learning Spanish. Just thought I'd share with you that I was very pleasantly surprised to find this book to be so refreshingly original and entertaining unlike so many other language reference books out there. As a native Spanish speaker, I really got a kick out of it because it truly is full of things that I say all of the time when conversing with my friends and family in Spanish. I think you'll enjoy it!

69 of 75 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!, March 19, 2006

By	Randy "randy310" (Russellville, AR. United States) - See all my reviews

This is an excellent tool to fine tune the so called proper spanish that you have learned from other sources. A previous reviewer complains that it is not a good place to START learning Spanish? DUH! It does not claim to be. No one source is designed to take you from zero to fluency. Some are for rank beginners, some for intermediates, and some for those who are on the threshold of fluency. In my opinion this one would be a good one for the high intermediate student as i said before to fine tune his/her abilities in ways the language is spoken in a very informal way that is not taught in classrooms. Audio would make it perfect. You might even call this one, "Breaking out of Intermediate Spanish"!

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A definite must-have if you want fit in while in Mexico!!, April 24, 2006

By	David Pierce "literary license" (Columbia, MO USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I visit Mexico often and each time I go, I do my best to put my Spanish to the test. In spite of my best efforts, it was impossible to understand all of the rapid-fire Spanish spoken by locals. I am so happy to have found this book because it is full of everything I heard natives say but could not understand at the time.

After reading this book it was as if someone finally turned on the lights! Now when I hear native speakers converse, it seems like they're speaking slower but the reality is that now I just understand much more of what they're saying. Even better, now I have much more confidence to actively participate in their conversations. What has given me the most satisfaction about this book is that when I put what I learned into practice with native speakers, they are more receptive and willing to talk to me!! I have made more people smile in the Spanish language than in English!

I have read too many boring Spanish books that couldn't hold my attention. Speaking Spanish Like a Native is by far one of the most reader-friendly books out there because it was written with a humorous and down-to-earth style. I truly enjoyed this book and I think you will too.