Italian Demystified: A Self Teaching Guide Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This book would be a wonderful way to learn or improve one's spoken Italian if purchased in hard copy. As an e-book, however, it needs some work. This is more a short-coming of Kindle than the book itself--certainly not the author.
The main problem is that words and phrases listed to exemplify the subject in each chapter are barely legible. Written in tiny, italicized text, they do not enlarge as you change the font size on the Kindle page.
I like the approach to teaching Italian here, and I still expect to get something from this book--but I hope those who produced it in Kindle format correct this problem. Until they do, I can't recommend this version of an otherwise fine book.

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You can learn to speak Italian in no time--capisci?
It's time to say arrivederci to your fears of learning a new language. With this easy-to-follow guide, you'll have no problema speaking and understanding Italian. Presto! Before you know it, you'll get past ciao and really be able to converse.

Beginning with everyday Italian expressions and a review of basic pronunciation, Italian Demystified covers key grammar fundamentals such as common verb tenses, nouns, pronouns, and gender. Step by step, you'll build your Italian vocabulary with essential words and phrases and quickly master the language. Test yourself at the end of every chapter for reinforcement that you're fast on your way to speaking, writing, and understanding Italian.

This fast and easy guide features:

Clear grammatical explanations that illustrate how the language works
Numerous examples that place new vocabulary in practical context
Helpful writing and speaking exercises that bring the Italian language to life
Coverage of everyday topics and conversational expressions
Quizzes at the end of each chapter that reinforce new language skills

Simple enough for a beginner, but challenging enough for a more advanced student, Italian Demystified is your shortcut to fluency in this lingua bellissimo.

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You Already Know Italian: Learn the Easiest 5,000 Italian Words and Phrases That Are Nearly Identico to English Review

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(More customer reviews)Imagine being able to avail yourself of vocabulary you utilize every day, to make yourself understood in Italy?! What a terrific concept for a language guide...and the introductory pages concerning pronunciation, accent, and structure are some of the best presented I've read (and personally, a necessary addendum to expensive Berlitz classes!). I am delighted with this book. I just wish Gaelic were Latin-based, so Mr. Lowry could do a "You Already Know Irish" volume...that would be most helpful.

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That's right, you already know Italian--even if you never took a language course in your life!

Many of the words you know in English are similar and often the same in Italian, such as arte and delizioso. And pizza, bambino, and diva have been part of our lexicon for so long you forget they were ever "foreign." You Already Know Italian is the easiest and fastest way to build your Italian vocabulary by using your prior knowledge as the foundation for language learning.

Inside you will find chapters devoted to three types of words: familiar terms, identical and similar terms, and "falsely similar" terms. By studying these words, you will realize just how many Italian words you already know and how easy it is to pick up those terms that are close in meaning to their English counterparts. You will have a 5,000-word Italian vocabulary in no time at all!

Look how much Italian vocabulary you already know:

Familiar Italian terms:
Amore--Love
Bandito--Outlaw
Ciao--Hello
Pasta--Pasta
Simpatico--Agreeable
Vino--Wine


Italian words identical or similar to English ones:
Computer--Computer
Jazz--Jazz
Leader--Leader
Quota--Quota
Uso--Use
Virus--Virus


But beware these falsely similar words:
Ago--Needle
Camera--Room
Fatto--Fact
Salto--Jump
Stare--To stand
Villano--Inconsiderate

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Practice Makes Perfect Italian Pronouns And Prepositions, Second Edition (Practice Makes Perfect Series) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The book in good condition and take about 1 month to reach Singapore. Very good book to continue drill on pronouns and preposition. Thanks

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Practice Makes Perfect Advanced Italian Grammar (Practice Makes Perfect Series) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)...it was tiny bit lacking in the "advanced" department. There a few sections which stand out: the parts about relative pronouns (although it could have been better), the usage of ne and ci and pronouns, the use of fare + infinitve, etc. The section on prepositions is also very good along with the last chapter ("Other Troublesome Topics"). This is by far the best part of the book and really addresses the complexities of the language. Most of the other stuff covered in this book you will probably have encountered in any first year/beginner language course. I would have preferred to see more about the subjunctive, when to use passato prossimo/imperfetto, a more detailed chapter/section on relative pronouns and a much more improved chapter/section on indirect/reported speech.
I gave it four stars because the exercises were very good and was a good review of Italian grammar. The author made a great effort to explain the grammar simply and concisely, and he makes good comparisons to English grammar that actually make sense and benefit the learner. The book is not overly complex nor is it intimidating.
But if you have studied the language in any detail, a majority of the information presented in this book will probably not be new to you, but it is still an good resource for polishing your understanding of Italian grammar.

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More practice to expand your Italian skills

The Practice Makes Perfect series has helped thousands learn the basics of Italian, from vocabulary to prepositions, verbs, and beyond. Now this innovative series turns its attention to advanced students of Italian who have the foundation of good language skills and want to take their knowledge to the next level. To help you evolve your language skills, this book focuses on more sophisticated grammar topics that are essential to constructing longer, more complex sentences. They especially highlight more troublesome areas, such as the correct use of object pronouns.

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Italian A La Cartoon Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)As a supplement, this book offers more than the minimum, dedicating a section to familiarizing oneself with necessary language roots, ie. latin origin (for speakers of other latin-based languages) & slang, another to the professional backgrounds of its cartoon artists, as well as some grammar explanation such as articles, pronouns and verbs.
As for the cartoons, coming from a teacher and long-time student of Italian, they are both funny and culturally relevant. Various cartoon styles peak interest for different learners. Layout facilitates classroom presentation, with illustration and Italian dialogue atop, helpful vocab in the middle, and English translation at the bottom. Students looking to comprehend meaning on their own, or teachers wishing to give students a headstart, can easily cover up the English in the beginning.
Highly recommended for students of Italian, and for teachers looking to add interest to their classroom!

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Going beyond the traditional grammar book, this collection takes a hilarious look at the everyday language the Italians really use. The cartoons are by Italy's most popular artists and each illustration is accompanied by captions and vocabulary notes.

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Practice Makes Perfect: Italian Pronouns and Prepositions (Practice Makes Perfect (McGraw-Hill)) Review

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(More customer reviews)The subject matter is tedious to begin with so you can't fault the writer for that. I found this book very difficult to get through and I am not sure why. I felt that many of the grammatical and usage explanations were incomplete. I think there are numerous errors and inconsistencies in the answer key. I found the chronic use of the progressive tense annoying and more frequent than contemporary Italian usage. This book has excellent word lists and great appendices. When I finally finished, I pulled those pages out of the book, punched holes in them and added them to my Italian grammar notebook. If you actually write the exercises in the book, it will be a mess when you're done. If you plan on reusing this one, do the exercises on a separate piece of paper. You may need a dictionary to complete the exercises.

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Master these two essential building blocks of fluency in Italian quickly and painlessly

Practice Makes Perfect: Italian Pronouns and Prepositions provides you with clear, detailed explanations and all the practice tools needed to master these two knotty elements of Italian grammar. Using many realistic examples taken from everyday life, author Daniela Gobetti takes the mystery out of Italian pronouns and prepositions and gives you plenty of exercises to reinforce what you have learned.

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Practice Makes Perfect: Complete Italian Grammar (Practice Makes Perfect Series) Review

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(More customer reviews)This workbook is fantastic. I am very pleased with the logical layout and the in-depth discussions of verbs, adjectives, nouns, etc. This workbook has so much information in it, it can easily replace a textbook and be used on its own. The exercises are relevant and straightforward, but also varied.
Something I didn't know, however, before I bought it: this book is intended for intermediate users. Don't let this discourage you from purchasing it, though. As long as you know a few of the basic concepts of Italian, and understand a little about how languages work in general, you will be able to begin at the start of this workbook.
One thing it is slightly lacking in is vocabulary. There are many other books in the Practice Makes Perfect series intended to work together, so while this book will certainly help you with all the grammar you could need for an Italian I/II level understanding, you'll need to either get the other workbook(s) or find some other source of vocabulary. I have been so pleased with this workbook, however, that I intend to complete my collection of the series.
I highly recommend this product to anyone who wants to study Italian on their own for fluency (not recommended for "travel"-type learning).

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Build up your Italian grammar skills and communicate with ease

The only way to boost your confidence in a second language is to practice, practice, practice. From the present tense of regular verbs to direct object pronouns, this comprehensive guide and workbook covers all aspects of Italian grammar that you need to master.

Focusing on the practical aspects of Italian as it's really spoken, each unit of Practice Makes Perfect: Complete Italian Grammar features clear explanations, numerous realistic examples, and lots of engaging exercises.

Practice Makes Perfect: Complete Italian Grammar makes mastering grammar easy with:

Clear, down-to-earth, easy-to-follow explanations that make even the most complex principles easy to understand
Example sentences that illustrate and clarify each grammatical point
Dozens of exercises in formats suited to every learning style
Practical and high-frequency vocabulary used throughout
A detailed answer key for quick, easy progress checks

With help from this book, you can effortlessly use:Possessive adjectives • Relative pronouns • Gerunds • Expressions of time • The passive and the impersonal Si * The subjunctive mood * Question words

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Easy Italian Reader: A Three-Part Text for Beginning Students (Easy Reader Series) Review

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(More customer reviews)Definitely not for your beginner. I learned with book with a teacher, and I found it very useful. Also I would read some of the stories on my own -- it was a good way to see the grammar in action while at the same time learning new words, etc.
I enjoyed using this book, and if I ever got the chance to teach, I would use it myself.
So my assessment.........
If you are an absolute beginner, you can buy the book. But I'd wait until you were a bit more knowledgable before using it.
Intermediate students -- go for it. I think you will get a lot out of the book.
Advanced students -- probably too easy.

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The quick, easy, enjoyable way to learn how to read Italian

This new addition to the popular Easy Reader series allows beginners to start reading Italian right away and intermediate learners to hone their reading skills.

Rather than relying on dry grammar rules, EasyItalian Reader features engaging readings on Italian history, people, and contemporary literature that rapidly build comprehension, progressing in difficulty as readers' abilities increase. Helpful review sections, comprehension questions, and proficiency-building games are included throughout to reinforce what is learned.

Easy Italian Reader:

Provides timesaving new vocabulary footnotes
Includes exercises and an answer key to test understanding
Offers insights into Italian culture

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Your First 100 Words in Italian : Italian for Total Beginners Through Puzzles and Games Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm planning a trip to Rome and this book did just what it said it would ; give me a basic vocabulary of 100 (mostly nouns) words. It didn't include numbers or colors nor were their any verbs. I used it along with Learn Italian in 10 Minutes a Day. I am thinking of using the format (flashcards and worksheets) to teach my Spanish Speaking students in Panama 100 words in English before they go into 7th grade.

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Takes the intimidation out of learning Italian

Learning Italian can be scary to you as a beginner, especially if you have attempted once before and failed. The reasons are many: too fast a pace, an overwhelming amount of vocabulary, or problematic memorization. Your First 100 Words in Italian eliminates these obstacles by presenting the meanings and pronunciations of 100 basic words in a simple workbook format, each illustrated and transliterated so you can grasp the word without struggling.

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Schaum's Outline of Italian Vocabulary Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is a very useful way of building Italian vocabulary. Instead of just a list, it provides vocabulary in context, so you can see exactly how each word is used. It also includes a lot of exercises. They are somewhat repetitive, but I thought that was a good thing.
This book is intended for someone who is already fairly proficient in Italian. It assumes you already know all the grammar and a good amount of vocab--so, if you have finished the third year at the college level (or equivalent), you should be ready for it. Students who have completed a lower level may still benefit, but will struggle more reading the examples.

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Confusing Textbooks? Missed Lectures? Not Enough Time?

Fortunately for you, there's Schaum's Outlines. More than 40 million students have trusted Schaum's to help them succeed in the classroom and on exams. Schaum's is the key to faster learning and higher grades in every subject. Each Outline presents all the essential course information in an easy-to-follow, topic-by-topic format. You also get hundreds of examples, solved problems, and practice exercises to test your skills.

This Schaum's Outline gives you

Practice problems with full explanations that reinforce knowledge
Coverage of the most up-to-date developments in your course field
In-depth review of practices and applications

Fully compatible with your classroom text, Schaum's highlights all the important facts you need to know. Use Schaum's to shorten your study time-and get your best test scores!

Schaum's Outlines-Problem Solved.

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101 Italian Verbs: The Art of Conjugation (101... Language Series) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I'm in the midst of a two-month intensive self-study of Italian. This little guide is certainly eye-catching, which is why I noticed it in the bookstore. The colors and illustrations serve their intended purpose, which is to jog the memory and prevent boredom. However, as a serious guide to Italian grammar this book is a mixed bag for me. The good points first:
1) The number of verbs presented (101, of course) is just enough, not overwhelming. The index at the back (English-Italian and Italian-English) lists 150 more verbs that follow the three basic conjugations.
2) Limiting the tenses presented to the six most common and useful also makes sense. These are listed in color-coded columns which visually are much easier to follow than boring pages of all black-and-white. At the top of each page, the infinitive, imperative, and gerund forms are listed separately, and at the bottom are some sample sentences. The organization of each page is therefore consistent and easy to follow.
3) The illustrations are colorful and entertaining, and may very well help in retention.
The drawbacks, which are in my opinion fairly major:
1) Most important: the verbs are not presented in any formal order, but "follow a story line." This is in accordance with the principle of association explained in the preface, but makes the book difficult to use: if you are interested in looking up a specific verb, you have to go to the indices in the back of the book, THEN go to the appropriate page in the main text. This gets old very fast.
2) Some graphic guidance with changing accentuation depending on the tense and person being used would have been very helpful--this would notably increase the complexity of the text, but without it one is left to guess or consult another text. Pronunciations are available online, but again, this adds an extra step.
I enjoy browsing through this book but I'm using another, less flashy one more right now.

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Learn Italian Verbs Through Pictures

Master the six most useful tenses of each verb
Find the verb tense you need through easily understandable charts
See verbs in action in example sentences
Listen to correct pronunciation on the book's free companion site, learnverbs.com

It's the easiest way to remember your verbs!

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Le avventure di Pinocchio (Italian Edition) Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this book thinking it was an original version, and was surprised to see it was a very simplified edition. I've studied Italian for two years and this book was easy for me. The grammar starts out simply in the present tense and moves into past and future tenses as the book progresses. Each chapter (about 2 - 3 pages) starts with a few colloquial expressions used in the chapter and there is a fairly comprehensive dictionary in the back of the book, which saves time looking up unfamiliar words.
The reading style is about a 3rd grade level. The first chapters have very short simple sentences and the paragraphs become longer and grammatically more difficult as the chapters progress. This book seems targeted for someone with one year of study and going into their second year of study.

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An Italian reader for beginning through intermediate Italian studentsLe avventure di Pinocchio, adapted by G. Abiuso and M. Giglio, maintains the flavor and humor of the Italian classic. Each illustrated chapter of the story includes simple exercises to enhance comprehension. This reader is softcover, 6"×9", and 78 pages in length.

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Basic Italian Conversation, Student Edition (Language - Italian) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a very useful book which will help you begin to speak Italian. It is also a fun book and the dialoges are great to do with someone else to help pronunciation. It doesn't do much for your knowledge of grammar but there are plenty of books for that. Viva il libro. EWF

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Advanced Beginning through Advanced Intermediate Students learn how to use the right language structures and idioms in the right context. Through functional use of language in dialogues and role-playing, students practice the language patterns and vocabulary needed in everyday situations.

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