Book Description

So maybe you've seen a person around that you'd like to get to know. However, without knowing some basic Spanish as well as the English you know, you realize that getting to know the person isn't going to happen comfortably. Perhaps you would like to get to know a person at work better by being able to make comments and even have a simple conversation in Spanish, even though you haven't learned the second language or are still in the infancy stages of learning it. Maybe there is a group at your local fast food joint or bar that speaks in Spanish and you'd like to have more interactions with them. However, you need to learn some Spanish translations or, at least, refresh your language skills before comfortably communicating with others. Of course, attempting to make yourself known to a Spanish speaker who just happens to catch your eye might be the reason you want to learn the second language. Regardless of the reasons you want or need to communicate with someone beyond your first language, this book has the most-often used Spanish and English words and phrases for you to begin communicating and continue communicating with others in their language. Through your continued ongoing interactions with them, you can work your way toward fluency in the second language. In the first part of this book, universal greetings, introductions, and conversation starters are presented - first in English and then in Spanish. Then, many lists of the most common words one may need to know to communicate with others follows the same pattern of being presented in English first and then in Spanish. The word lists are presented in categories, such as people, occupations, clothes, and transportation. By categorizing the words, it assists learners in finding the words and phrases they are specifically wanting or needing to learn. Additionally, studying one category at a time is an effective method of learning new vocabulary. The words and phrases in this book are translated to the Spanish language most-often used in Mexico and other Latin American countries as opposed to the Spanish language that may be spoken in other parts of the globe. Near the end of the book, explanations as to how Spanish words are pronounced are available. The great thing about learning to speak Spanish is that it is a relatively simple language for English speakers to pronounce. This is because, in most cases, a Spanish word is pronounced the way it is written. Therefore, if you can read and speak English, you can likely pronounce Spanish words as they are written. Basically, every letter in a Spanish word gets one sound. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. That is why information regarding the speaking of Spanish from the written word - phonics - is offered in this book. Phonics and accentuation involved in speaking Spanish is discussed. Besides speaking with many people who speak Spanish as their first or only language, this book has been prepared with the assistance of numerous translation websites and programs that are designed to teach the Spanish language. Many of the Spanish speakers have been students in the author's English classes through the years. Additionally, research regarding the many aspects of conversation, from the phrases people use when meeting one another to the most common words generally used in conversations, has been administered in the writing this book. Finally, be forewarned that two translated sections of the book have some offensive language. These sections are "Sexual Encounters" and "Informal Expressions and Words." The sections have been included to make the book marketable to those who are interested in learning street language, which often includes offensive words and phrases. If such language offends you, please read these two sections with caution.