3,000 Spanish Words and Phrases They Won't Teach You in School - by Eleanor Hamer & Fernando Díez de Urdanivia (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The result of thirty years' experience and hard work, by two lifelong teachers, here is a unique guide written to help people who have a fairly good knowledge of Spanish but can't seem to progress beyond their classroom skis.

No matter how much Spanish you study, it's nearly impossible to fully convince the native-speakers that you've got it. Even those estudiantes perfectos who have seemingly mastered speaking a foreign language in a classroom run into problems in real-life situations.

3,000 Spanish Words and Phrases They Won't Teach You in School goes beyond classroom Spanish by thoroughly explaining expressions, idioms, and quirks used daily by native speakers.

This must-have manual also includes information on pronunciation, manners, abbreviations, and culture, making it much more than a phrase book! Learn within these pages everything you need to know to speak colloquial Spanish, including:

• Translation of common proverbs: like When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
• Slang: Like ¡Alivianate!-- cheer up or get high
• Dual words: like integro and entero--with the same meaning.
• False cognates: Words that are similar but have very different meanings in English and Spanish

So next time you plan a trip or just want to impress your friends, pick up 3,000 Spanish Words and Phrases They Won't Teach You in School and drop the stuffy high school phrase book!

About the Author

Eleanor Hamer is a writer and a teacher. She is currently the official translator for Pricewaterhouse Coopers in Mexico City. She lives in Cuernavaca, Mexico.

Fernando Díez de Urdanivia is a Mexican-born writer, journalist, and teacher of both English and Spanish. He lives in Cuernavaca, Mexico.