Spanish I (Cliffs Quick Review) (Paperback)

by Jill Rodriguez (Author) "Some people say, "I can't even spell in English, how can I hope to learn how to spell in Spanish?..." (more)
Key Phrases: conjugation chart, stem changer, imperfect tense forms, Masculine Feminine, Ending Plural, Verbs Singular (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The best course supplement on the market for studying Spanish, brought to you by the experts at CliffsNotes! CliffsQuickReview Spanish I contains extensive self-testing exercises and a glossary for quick and easy reference of key terms and phrases.

From the Back Cover
Leading educators help you succeed
When it comes to pinpointing the stuff you really need to know, nobody does it better than CliffsNotes. This fast, effective tutorial helps you master core Spanish language concepts—from pronunciation and pronouns to irregular verbs and both past tenses—and get the best possible grade.

At CliffsNotes, we're dedicated to helping you do your best, no matter how challenging the subject. Our authors are veteran teachers and talented writers who know how to cut to the chase—and zero in on the essential information you need to succeed.

Master the basics—fast

• Complete coverage of core concepts
• Accessible, topic-by-topic organization
• Free pocket guide for easy reference

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Cliffs Notes (November 29, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764563874
• ISBN-13: 978-0764563874
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #330,491 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very pleasant surprise, September 8, 2003

By	half "half" (Diamond Bar, CA United States) - See all my reviews

I own a variety of books for learning Spanish, ranging from phrase-books (I know, what a joke), to classroom textbooks. I only discovered this particular little gem a couple of months ago.

This author excels at several things:

1) saying the most with the fewest words (I always like to cut to the chase)
2) using just the right number of well-selected examples in all the right places
3) answering your questions just when you are about to ask them
4) thoroughness

and perhaps most important of all

5) fantastic pacing, it never drags, and yet never outruns you.

There are many experts in the Spanish language, obviously, but it is truly a joy to find one who is also an expert teacher and writer.

If you had been previously exposed to the Spanish language in any way, either via phrasebooks or a mostly-forgotten class 15 years ago, get this book. It sets everything straight permanently in one single reading.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A completely underrated gem..., November 29, 2004

By	lolg (California) - See all my reviews

I wholeheartedly agree with Chuan N. Lee "half". Who knew that
cliff notes 1 & 2 for Spanish could possibly be so excellent? I mean, cliff notes - they're for the losers who couldn't even be bothered to actually read the book, right?

But I picked these up because I'd just started Spanish and they were going cheap at Walmart's. To my surprise, books 1 & 2 together pretty much comprise a complete course in
Spanish, but pared right down to the essentials, which is what I need because I'm in my forties now so I don't have time to waste.

I liked it so much I gave copies to my SO, who is also an engineer, also learning Spanish, and also in a hurry. He finally overcame his prejudice of cliff's notes long enough to actually look at them, and now is as hooked on them as I am.

If you're serious about learning Spanish and are type-A like us, with no time for the fluff and hand-holding you get from "Learn Spanish in 25 years in Your Car whilst becoming a Hazard to Navigation" then this, along with the dictionaries at yahoo.com and wordreference.com, is the way to go.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars very helpful and concise, January 8, 2006

By	W. D. Dotson "Doc Dave" (Georgia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I learned French a long time ago, so I felt like I knew what I was getting in to when I started with another Romance language, and I wanted to find something that was straight to the point to help me learn Spanish. Cliff's Quick Review of Spanish is just that, concise and straightforward. It will not give you a lot of exercises or practice problems, but the basics of grammar are presented in a concise and logical way. I imagine this would make an excellent resource for review for those taking intro to Spanish classes, and as an independent learner I can tell you this book has been extremely useful. While additional books/CDs/websites/etc. are advisable for learning to speak and understand Spanish, this is an excellent background and review on Spanish grammar that I highly recommend.