Spanish for dummies second edition

 

Spanish is one of the great European languages, rich in heritage from its more
than nine centuries of existence. This is the language that comes from the
region of Spain that English-speakers call Castile. As Christopher Columbus
and other Spanish explorers came to the New World, Spanish became the lan-
guage of all the peoples from Florida to Tierra del Fuego (with the exception
of Brazil, where Portuguese is spoken). When you go to places like Argentina,
Bolivia, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico,
Guatemala, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Costa Rica, Panama, Honduras, or Nicaragua,
you speak in or are spoken to in Spanish. If you visit cities like Santiago de
Chile, Montevideo, Asuncion, Buenos Aires, Lima, Caracas, Bogota, Mexico
City, Quito, San Juan, and many, many others, the people predominantly speak
Spanish. And when you speak their language or even attempt to communicate
with them in their native tongue, you add a richer dimension to your experi-
ence. Some folks say that language can be a barrier. And we believe that by
removing this barrier, you open a world of possibilities.
So you have several good reasons to embrace this beautiful language. You
may want to understand the culture and the people. You may also want your
Spanish-speaking friends and neighbors at home to understand you, in their
own language. So even if your Spanish isn’t perfect, you’ll be appreciated and
encouraged in your attempts to immerse yourself in the Spanish-speaking
world.

Contents at a Glance
Introduction ................................................................ 1
Part I: Getting Started ................................................. 7
Chapter 1: Spanish in a Nutshell ...................................................................................... 9
Chapter 2: Warming Up with Spanish Grammar Basics .............................................. 21
Chapter 3: Getting Started with Basic Expressions ..................................................... 41
Chapter 4: Getting Your Numbers, Times, and Measurements Straight .................. 65
Chapter 5: Speaking Spanish at Home........................................................................... 85
Part II: Spanish in Action ......................................... 111
Chapter 6: Getting to Know You: Making Small Talk ................................................. 113
Chapter 7: Asking for Directions .................................................................................. 127
Chapter 8: Dining Out and Going to the Market......................................................... 141
Chapter 9: Shopping Made Easy .................................................................................. 163
Chapter 10: Going Out on the Town ............................................................................ 185
Chapter 11: Taking Care of Business and Telecommunications.............................. 199
Chapter 12: Recreation and the Great Outdoors ....................................................... 219
Part III: Spanish on the Go ....................................... 237
Chapter 13: Planning a Trip .......................................................................................... 239
Chapter 14: Dealing with Money in a Foreign Land ................................................... 249
Chapter 15: Getting Around: Planes, Trains, Taxis, and More ................................. 261
Chapter 16: Finding a Place to Stay ............................................................................. 283
Chapter 17: Handling Emergencies .............................................................................. 295
Part IV: The Part of Tens .......................................... 315
Chapter 18: Ten Ways to Pick Up Spanish Quickly ................................................... 317
Chapter 19: Ten Things Never to Say in Spanish ....................................................... 321
Chapter 20: Ten or So Favorite Spanish Expressions ............................................... 325
Chapter 21: Ten Phrases That Make You Sound Fluent in Spanish ........................ 329

Part V: Appendixes .................................................. 335
Appendix A: Mini-Dictionary ........................................................................................ 337
Appendix B: Verb Tables .............................................................................................. 365
Appendix C: On the CD.................................................................................................. 383
Appendix D: Answer Keys ............................................................................................. 385
Index ...................................................................... 391

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Tags: for dummies, spanish