Street Spanish 2: The Best of Spanish Idioms (Street Spanish Series , No 2) (Spanish Edition) (Paperback)

by David Burke (Author), Ty Semaka (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
If a native Spanish-speaker were to say to you, "You’re taking my hair!" (¡Me estás tomando el pelo!), you may not know how to respond…unless, of course, you’ve read David Burke’s newest book on Spanish idioms, Street Spanish 2. Then you’d know that this common expression is equivalent to the American idiom, "You’re pulling my leg!" Street Spanish 2 will lead you through an exciting domain of imaginative and popular Spanish idioms by the use of dialogues, vocabulary lessons, entertaining word drills and games including crossword puzzles, fill-ins, find-a-word charts, and dictations. A comprehensive glossary rounds out this fact- and fun-filled guide.

Language Notes
Text: English, Spanish

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Product Details

• Paperback: 244 pages
• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons (1998)
• Language: English, Spanish
• ISBN-10: 047117971X
• ISBN-13: 978-0471179719
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #635,785 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book on Spanish idioms I have seen, February 17, 2001

By	John Moore (St. Michael, BARBADOS, Caribbean) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Idiomatic structures are often difficult to translate, so a student of Spanish will usually attempt to interpret an idiom in a literal sense by translating the words separately instead of as a single unit, since without special training it is not easy to recognise a Spanish idiom when it crops up, consequently leading to erroneous, nonsensical renditions. However, Street Spanish 2 bridges that gap by providing the necessary tools to deal with this problem efficiently, showing how to avoid those embarrassing situations.

This self-study guide contains an abundance of universally popular idioms compacted into each chapter, which represent what you would normally learn if you were living in a Spanish speaking country for a number of years trying to cope with the finer intricacies and colloquial expressions that form the backbone of everyday spoken Spanish.

Each of the 10 chapters includes about 20 or more idioms in every dialogue, providing a challenge that compels you to examine the imaginative and expressive techniques used to communicate ideas and thoughts effectively. To be truly proficient in this language it is not only necessary to recognise idioms, but to have a clear understanding of their usage also, as these structures are widely utilized in movies, magazines and by native speakers. The course material is designed to allow the student to acquire this vital knowledge quickly, since it provides the key that unlocks the mystery behind mastering street Spanish successfully. I would therefore recommend this book to anyone desirous of expanding their knowledge of this popular language.

(Having the cassettes, which are not part of the package, would be an added bonus since you would hear the dialogues being spoken by natives of Mexico, Cuba, Argentina, Peru, Puerto Rico and Colombia, providing a better feel for the language, its speech patterns and the varying pronunciations).

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful, August 30, 2001

By	Marc Lamont Hill (Philadelphia, PA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is so important to the field of Spanish education that I'd recommend it to anyone attempting to develop fluency in Spanish. Business people, doctors, teachers, or travelers can all benefit from this book. As a teacher of Spanish, I've observed that one of the most difficult challenges for students is making sense of the idioms. This book is the ultimate remedy! It provides clear, concise definitions and examples that will ultimately make the difference between being good and being fluent.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Idioms and more idioms, January 23, 2004

By	Marianopolita2005 - See all my reviews

This book should be part of a student's essential reference material collection. Idioms are difficult to grasp in any language and Spanish is no exception. This resource has many of the most commonly heard idioms in day to day speech and those learning Spanish must eventually learn the meaning and use them when speaking Spanish. Understanding and learning fixed expressions authenticates one's usage of the language and brings an individual one step closer to native competency. I seriously recommend this resource for Beginners and Intermediate level students. For advance speakers I think a more challenging resource would be more beneficial to their development in the language. I recommend the McGraw-hill Diccionario del Argot: El Sohez for advance level students.