Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)This book was introduced to me while I was in Mexico to increase my fluency, and after reading it, I determined to buy it when I returned.
The book begins where classroom Spanish ends. It tells you what folks are really saying and different ways they say it and adds to your repertoire of phrases and expressions that can make your conversation more humorous and enjoyable for yourself and those to whom you are speaking.
It is divided into 10 sections which cover most of the experiences you may or may not want to have in a Spanish-speaking culture, including shopping, travel, active listening, love and romance, and my favorite - Understanding how language, culture, and humor interact. The book is filled with idiomatic expressions and sayings which Spanish-speakers use often and love to hear. It tells you the degree of strength/crudness of different expressions and the words that are innocuous in one culture and vulgar in another to prevent major embarassment.
I haven't listened yet to the accompanying CD but plan to enjoy it as much as I enjoy the book. For anyone who wants to enrich their use of expressions and speak more of the vernacular, this is the book to get. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to do more than read write and listen to Spanish.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Tune Up Your Spanish: Top 10 Ways to Improve Your Spoken Spanish
Readers can tune up their conversation skills with Tune Up guides--the next best thing to a year abroad!
Getting beyond sounding like a beginner is more than just a matter of learning more vocabulary and grammar. It's also about understanding the culture and developing the right mind set for thinking, listening, and talking like a native.
The next best thing to a year abroad, the books in this exciting new series offer language learners an entertaining and practical way to hone their foreign-language conversation skills. Tune Up books are structured around 10 key areas for improvement, covering everything from tricky grammatical structures to gestures, slang, and humor. In each area, key phrases are presented in "Top Ten" lists, including everyday expressions for filling pauses, icebreakers, and more. An excellent brushup for learners returning to a language they studied in high school or college, Tune Up books feature:
Practical advice on improving conversation skills
Valuable insights into how difficult verbs and structures work
Tips on how to avoid taboos and common faux pas
A 60-minute audio CD with key phrase lists and exercises
