Berlitz Swahili Phrase Book (Berlitz Phrase Books) (Paperback)

by Berlitz Guides (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Contains over 1200 phrases and 2300 words, organized by situation and colour-coded for ease of reference by both holidaymakers and business travellers in regions of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The book includes: a phrase-linked dictionary; an easy-to-use phonetic system to assist pronunciation; and the basic rules of grammar.

Language Notes
Text: English, Swahili

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Berlitz; Revised edition (June 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 2831509386
• ISBN-13: 978-2831509389
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 1.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,374,901 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, February 11, 2002

By	June Cohen (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Swahili Phrase Book and Dictionary (Berlitz Phrase Books) (Paperback)

I brought this book to Kenya and found it to be disappointing and incomplete. Many of the words and phrases (including such simple things as greetings!) are inaccurate, obscure or out-of-date. It doesn't even include "Jambo!" the most ubiquitous Swahili greeting and the only word most tourists learn.

Along with providing many poor choices (which were incomprehensible to the kenyans I met), the book didn't provide enough context to help you correctly choose your words or phrasing. Also -- and more importantly -- the grammar section is incomplete and impossible to follow. Swahili grammar is very different from English, and it's impossible to gain ANY proficiency in the language without at least a basic briefing in grammar.

At the end of my trip, I bought the Lonely Planet Phrasebook, which was infinitely better, and everything started making sense. And no, I don't work for Lonely Planet.