Product Description
Essential Spanish for Social Services for:

Product Description

When a standard bilingual dictionary just won't do, you can rely on Must-Know Spanish

Hunting blindly through a bilingual dictionary for the right word can be a real pain. That's where Must-Spanish comes in. This thematic vocabulary guide gives you instant access to thousands of Spanish terms. It features 4,000 words arranged in 12 self-contained thematic sections. From current affairs to shopping, medicine to relationships, you will find what you need to know fast and easy.

Customer Reviews (1)

Need Thematic Vocab? Right Here!
This book is by the author of the "Practice Makes Perfect" series in Spanish - which are consistently excellent. This one groups basic vocabulary by topic, allowing the use to concentrate on the areas they chose. A nice bonus is a written practice section at the back of the book. I will recommend this to my students! ... Read more

Product Description

With a colorful and easy-to-use book, two CDs with over two hours of audio, and a free support website, the Language Revolution provides readers with all they need to succeed in learning Spanish. With this flexible, fun, easy, and proven system, it’s perfect for self-improvement, vacation, business, or just pleasure.

Customer Reviews (4)

It has what it offers
It has what it offers. It has opposites and is a bilingual board book. I just don't like some words. The Spanish Language is a lot more complicated than English and many of the opposites are not the most appropriate.For example, it has "muy pesado" as the opposite of "livianito". That is way to complicated for a little one. Pesado and ligero it's much better.

Classics are bilingual too!
It's wonderful to have these classic beginning children's board books available in Spanish as well as English.

Good introductory book for preschoolers
My 3 year old son loved reading Boynton's "Opposites" by himself, so when I saw that it was available in Spanish I did not hesitate to purchase it.

Although I am happy with "Opuestos" overall, I found that a couple of the words used in the book, were not ones that I would have chosen (for instance, "livianito" for "light").This is not to say that the word is incorrect, but as I am from a Castillian Spanish background, it would not be my first choice...The only other "negative" is that if you are familiar with the English version, you will question why the Spanish version has chosen the equivalent of "Awake" and "Asleep" in the text, rather than "Day" and "Night" (my son is so familiar with the English version that when we first came to that page in the Spanish version, he immediatedly said, "Day" and "Night" - I had to explain that the picture could be interpreted to mean both things!).

Overall I would recommend this book for those people interested in having their preschoolers learn some Spanish.

Great addition to any Child's Spanish Library!
This is WONDERFUL. I used it after the lesson on adjectives in my four-year-old's Flip Flop Spanish Workbook, and he was SO excited to hear and see the same Spanish words he had just studied, as well as add some new ones.

It gave me wonderful ideas of how to make flashcards for the adjectives as well, and the sweet silliness went a long way with my 2 and one year old too! A must!

Sra. Gose
Author of Flip Flop Spanish: Ages 3-5: Level 1 & Flip Flop Spanish: Ages 3-5: Level 2 ... Read more

Product Description
Spanish Second Language Acquisition provides a panoramic overview of previous studies on the acquisition of Spanish as a second or foreign language, the theoretical approaches used in these studies, and the effects of various pedagogical approaches on the development of Spanish interlanguage systems. Truly "state of the science," Barbara Lafford and Rafael Salaberry have compiled the first volume to provide a comprehensive critical overview of the research done and data compiled on how adults acquire Spanish as a second language. Major scholars in the field of SLA have contributed chapters having to do with a wide range of "products" (phonology, tense/aspect, subjunctive, clitics, lexicon, discourse/pragmatics) and "processes" (generative, cognitive and sociocultural theories) involved in the acquisition process-concluding with a discussion of the effects of instruction of Spanish interlanguage development.While being an invaluable reference tool for undergraduate and graduate programs that focus on the acquisition of Spanish as a second language, due to the extraordinary range of the review research on theoretical and methodological issues, this is also an extremely useful volume for second language theoreticians and practitioners involved in all aspects of the pedagogy of other second languages. It is the editors' desire that students, teachers, program administrators and scholars alike will benefit from the insights that the contributors bring to the myriad issues that language professionals confront. ... Read more

Product Description
Anyone can learn a language with Michel Thomas--The World's Greatest Language Teacher.

No books. No writing. No drills. And nothing to memorize--ever! With his unique program, Michel Thomas has taught celebrities, corporate leaders, and schoolchildren--with immediate and amazing results. Now the Language Teacher to the Stars invites everyone to join his class!

Using Spanish with Michel Thomas, listeners learn in real time--fully understanding as they go along, turning words into short sentences, and then building them into longer, more complex sentences, until they are conversing in Spanish.

Michel will have listeners formulating their own thoughts and sentences from the very beginning, even if they have never succeeded in learning a language before. Michel has used this very method to teach celebrities such as Mel Gibson, Woody Allen, Barbra Streisand, Warren Beatty, and Princess Grace of Monaco. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (90)

Great way to learn, but a little slow
I like the way in which the material is presented (a teacher and two pupils).Of the two pupils, though, one is a slow learner.I'm sure this is intentional, but he is painfully slow to the point that I find myself getting frustrated that the CDs don't move through the material faster.

Super easy learning
Michel Thomas is the easiest way to learn the basics of a language.I have learned more from these CD's than with others and language classes at the university combined.

The best course on the market
Over the years, I have purchased virtually every Spanish course on the market.I can assure you that the Michel Thomas course is the very best.I have learned something from each and every course I have studied but no one comes close to the Michel Thomas course. You actually progress faster using his methods than you realize.

You won't be fluent in the language after the 8 hour course but you will speak and understand more than enough to get you by. Before you get past the first CD, you have enough material to actually have conversations with Spanish speaking people even if they have no knowledge of the English language or your "hand signals".

Simply the best
I'm floored by some of the negative comments.These CD's are simply phenomenal.Easy, enjoyable, effective, interesting, painless.Who would've thought learning a language would be painless?

Michel Thomas's audio course is the best audio course I've ever stumbled across.To learn the language any better, you'll need to sit down and really study grammar and vocabulary from a book.These CD's have the highest "learning to effort" ratio I've ever seen.

About the criticisms:

I don't find him abrupt.Yes, the male Asian student is a bit annoying, but he provides comedy.Yes, he over annunciates, but he's _teaching_.That's what teachers are supposed to do.As far as native speakers... Meh.I honestly don't see what the big deal is.I'd rather hear slow over-annunciated words while I'm learning than a native speaker ripping through vocabulary.As far as no grammar... DUH!How could anyone possibly think you can learn formal verb conjugation from an audio tape?Sheesh.

I'm so glad I stumbled across these lessons!

Some good Some not so good
I'll add my views on this course. I too have struggled with this for many of the negatives already listed. I'm finding for me, the Pimsler intro program of just 4 tapes has really sunk in easily and sensibly. Michel Thomas seems often impatient and abrupt with his students. But each person clealy has a different style of learning and thus why so many comments. I did find his French speaking course very good and reason to purchase this. But I would seek out Pimsler as a reference. ... Read more

Product Description

Practice Makes Perfect helps you put your Spanish vocabulary andgrammar skills together!

You may have all the vocabulary down pat and every grammar point nailed--but without the skill of knowing how to put these elements together, communicating in your second languagewould be nearly impossible. Practice Makes Perfect: Spanish Sentence Builders picks up from where othergrammar books leave off, showing you the variety of structures and how to combine them tomake solid sentences. And like every Practice Makes Perfect title, these books feature crystal-clearexplanations, numerous realistic examples, and dozens of opportunities to practice, practice, practice!

Customer Reviews (6)

Good for people who are familiar with Spanish
I bought this workbook because I have some familiarity with Spanish but wanted to brush up on my grammar and vocabulary before I start with Conversational Spanish.It's definitly a good workbook that allows you to practice reading and writing in Spanish.The directions are in Spanish but will introduce some words that will be translated into English (oops almost wrote Ingles). It's one of those workbooks that will not baby the reader/learner with every part of Spanish - ie you have to find out what the word "Vivir" is in it's past and future tense for a third person.

Decent book
Yes you have to know some Spanish in order to read the directions. I though the directions would be in English since the explanations are. So right now this book isn't helping me much. I know beginners Spanish, but need to review again since my Spanish is quite rusty. Learning how to put sentences together and remembering parts of a sentence and what words are adverbs and past participle and what not will have to be reviewed also before diving into this book.

Spanish Sentence Builder
Spanish Sentence Builder is the best so far. I have a number of Practice Makes Perfect workbooks and can say they are invaluable for those wanting to improve their Spanish. Can't say enough about this series of books.

So-so
I was going to move to Spain, so I purchased a bunch of books to start the process of learning the language.This is NOT a book for beginners.I found it confusing and hard to understand.I would not suggest this book to someone who is new to learning the language.

Great book
This is a wonderful resource book for people wanting to brush up on their Spanish.I would definitely recommend it without reserve. ... Read more

Product Description
Dr. Gary Chapman explains how people communicate love in different ways and shares the wonderful things that happen when men and women learn to speak each other's language. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Book review
The book is great and helpful - I have read it in english and got a spanish version -- basically the same thing. thanks!

Helpful
It is a very interesting book that I am reading with my husband of 35 years of marriage because always there is something that we have to learn.

beautifull give
beautifull give for my sister how live in Spain, I want to share with her this beautifull book so she can apply it in her daily life.

para todos los que quieren amar a sus seres queridos en un lenguaje que entienden
Gary Chapman expone en su libro un análisis interesantísimo y bien escrito de los lenguajes afectivos del humano. La lectura no le será solamente beneficiosa para la relación que mantiene con su cónyuge sino también afectará positivamente sus lazos interfamiliares o con los amigos. Chapman da muchos ejemplos prácticos y de la vida real, de modo que cada lector podrá identificarse con alguno de los tipos de comunicación afectiva descritos. "Los cinco lenguajes del amor" es una obra muy práctica y aplicable a la vida cotidiana. Yo lo considero una contribución bastante útil y absolutamente recomendable para enriquecer su comunicación afectiva y comprender mejor sus propias necesidades.

los cinco lenguajes del amor
este libro es exelente y salvo mi matrimonio... todos deberian leerlo, yo se los regalo a mis amigos siempre que se presenta la oportunidad o que siento que lo nesesitan! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

often has misleading or poor translations!!
To relearn Spanish, I picked up a copy of this book.There are a several words in every chapter that are not correct.I thought, "Hey, maybe it has to do with regional uses of the words!"No, when I looked at several different Spanish-English dictionaries, all were unanimous in agreeing that the translations were poor.Two examples off the top of my head:the Spanish word "inteligible" does not mean "articulate," it means "intelligible."(Calling someone intellible is a lot different from saying that they are articulate!)The Spanish "simpa'tico" does not mean "funny," it means "nice or friendly."Don't buy this if you are beginning to learn Spanish!!!

Very informational
This book is a must for your Spanish library. It groups words by subject, so if you are looking for the specific name of something (sport, vegetable, item at the beach), it is easy to find.

Amazing!
This book has TONS of vocab that is hard to find elsewhere. The software is a great way to practice, plus you can create your own flashcards with the software. I love this book!!

Essential spanish word book
Only had time to browse through it, but I think it will help with my Spanish lessons.

A good compilation of words
I found the included CD very helpful in learning the words. I'm more of an old-fashioned learner and like flashcards. The "flashcards" on the CD were annoying at first, but then I realized I was remembering the word more often because of the program's constant repeating. I highly recommend this product to people who need to build their Spanish vocabulary or just refresh it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Diccionario en español
This dictionary is just what my son needed.He is in a dual-immersion program at school, and he needs to look up Spanish definitions to Spanish words, not the English translation.Gracias!

good , but could have been better
Drawbacks: The print is very small, so it is rather hard to read it in artificial light.There are some circular explanations.

Excellent DIcitonary
I wanted a portable spanish dictionary, and I couldn't ask for more.For it's size, this dictionary is very complete and it's rare I can't find the word I want.

not what I expected it to be
the book is not what I expected it to be. it is a tiny dictionary, words in small font.

useful for spanish students
This dictionary was suggested for my son (age 15) 10th grade honors Spanish class to help the students think in Spanish by defining words in Spanish. Very useful. ... Read more

Product Description

This second edition of the Freemans' classic text updates their ideas and strategies in response to new research and changing contexts for teaching reading and writing in both English and Spanish.

Customer Reviews (1)

they still fight the good fight
This is a wonderful book! It is for teachers who think, reason and care more about teaching the students in front of them rather than graphs, rankings and standardized tests. The Freemans detail how the US political climate has impacted bilingual education since 1994 and offer solutions for teachers to navigate this crazy system. ... Read more

Product Description
Hola, amigos!

Learning espanol is a blast with this book. Packed with sections of fun facts, tips, and silly Spanish phrases, kids will be speaking Spanish pronto! In addition to thirty Spanish-themed puzzles, kids find:

• Pronunciations of Spanish words
• Commonly used words for around the house and town
• Terms for describing themselves en espanol
• An English-Spanish glossary

As a bonus, the book includes a comprehensive parent/teacher guide to facilitate learning. Loaded with simple, lively lessons to keep kids busy for hours, this book is just the thing to get little readers to hablar espanol hoy! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Really Great and Not Just for Kids
This is a really great book for learning spanish. I can tell that it would be really great for kids but I think it is also good for adults who are just starting to try and learn spanish. I'm in my mid-twenties/no kids and this book seems really great to me and not only that it's cheap I got the kindle version for just over 7 dollars. I wish I had this book when I was a kid, I can tell that kids would have a lot of fun with it. If your getting it for a kid though I imagine they would probably enjoy the non-kindle version more so they can write in it. This book goes over a lot of vocabulary and grammar that I am learning in my college Spanish 101 class and because it's designed for kids it's not intimidating at all. This book is great! ... Read more

Product Description
Spanish for Nurses can help you communicate clearly in most types of medical situations, from basic greetings to more complex phrases. Become comfortable taking patient histories, describing medical tests and explaining diagnoses with this guide to medical terms in Spanish.

Learn dialogues from greetings to the diagnostic:

Nurse

Good morning. What brings you to the office today?

Buenos días. ¿A qué viene a la oficina hoy?

('bweh-nohs 'dee-ahs ah keh bee-'eh-neh ah lah oh-fee-'see-nah 'oh-ee)

Patient

I’m here to see the doctor. I have a stomachache.

Vengo a ver al doctor. Me duele el estómago.

(behn-goh ah behr ahl dohk-'tohr / meh doo-'eh-leh ehl ehs-'toh-mah-goh)

Nurse

Describe your pain: Acute? Comes and goes?

Describa su dolor: ¿Agudo? ¿Va y viene?

(dehs-'kree-bah soo doh-'lohr / ah-'goo-doh / bah ee bee-'eh-neh) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

To the point, pocket sized, and unique features
I came across this book today at Borders while looking for a text on spanish. I've previously read/listened to cd's from Rio's "Spanish for Healthcare providers". For the best bang for the buck, the Rios books clearly outshines this one. Gives you lots of info, comes in a package w/ 3 audio cd's, has lots of vocab, has dialogue, and much better for the newbie. That said, once you've read the Rios book, I'd recommend getting this one to carry around and as a quick review.

Pro's:
-Only book I've seen to has a succinct section on ROS. I.e. If someone has pain, it clearly talks about the PRQST features.
-The amount of words in the H&P and ROS sections are pretty manageable so that after reading it for a few days (if you've previously read the Rios book or has some prior spanish experience), you'd know the basics of what to ask a patient, and not try to learn, and then forget, extraaneous words/phrases as is the case w/ the rios book.

Con's
-The Cardiac ROS is weak. For chest pain, it should talk more about Typical (Pressure like senseation made worse by activity, relieved by rest associated w/ nausea, vomiting, and diaphoresis) vs Atypical Chest pain.
-Some of the translations are quite literal, like cardiac enzymes.
-To expand market share, they should change the title and make it "Spanish for Clinicians" or something like that. This book is also useful if you're a med student, doctor PA, etc. They should also provide a CD.
-$14.95 list price is too high...it should be $9.95.

5/31 update:
After further review, I'd rate this product 3 stars.

Spanish for Nurses
The layout of the book was fine however, needed translations for post-partum and newborn care and this book was not helpful.
... Read more

Product Description

The Bilingual Keepsake Stories, The Three Billy Goats Gruff /Los Tres Cabritos, provides a classic element of magic, imagination,and inspiration for any child. This engaging story ––retold in Englishand Spanish––will capture children's interest and spark theirimagination page after page, encouraging a life-long love of literatureand reading. These boredom-busting Keepsake Stories entertainkids using fresh, captivating illustrations to enliven each tale andinspire them to read again and again.

Customer Reviews (2)

The Tree Billy Goats Gruff Bilingual
This is a great book in English and Spanish. Great for parents that are trying to teach their children Spanish or English.

Spanish to English childrens books.
The Spanish to English childrens books, are great for kids from 80yrs to 3yrs!!. Everyone enjoys a story. These books help Grannies and Granpa's of dual language children, to learn another language. And also to have fun while doing it!. Thats what its all about HAVING FUN. Thanks and keep them coming. ... Read more

Product Description

A proven grammar-based approach that gets you communicating in Spanish with confidence, right away

Easy Spanish Step by Step proves that a solid grounding in grammar basics is the key to mastering a second language. Grammatical rules and concepts are clearly explained in order of importance, and more than 300 verbs and key terms are introduced on the basis of frequency. Numerous exercises and engaging readings help learners quickly build their Spanish speaking and comprehension prowess.

Customer Reviews (23)

Very Good Introduction to Spanish
I was looking for a book that provides an organized and logical introduction to the spanish language.This book delivers exactly that very, very well.It is a lot of hard work, but quite enjoyable and rewarding.I am very impressed and would recommend this book as a starter resource for anyone interested in learning the basic structures and vocabulary of the spanish language.I am halfway through chapter 13 in this 15 chapter book. Once I finish this book, I intend to take a conversational spanish course and also intend to continue studying spanish grammer.Great book.If you have the disciple to stick to the program - and it is a lot of work - this book will deliver results for you.Thank you to the author for sharing her experience and skills as a teacher.

read and study slowly
I have been reading this book for six months now and finally finished it. On the positive side it is packed with a ton of grammar, vocabulary and word usage scenarios that will sharpen the skill level of anyone studying Spanish. I suggest reading it once you have a basic to intermediate level of understanding of the language. If you are brand new to Spanish, start elsewhere because the book is college level material, likely the equivalent of a year or more studying the language for most people. There are some errors I found in the editing and proofreading by the author..and I only mention this because that makes it more challenging for the novice Spanish speaker. The book is very dry and compacted with not much explanation of pronounciation and basics of the language. Was it out of the question for the author to use a little humor in teaching just to keep the attention of the reader? I suggest using a variety of books and authors who may have different methods of teaching..maybe that include some cultural facts from the country you may be interested in. Keep in mind Spain Spanish (what I learned first) is much different than Mexican Spanish or Spanish in Uruguay or Argentina. Broaden your horizons.

How do you define "easy?"
Easy Spanish Step-By-Step My wife is a native Spanish speaker who teaches Spanish lessons. She finds this book extremely helpful for the way Spanish students learn. If you are looking for a helpful, intuitive, workable text for either a classroom or individual learning this is a very good one. However, please do not take the title too seriously. If you are going to complete 1 lesson in one week you are going to work very hard at it. The student would do well to remember that "if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is." Learning Spanish (like learning any other language) takes hard work and it will not happen overnight--even with "15 quick and easy steps."

Easy Spanish Step By Step
Although it is promoted as "self learning" text it is easily used as a classroom text too. Lessions are condusive to a regular class time of 100 minutes and alows time for going over all the exercizes and to also practice the pronunciation.Vocabulary is integrated nicely in the lessions so it is being learned in a natural manner.

Great Value
I needed the book for class. It came when I needed it to - so i am very satisfied. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Brief History of the Spanish Language
It's the best available, with a minimum of technical terms. Some terms are difficult, but can't be avoided. Set up to be used as a textbook.

Untangles History:Spanish
David Pharies' "A Brief History of the Spanish Language" (2007 298-page paperback) will soon become a languages study classic.In this handy quick-read the good professor presents the etymology for the language spoken by 325 million people in 21 countries.This authoritative study is convincing and well researched with six pages of bibliography, an eleven-page glossary of Spanish words, nine helpful maps, and a usable 18-page "Index of Spanish Words Cited".

Beginning his history of Spanish, Dr. Pharies reviews hundreds of its words with regard to syntax, grammar, conjugations, lenition, vocalic merger, declensions, and much more.This "romantic" language has it roots in ancient Latin, is influenced by the early medieval Visigoths and Muslims, matured by Renaissance French, and polished by modern English.Pharies deduces that much has been adopted from other languages because Spanish authorities have been tentative in establishing language boundaries.

Aside from the significant history proffered here this great little book is readable and quickly accessed.Pharies' scholarship is directly presented and easily found.The non-Spanish speaker will find helpful his translation for all Spanish quoted.Native speakers will be delighted by the discussions for the origins of long used words (from Latin's "bracchia" to Spanish "brazos" for "arms") and beloved phrases (from "Et pues que entro en..." to "Y despues gue entro en..." for "And after he entered...").The perplexing disappearance, in recent years, of "vosotros" is carefully offered.

Pharies reviews Visigothic (in Spain form 629 to 711), Arabic (Muslims occupied the peninsula from 718 to 1492), and Castilian (united Spain in 1492) contributions to Spanish.The "reconquesta" of the Iberian Peninsula completed by the late 15th century "Reyes Catolicos" is effectively analyzed.The author considers Spanish's development from its prominent authors (king Alfonso, Juan de Mena, Fernando de Rojos, Miguel Cervantes, etc.).The elusive history of Sephardic Spanish is presented.Finally, this book dispels the myth of the lisping king Felipe 2 as the origin of "th" sound for "s".Pharies untangles confusion about Spanish

Although much of Pharies has a technical edge, the linguistically untrained will find here much of interest.This book is recommended to everyone with an interest in Spanish, history of Spain, or language development.
... Read more

Product Description
One of the great masterpieces of world thought, a work of immense religious and literary value, the Qur'an, or Cor'an in the present version, is read and studied by Muslims, spiritual seekers, and students of religion, history, and Middle Eastern culture. Considered a direct message from Allah to humanity, transmitted through the Prophet Muhammad, it extends beyond spiritual concerns to social codes of conduct, scientific knowledge, political and legal wisdom, and even prophecies of future events. Julio Cortes's Spanish translation uses a thoughtful, sensitive style to bring to life both the poetry and the wisdom of this seminal work that has been, and remains, a guiding work in the lives of millions of people in many cultures, past and present. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

I like it
I recived the book is like they show. It arrived at time i recommend is a very good seller all was fine.

Spiritual
I guess we all want to know who God is and what better way to learn is by how others worship him.Maybe there is something that we have missed in our own worship...this is my personal thought.It's like finding a piece to the puzzle.I just hope I can find my way before my time is up.

A Note about the Qur'an
I would like to post this as a response to the previous post by Mr. Rivas, who obviously has a very uninformed background on Islam and the Qur'an.

As a Western, Non-Muslim student of Islam, I understand the confusion that can arise when you first pick up the text. It does not follow a specific chronology (either within or between chapters), nor does it always speak with directness (opting for analogies, as the Bible often does). It is important to know that the Qur'an as a printed, bound book is not really THE Qur'an, as was revealed by the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh); back then, the text was recited orally, and the relevant passages were quoted as needed. But a book, of course, must have a beginning and an ending, so when the Qur'an was finally written down, an order was chosen in which the chapters were arranged more or less from longest to shortest.

It is not advisable that you should read the Qur'an alone, without the help of a teacher or a commentary. Farid Esack's "The Qur'an: A User's Guide" and Ingrid Mattson's "The Story of the Qur'an" are two useful introductions.

As for Mr. Rivas' comment about murder, paradise, and "72 virgins," you will not find this in the Qur'an. In fact, you will not find that any such promise was ever uttered by the Prophet Muhammad. Instead, it is a perversion of Islam used by radicals who prefer to draw upon their own region's non/pre-Islamic cultural traditions than listen to the guidance of the actual religion they claim to follow.

Not exactly the book I was looking for
The Coran, not exactly the book that I was looking for.This book is more like a collection of poems, I was looking for a more explicit and open scriptures about Islam and how or where does it said that you can kill and still go to paradise with 72 virgins...

Divine Book
The Coran is the mos important book of Islam.The book is excelent to know Ala message for the people on Earth. ... Read more

Product Description
A manual with accompanying audio CD for learning Judeo-Spanish, the Ladino language. The audio CD is to be used in conjunction with each lesson in the book. The book also contains pictures and information on the the language and culture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Good Resource
As anyone who is attempting to learn Ladino will attest, there is a scarcity of material on this language. I am using this book in conjunction with Alla Markova's work, Beginner's Ladino.The Manual of Judeo-Spanish is a very good, in-depth resource which will take a learner a great way. My own criticism, albeit a small one, is that there should have been English translations alongside the Ladino phrases. It is cumbersome to constantly flip to the back of the book or try and guess at a word or phrase.
Similarly, I would have hoped that the CD would have contained the English translations before or after their Ladino counterpart. In short, this is a great resource and would recommend it highly.

Important Book
The CD alone makes the book worth purchasing. Listening to authentic native speakers is especially helpful since there are a variety of interpretations of Judeo-Spanish available as musical compilations. There are dialogues, songs and passages and I listen to the CD more than I use the book because I enjoy the beauty of the language.
The content of the book is excellent. The format however, is okay. The book gives a lesson in Judeo-Spanish and the vocabulary is at the end. This setup is rather frustrating for a beginner as it requires the student to constantly flip back and forth between the small pages as he or she translates and learns each line. If the English translation and explanations of more complex phrases were side by side with the Judeo-Spanish this book would be out of this world amazing.

A superb resource
It is truly feast or famine when it comes to books dealing with Judeo-Spanish (Ladino).Presently we are in feast mode with not just one but two beginners language courses, both with CD(s), available concurrently on Amazon.Of the two I would not hesitate to recommend the present course -- MANUAL OF JUDEO-SPANISH -- as superior in every way.

Marie-Christine Varol is recognized as among today's top scholars and teachers of Judeo-Spanish, and it is a testimony to the excellence of the MANUAL that it has been translated into several national languages of the countries where Judeo-Spanish was once read in newspapers and heard in the shops and the streets as well as in the home.

The MANUAL focuses on the Judeo-Spanish of Turkey (Istanbul and Izmir) as opposed to that of Greece or the Balkans as representative of a language community which is still vital.Even so Varol points out where the language of Salonika or Sarajevo differs and in no way slights their cultural and historical significance.

Does the MANUAL deal with real-life rather than canned situations, in the idiomatic language of home and cafe rather than the anemic (and unlikely) language of passport control? Yes.Can one learn to speak and read Judeo-Spanish from the MANUEL?With the help of the native and near-native speakers recorded on the accompanying CD, yes, certainly more so than from the alternative text from Hippocrene.

A note as to book availability:I apparently bought the last copy in stock of the MANUAL OF JUDEO-SPANISH, and now Amazon advises that there could be up to a 4-week back order for future copies.I suggest that if you don't want to wait (and the wait is no guarantee that the book will ever be back in stock) you order the MANUAL directly from the University Press of Maryland (cdlpress.com) for the same price.I have a strong feeling that this book is going to be difficult to find anywhere by 2010.

... Read more

Product Description
A New Reference Grammar of Modern Spanish is widely recognized as the standard English-language reference grammar of Spanish. It provides teachers and students of Spanish with a comprehensive, accessible and jargon-free guide to the forms and structures of the Spanish currently used in Spain and Latin America.
This new edition has been carefully revised and updated, and its explanations have been checked against the findings of the Royal Spanish Academy's Gramática descriptiva de la lengua española and other new works in the field. Many new Peninsular and Latin American examples have been included, the English text has been thoroughly revised and in many places expanded or clarified. A glossary of grammatical terms has also been included. As a result this new version should now be invaluable to an even wider readership ranging from intermediate to advanced students of Spanish. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (56)

The best book on spanish grammar around
When Spanish doesn't seem to make sense, this is your book. It explains what the grammar textbooks leave out, which is plenty if you really want to be able to speak or read Spanish. The book explains in the necessary detail the many situations you'll run into while learning Spanish.This isn't a book for someone starting out and it isn't a book to get you started learning Spanish. But once you start running across things that the "quick and easy" books don't explain, this is the book you want to have around.

Very Useful Review of Advanced Grammar
To me, this is a wonderful book, as it deals not just with basics, but also with the finer points of grammar that I realized to my chagrin that I had forgotten. One really has to delve into both syntax and vocabulary in order to get the meaning just right and not sound slightly "off" to a native Spanish speaker. After perusing this book I saw that my knowledge of the language had gotten lax and that I really needed to concentrate more on things that aren't stressed so much in basic grammars. It takes a lot of concentration and knowledge to speak a language correctly using longer sentences, and this book is an aid toward that goal. Taking several phrases and combining them into a coherent sentence using conjunctions, commas, etc., is not easy in spontaneous speech, así que conviene estudiar detenidamente libros de este tipo para fijar en la mente lo necesario para poder expresarse bien.

There is a workbook that matches this book
Practising Spanish Grammar: A Workbook (A Hodder Arnold Publication)

from the description:

" Pracitising Spanish Grammar offers a comprehensive set of varied exercises for developing a greater practical awareness of the language. It is designed as a companion volume to the widely acclaimed A New Reference Grammar of Modern Spanishby John Butt and Carmen Benjamin, but it can also be used on its own by anyone wishing to improve their proficiency in Spanish. "

Outstanding Reference for Spanish Grammar
The most advanced reference to Spanish grammar which I have come across. If you are serious about advanced Spanish you should get this book, but only after you have progressed substantially and are ready for the final review. Also get the companion exercise book "Parctising Spanish Grammar, A Workbook" and do all the exercises.

Excellent review of Spanish Grammar
This is a thorough and well done Spanish grammar for English speakers.It is more of a reference book, like a dictionary, than something you would pick up and read for the fun of it.The reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is that the print is fairly small, which makes it hard to read for those of us with older eyes.If you want an encyclopedic grammar reference book, this is the one to get. ... Read more

Product Description

The only Spanish-language book and audio guide exclusively for those sworn to protect and serve

There's no substitute for clear communication when you're on the job. That's why in an America where one in five citizens speaks Spanish, it is critical that all law enforcement professionals possess basic Spanish-language skills.

Quick Spanish for Law Enforcement, CD Edition, arms you with all the essential Spanish words and phrases you need to do your job. More important, it gives them to you in the context of dozens of real-life situations you're likely to encounter, from a traffic accident to a criminal trespass to a homicide to a disturbing the peace call.

A Spanish-language guide for true American heroes, Quick Spanish for Emergency Responders, CD Edition, delivers:

• More than 2,000 words and phrases in a concise, easy-to-navigate phrasebook format
• An audio CD featuring listen-and-repeat exercises for the most vital key words and phrases
• Bilingual dialogs based on a wide range of real-life scenarios
• Useful information on Latino culture, survival tips, and street Spanish

Customer Reviews (3)

Good book.
If the CD just had more practice on it I would have given it 5 stars.As it is, it is still a great buy.It covers all the basics like it says.I just wish it had more examples on the CD.

Mas dispasio y uno mas, por favor.
The book is a great reference.Very well broken down into specific sections for quick reference to each situation.However the audio book is lacking.The audio book does not reference the whole book, only the high points.The speaker tells the english phrase and follows it up quickly with the spanish.However, the spanish is only spoken one time.Minimal time is available to recite the spanish before the next english phrase is stated.The CD is an adiquate reference, but I was looking for a true audio CD that can be independant from the book, and this is not it.

Its like having a translator next to you!!!!
This is a must have for anyone in law enforcement needing help with the Spanish language.It covers basically anything you may come across in your line of work. ... Read more