Mexican Spanish: Lonely Planet Phrasebook

Book Description

I would never have found this place, learned your name, shared a bottle of tequila - unless I'd opened this book...

o local expressions and cultural facts
o culinary guide to Mexico's world-famous cuisine
o shopping lingo, pick-up lines & sports speak

Customer Reviews:

Great Help in Learning Spanish.......2007-05-13

Mexican Spanish is a book I bought because I live in an area where there are many Mexican people. I have been trying to learn enough of their language to "get by". This book could be a tremendous help.

However, it is printed in very small print, as the book itself is pocket sized, a nice size to carry with me. The small print is understandable but the pastel colors of the text is more than difficult to read, especially since the print is so tiny. I think whoever put this book together was going for "attractive" but what I need most is black text!

Otherwise, I would reccommend this book to anyone who has some Spanish, surely not to someone who has not done at least a little studying of the language.

The book is well designed, just, harping on it again, the text needs to be black or at least dark red, navy blue, dark brown, dark green - to differentiate subjects. It is almost impossible to see the tildes and accent marks. One needs a magnifying glass! The italics that are supposed to tell one which syllable of the words must be accented for correct pronounciation, again, are almost impossible to detect.

Good Refresher.......2007-04-01

I used to speak pretty fluent Spanish when I was in high school, but with years of neglect and non-use, I've become a bit rusty. This book is a great refresher on key phrases and structure, and will fit in your pocket quite easily.
Don't expect to have a long, involved conversation using this book (only reason I gave this a 4), but if you're going on a trip, there are plenty of phrases to help you out in MANY types of situations. The scenarios in this book are QUITE comprehensive. I also have the Lonely Planet Japanese handbook which is also quite good.

So handy, I bought two........2007-01-12

This little book is packed with valuable information and advise when traveling in Mexico.I found the phrases useful and adequate. The book covers every thing from buying groceries to ending up in the Doctor's office. The size of the book is also a plus since it fits into small purses and fanny packs. In 06,I spent a month in Mexico going to village to village and found this book immensley helpful. Go for it!

Don't go to Mexico without it!.......2006-05-13

My wife and I went to Mexico to get married and we are not Spanish speakers. This handy book is first class and here are the reasons why:-

The book is small enough to easily fit into a coat or shirt pocket.

It has drawings of common situations with arrows pointing at items in the drawing with the Mexican word highlighted (how much easier could they make it)

The sections in the book are colour coordinated according to the situations you may find yourself (reservations,dining,partying... etc. Flick to the section and then use the obvious sentences to converse around the subject.

Pronunciation and grammar are explained clearly at the start of the book and all the words in the book are laid out phonetically (the only way you are going to get this wrong is if you can't read)

In conclusion, a first class guide, when we showed the book to the locals in Mexico they wanted to know if they could buy it in Mexico as they didn't think they could. They loved the pictures and even chipped in to help with correct pronunciation if we went astray.

The Mexican slang in the book is spot on, the Mexicans couldn't believe that some of the words were in the book.

When I go back to Mexico this book will be in my pocket, don't leave home without it.

Highly recommended

Reasonably good Mexican Spanish, TERRIBLE pronunciation guide.......2005-09-16

This handy new phrasebook is MUCH closer to the Mexican Spanish being spoken today than any other I have found. It's actually pretty good, BUT the pronunciation guide is very, very bad for anyone from the central/western US or western Canada. If you're from those areas and don't already have some idea of correct Spanish pronunciation, avoid this phrasebook.

I think the authors must have had some idea about this in advance, since they tell you, "Don't worry too much about pronunciation." That of course is totally wrong. Spanish is one of the world's almost perfectly phonetic languages and pronunciation is the MOST important thing about being understood.

Brazilian Portuguese: Lonely Planet Phrasebook

Average customer rating:

Very helpful
Extremely Helpful
Passable
Best Brazilian Portuguese phrase book I've found!
Lonely Planet Brazilian Portuguese

Brazilian Portuguese: Lonely Planet Phrasebook
Marcia Monje de Castro , and Lonely Planet Phrasebooks
Manufacturer: Lonely Planet Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Lonely Planet Brazil
Lonely Planet Rio De Janeiro
Quick & Simple Brazilian/Portuguese (Pimsleur Quick and Simple)
Say It in Portuguese (Brazilian)
Brazilian Portuguese-English Dictionary & Phrasebook: English-Brazilian Portuguese (Hippocrene Dictionary & Phrasebooks)

ASIN: 1864503807

Book Description

Smoother than capoeira, fresher than a caipirinha, tastier than an empada. Make the most of your travels with Brazilian Portuguese.

*super social section for getting to know people.
*communication tips and cultural information.
*culinary reader offers the wonders of Brazilian cuisine.

Customer Reviews:

Very helpful.......2007-05-24

I picked up Conversational Brazilian Portuguese: Learn to Speak and Understand Portuguese with Pimsleur Language Programs (Simon & Schuster's Pimsleur), in audio and learned a lot. It helps to have some spanish lessons when you were young. This book was a nice addition to my base, and it came in handy more than a few times once I was in Brazil.

Extremely Helpful.......2006-08-21

I just returned from a trip to Brazil, and though I know some Spanish, I had no previous exposure to Portuguese. This phrasebook proved invaluable in helping me bridge the gap, and contributed to me having an even better time, and blending in better with the locals.

Passable.......2006-03-14

Beware of serious pronunciation errors in this book. Although it was overall pretty useful, there were some glaring errors in areas where there likely shouldn't have been. Case in point, the phonetic pronunciation for tchau (goodbye) in the book is spelled out as "tee-show." At least in Bahia, it was pronounced by the locals just like the Italian "ciao." The word "vinte" (twenty) is spelled out "veeng-te" in the book, while again everyone we encountered in Bahia pronounced it "veen-chay." I don't know if these are regional differences in Brazilian Portuguese, but if so, they need to at least be addressed in the book. Take care when using the phrasebook to listen to the local speakers as well.

Best Brazilian Portuguese phrase book I've found!.......2006-03-03

I'm just a lonely writer wanna-be in the heart of the middle of nowhere, so what do I choose to write -- a period piece of Brazil. I can't even begin to praise this book enough. Not only do I get phrases and words, but there are all sorts of little historical and cultural details.

I will probably never travel to Brazil, but this little book is allowing my imagination to have a trip!

Lonely Planet Brazilian Portuguese.......2005-10-27

Great pocket guide to give you a basic working knowledge of the language.

Average customer rating:

Helpful
The best thing you can bring with you
Great

Spanish: Lonely Planet Phrasebook
Marta Lopez , and Lonely Planet Phrasebooks
Manufacturer: Lonely Planet Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Lonely Planet Spain
French: Lonely Planet Phrasebook
Lonely Planet Barcelona
Italian: Lonely Planet Phrasebook
Lonely Planet Fast Talk Spanish: Essential Language for Short Trips; Sightseeing, Business, Shopping, Sleeping, Transport (Fast Talk Guide)

ASIN: 0864427190

Book Description

This phrasebook makes a great sangria coaster and provides some protection while sunbathing. Opening it reveals a whole world of other possibilities.

comprehensive two-way dictionary & user-friendly sentence builder
pronunciation for every word
fiestas, flamenco & fútbol: goes beyond the basics into contemporary Spanish culture
Basque, Catalan & Galician sections plus local slang for fun & friendly exchanges
useful culinary dictionary for dining with confidence

Customer Reviews:

Helpful.......2007-01-12

Bought the book before a vacation in Madrid. It was very useful and well organized. When I needed to look up a phrase, I found the book very easy to use. It gave more information that I needed!

The best thing you can bring with you.......2006-01-21

I bought this book on a whim before traveling to Spain for a summer study abroad trip. It turned out to be one of the most important things I brought with me! Particularly helpful was the food dictionary, which was frequently passed around the table during lunch and dinner (it may save you from ordering baby squids! Unless you're into that sort of thing). It is really a time saver to be able to quickly look up a phrase such as " Do you sell stamps?" instead of studying your spanish dictionary for 20 minutes. I highly recommend that anyone traveling to Spain who is not fluent in spanish take this book with them!

Great.......2005-04-30

I'm studying spanish in college as a prospective major, and am traveling to spain in less than a month. This book has tons of sayings that are very useful. Most of them are everyday expresions that native english speakers would not say very colloquially. It's divided up into different sections for easy access to a certain aspect of conversation. It is aimed at European(Spain)spanish and includes a few pages on Basque, Catalan, and Galician sayings. Great for a quick reference.

Latin American Spanish: Lonely Planet Phrasebook

Average customer rating:

Very Good Phrasebook
A neat, useful dictionary
Keep this one away from the kiddies!
A great, basic phrasebook
3rd edition was better

Latin American Spanish: Lonely Planet Phrasebook
Roberto Esposto , and Lonely Planet Phrasebooks
Manufacturer: Lonely Planet Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Lonely Planet Fast Talk Spanish: Essential Language for Short Trips; Sightseeing, Business, Shopping, Sleeping, Transport (Fast Talk Guide)
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Lonely Planet Quechua Phrasebook

ASIN: 1740591704

Book Description

Speak the right lingo in country after country, for over 5,000 miles! This book covers the local Spanish of: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, Venezuela.

Customer Reviews:

Very Good Phrasebook.......2007-05-04

This is not a Latin American Spanish course or a full dictionary as some seem to think it should be. It contains many useful words and phrases that are helpful for travellers and for those taking a comprehensive language course and want to be able to speak the language quickly. I found it quite helpful.

A neat, useful dictionary.......2007-01-29

FOr most situations, you will find the exact phrase. For a more substantive discussions, the dictionary is weak-ish, but it will get you through. It's a useful accessory for any Latin American travel in case you're a total Spanish dumm, like me. :)

Keep this one away from the kiddies!.......2006-03-27

I thought this was basically alright. We liked DK much better, and found ourselves using it a lot more. DK was better at grammar and pronunciation as well. The layout was good and easy to follow (Lonely Planet). However, a word of caution,there is a whole social section of phrases that you will want to keep away from the kids! This is clearly an adults only phrase book!

A great, basic phrasebook.......2006-03-08

This book has worked out great for me. I bought it for my trip to the climbing area, El Potrero Chico, in Mexico. Lucky for me, English will get you by around the climbing area. However, when I wander into town, Spanish is a necessity. This book is by no means comprehensive, but it's great for a book that fits in your pocket. If I knew nothing about the language, it might not be enough. However, since I took Spanish 10 years ago in High School and remember the basics, it is perfect. I only have one small complaint...I know it is not meant as a 2-way dictionary, but it does have a small one with important words in it. I would prefer it if that section was larger.

3rd edition was better.......2004-01-10

I originally picked up the 3rd edition some time ago, and found it to be a wonderful reference. The layout was easy to follow, and the dictionary had most of the words that I would use in brief conversations. The grammar section also helped me pick up the lttle differences that seperated Spanish form Portuguese. Because it was so pratical and user friendly I decided to pick up a set of these books for a brief Spanish course I was going to teach. Unfortunately the 4th edition almost entirely left out any talk on grammar. While not much of an issue if the book is used exclusively as a phrasebook, it is extremely limiting in what this book can teach you. Lists of common verbs are absent. List of conjugations are also absent. Unbelievable! While the layout has improved, and the food dictionary is nice, I can't beleive they would voluntarily leave out any discussion of verb conjugation! For this reason I really can't recommend buying this book. Look for the 3rd edition. The breif information on grammar there makes the two books worlds apart in how far they will take you in picking up the language.

Costa Rican Spanish: Lonely Planet Phrasebook

Average customer rating:

Its Cute and Small and I guess handy
Some improvements
Inferior to previous edition

Costa Rican Spanish: Lonely Planet Phrasebook
Thomas Kohnstamm , and Lonely Planet Phrasebooks
Manufacturer: Lonely Planet Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Lonely Planet Costa Rica
Waterproof Costa Rica Map
Costa Rica - Culture Smart!: a quick guide to customs and etiquette (Culture Smart!)
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National Geographic Costa Rica Adventure Map

ASIN: 1740591194

Book Description

Lounging around in a resort will make great use of your English. You could, however, grab this phrasebook and trade tiquismos with the Ticos, chase the best beach break, track down a toucan and go home knowing youÂ've had an all-round pura vida time.

Customer Reviews:

Its Cute and Small and I guess handy.......2007-07-20

We bought this as a "just in case" backup in case all communication skills broke down and we had to resort to language. Luckily that never happened so we never actually used the book. Usually you can get your point across with your hands and facial expressions (including getting out of a ticket because you did an 'illegal' U turn in front of a cop - show me the sign, there was no sign).

Some improvements.......2007-03-06

This new edition has corrected some of the mistakes I pointed out in a previous review and in an email exchange with the author. As I thumbed through the book I didn't see any "tu" conjugations, only "vos" and "usted". This is much more accurate for Costa Rican Spanish and was a blunder in the first edition. There is also an explanation at the beginning of the book about Costa Rican Spanish, which includes mention of the predominance of the voseo en Costa Rica. Nonetheless, I still give the book one star for two reasons. First the pronunciation section, as Mr. Kohnstamm informed me, was done by someone from Australia (if I remember right). So if you are from the U.S. several of the pronunciations are incorrect. Second, it only took me about a minute of looking through the book to see several mistakes in grammar and translation. Example: "Si vengas a Costa Rica..." should be "Si viene/venis a Costa Rica..." and "Adonde es la sala ejecutiva?" should be "Donde esta la sala ejecutiva?". These types of mistakes really stand out and defeat the purpose of the book, which is to help English-speaking tourists fit in and learn correct phrases for interacting with the locals... at least I think that is the purpose here.

Inferior to previous edition.......2007-02-04

This 2nd edition is more than just a beauty cleanup of the 1st. It completely changes the content, the intent and therefore the usefulness of the book. It is full of pronunciations, painstakingly spelled out as if someone was going to read them preferentially over the Spanish words. It's sort of lame, because Spanish pronunciation is basically invariable (accents aren't, of course) and if you are having trouble with it that is best fixed with a different book. It seems like there is less information, because a big chunk of the page has gone over to pronunciations. It has been scrubbed of most of the sketchier inclusions of the 1st edition, which are fun. The very useful verb endings charts and some of the Tiquismo sidebars are gone. I also find the typeface harder to read in dim light, especially the dictionary. On the plus side, it is prettier, and perhaps better organized and easier to find information.

I had my 1st edition stolen while down there. I hadn't been in a hurry to replace it, but the minute I received this 2nd edition, I scoured the 'net to locate another 1st. You should consider the same.

Lonely Planet Fast Talk Spanish: Essential Language for Short Trips; Sightseeing, Business, Shopping, Sleeping, Transport (Fast Talk Guide)

Average customer rating:

Lonely Planet Fast Talk Spanish: Essential Language for Short Trips; Sightseeing, Business, Shopping, Sleeping, Transport (Fast Talk Guide)
Lonely Planet
Manufacturer: Lonely Planet Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Latin American Spanish: Lonely Planet Phrasebook
Spanish: Lonely Planet Phrasebook
Lonely Planet Fast Talk Italian: Essential Language for Short Trips (Fast Talk Guide)
Lonely Planet Healthy Travel: Central & South America (Lonely Planet Healthy Travel Guides Central and South America)
Lonely Planet Fast Talk French (Fast Talk Guide)

ASIN: 1740599942

Book Description

When time is short, Fast Talk Spanish gives you the essential language to:

* do the sights & shop till you drop * book a room & order a meal * get from A to B fast * clinch that crucial deal * get your message across

Includes easy pronunciation of all words & phrases plus a mini dictionary of key words.

Book Description

In Costa Rica, it's impossible not to get caught up in the feeling of Pura Vida, 'pure life'. So whether selecting from the huge range of traditional dishes, dancing the merenge at a fiesta, or cheering a toro brava, 'fighting bull', this book will help you get into the swing.

join in the crowd at a rodeo, street festival or salsa club
loads of cultural & traveling tips, whether you go by bus, scooter or donkey
sections on diving, hiking and surfing
includes Lim n Creole, the language of Costa Rica's Caribbean coast
music, food, shopping, art & more

Customer Reviews:

Well organized and useful.......2005-08-26

This is a handy phrase book for those who have no knowledge of Spanish and for those situations where you just need to be that much more specific in communicating your needs. It's not too big, so it's relatively easy to travel with.

This book has phrases for every occasion!.......2005-07-21

Tins book will help you in just about every situation; meeting people, getting around, accommodations, food, illegal drugs, Dating, Romance and Intimate phrases, dealing with police, and lots more!

Most people in the tourist areas spoke enough English to get by but I found this book invaluable to brush up on my memories of high school Spanish so that I could communicate in any situation while I was in Costa Rica

Please add local expressions.......2005-06-16

This phrasebook is very well organised. This is its strong point, I think. This is what I told some English people who asked for my advice (I am a Costarican). I also told them that I think it covers all the expected areas of vocabulary, like airport, travelling, food, but it could cater better for local expressions, the voccabulary local people use. This is what I am asking for, perhaps for the next edition.

Bad mistakes.......2005-06-03

Just for the author's attention in the dating and romance section the phrase "sacate" does NOT mean take off your clothes, and it can be taken as a very vulgar remark in Spanish. Just one many mistakes in Spanish that this book has.

Grammar and cultural mistakes..........2005-05-20

I agree with several of the criticisms raised about this book. Imagine if you picked up a phrasebook for your native region and found mistake after mistake about your native language and about how you and your fellow countrymen and women speak the language. Most of the tourists who rate this book excellent probably do so because they don't understand Costa Rican Spanish and because the were able to use some of the phrases and be understood while in Costa Rica. This is fine but they should also know that many of the phrases are incorrect. The point is if you are going to publish something and claim this is the way an entire country of people speak then it should be accurate and at the very least be free of all the grammar mistakes that this book has. It is also true as one reviewer points out that here in Costa Rica we do not use tu but vos or actually usted unless you know the person very well and are being informal. This is a major mistake considering the book is supposed to help foreigners fit in. I could not recommend this book to anyone.

Lonely Planet Italiano Para El Viajero (Lonely Planet Phrasebook: Italian)

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Lonely Planet Italiano Para El Viajero (Lonely Planet Phrasebook: Italian)

Manufacturer: Geo-Planeta
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Lonely Planet Ingles Para El Viajero (Lonely Planet Phrasebook: English)

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Lonely Planet Ingles Para El Viajero (Lonely Planet Phrasebook: English)

Manufacturer: Geoplaneta
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Traveltalk Mexican Spanish (Traveltalk)
Lonely Planet Publications
Manufacturer: Penton Overseas
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Mexican Spanish: Lonely Planet Phrasebook
Lonely Planet Mexico
Frommer's Mexico 2007 (Frommer's Complete)
Let's Go Mexico 21st Edition (Let's Go Mexico)
The People's Guide to Mexico (Peoples Guide to Mexico)

ASIN: 1591258367

Book Description

Get the words you need to communicate and get around, plus a musical introduction to your destination! The classic audio of 300 essential travel words & phrases. An enhanced audio CD with the U-Print PDF quick-reference audio guide NEW! A music CD offering a variety of selections reflecting national culture NEW! The latest edition of the comprehensive Lonely Planet Phrasebook with two-way dictionary and cultural insights. The unique audio includes both what you hear and what you say to interact with locals at hotels, restaurants, shops - anywhere your travels take you! The enhanced CD with PDF audio guide means that you can reprint it any time you need - perfect for groups! Meanwhile, what better way to immerse yourself in the culture than listening to its rhythms!

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