Amazon.com reviews:
Excellent!| By | Randy "randy310" (Russellville, AR. United States) - See all my reviews |
This is an excellent tool to fine tune the so called proper spanish that you have learned from other sources. A previous reviewer complains that it is not a good place to START learning Spanish? DUH! It does not claim to be. No one source is designed to take you from zero to fluency. Some are for rank beginners, some for intermediates, and some for those who are on the threshold of fluency. In my opinion this one would be a good one for the high intermediate student as i said before to fine tune his/her abilities in ways the language is spoken in a very informal way that is not taught in classrooms. Audio would make it perfect. You might even call this one, "Breaking out of Intermediate Spanish"!
You won't learn this stuff from a classroom text book, | By |
Tom C. Lee (Los Angeles, CA
USA) -
See all my reviews
|
I live in Los Angeles, and I am trying to learn basic Spanish. Unfortunately,
when I say the stuff I am learning from textbooks to people I interact with
everyday, they can understand what I am saying but I often feel like they think
I speak Spanish like a nerd--very proper and mechanical. I'm realizing that
people really don't speak Spanish like the way you learn it in a classroom. I
discovered this after I bought and read this book. When I use the phrases in
this book in everyday conversation, I can tell that people not only understand
what I am saying but they also smile at me more as though they can tell that I
am making an effort to be more "hip" and more like the native speakers. I can
really tell that people treat me differently because I can speak Spanish more
naturally with some slang. It makes a BIG difference when you can speak like the
natives do.
--You won't learm this stuff from a classroom text book
Great! Teacher recommendation, | By | Senora Gose (Bryan, Texas) - See all my reviews |
I teach Spanish classes to all ages, and many of my older students would ask,
but I can't really SPEAK Spanish! So after the foundation of good grammar and
other concepts, I enjoy giving this book as a gift to my students - they devour
it! It tells you how to respond in certain situations, and helps you to think on
your feet, perhaps giving you time to formulate more original sentences.
This is wonderful for any student of the language in I'd say a "level 2"
proficiency. If you still struggle with pronunciation and the difference between
verbs and nouns, definitely start with something else, and look forward to using
this book to truly ENJOY speaking your new language!
Great Phrases,
| By | Dajmang (Phoenix, Az USA) |
I've enjoyed going through the book and seeing what phrases are being used. I
grew up in El Paso and I recognize serveral of these phrases but never "really"
knowing what was meant by them.
I'm going through the Pimsleur spanish lessons, and though they are good, they
are very proper or, as my grandma would say, high spanish. Nothing wrong with
that. This book helps when you are speaking with spanish speaking friends.
Especially if they are American from a spanish speaking families. They go in and
out of spanish all the time, so you can use these and not worry about being
fluent, because you can go right back to english.
Good way to learn conversational Mexican Spanish, | By |
James R. Webb "Sunspower" (Tempe,
Arizona USA)
|
Okay, let's face it: the Spanish of Mexico right now is the most influential and relevant variation of the language for folks in the United States (and I was educated by Argentines). Brad Kim and Erika Dominguez' guide here will do a fantastic job of helping you get familiar with many good culturally relevant phrases from Spanish speaking folks with a Mexican heritage...maybe the best you're apt to find. With some practice on pronunciation and on your listenining skills, you'll have a nice bit of linguistic and cultural know-how. You might even feel brave enough to try using some Spanish with your Spanish-speaking contacts and encounters. It may not be the most comprehensive treatise on the Spanish of Mexico, but it is a fun and very funny, easy-to-read book that's very applicable to your learning the language.
Speaking Spanish Like a Native, | By |
Patricia Ruth (Michigan)
|
This is an outstanding book, I can't put it down. What a great complement to my Spanish vocabulary. Learning from Brad Kim is fun and easy. Wish he would write another book. I am thrilled and it so much fun and so easy. Can't wait to use my new vocabulary.
Amusing, Entertaining and Educational all at the same time,
| By |
Kenneth Golden (Flint, MI)
|
This book is an asset for anyone that wants to speak Spanish like native
speakers.There are so many sections of this book that I found both helpful and
enjoyable that I don't even know where to start.
The "Instructions" section was of great value because it gave me tips on how to
learn how to speak Spanish like a native. One tip in the instructions section
that I found helpful was "Seeing is Believing." In that tip, the authors said
that you have to visualize your ultimate goal for or learning how to speak
Spanish. And then actually picture yourself and frame yourself speaking fluently
whether at home, work or on vacation in a Spanish speaking country, or picture
yourself able to court someone that you are intimately attracted to. In this
same section the author gives practical tips that "you have to open your mouth
to learn Spanish" and that "exercising your right to take the Fifth is not going
to do you any good." The authors also remind the reader that as a child learning
how to ride a bike we fell off the bike many times before we could actually ride
a bike and pop wheelies, and that Spanish is the same way. You have to invest
the time and energy before you can reap a huge return.
The "Let's Get Physical" section was also lots of fun to read. I learned how to
physically describe people in ways that I would not have learned in another
book. I bet you didn't already know how to describe a person as big-assed,
big-breasted, big-headed, bushy-eyebrowed, bug-eyed, pot-bellied, and with a
double-chin and love-handles. Well you will be able to after reading this book.
In another section of the book you will learn how to use words like "pendejo"
and "cabron," but not in not in an offensive manner, but in the manner that
natives speakers use these words in regular conversation.
This book isn't an ends in itself. You will still need an audio course to go
with this book if you want to learn Spanish as natives speak it. The audio
course that complements this book the best is Learning Spanish Like Crazy. I
have tried several Spanish audio courses. I learned from all of them but
Learning Spanish Like Crazy is the one that will really teaches you how to speak
like a native and understand Spanish when you hear natives speak it.
But by far my favorite section of this book is the "Who's Who in the Imaginary
World." That's where I found out how to say in Spanish the names of characters
such as Barney Rubble, Casper the Friendly Ghost, the Incredible Hulk,
Cinderella, Daffy Duck, Donald Duck, Popeye, Spiderman, Ninja Turtles, Woody
Woodpecker and even Tweety Bird and Sylvester in Spanish.
5 Star Review of Speaking Spanish Like a Native , | By |
A. Rivera "LearningSpanishProductsReviews.com...
(Daytona Beach, Florida)
|
As the editor of the Learning Spanish Products Reviews (LearningSpanishProductsReviews)
site, one of my responsibilities is to review learning Spanish courses, books,
and software. I am also a native Spanish speaker and a private Spanish
instructor.
This is a book that you will surely want to add to your learning Spanish
library. It was written by a a Korean American that learned how to speak real
Latin American Spanish (more accurately real Mexican Spanish) by living in
Mexico, chatting with native speakers, sharing ideas, drinking beer, playing
cards, cracking jokes and fishing.
Brad Kim is an excellent writer that has written a book that you will find
yourself reading from cover to cover and then using as a reference book. It will
entertain you every bit as well as it educates you.
You'll get the inside scoop on words and phrases that you'll never find in
textbooks. Speaking Spanish Like a Native also illustrates how to use idioms and
slang in the context of a conversation. One thing that I really liked about this
book that I have never seen another author do in a learning Spanish book is that
Kim brings to the reader's attention that native speakers in Spanish (as well as
native speakers in English) often tend to speak more informally than they write.
In fact, natives of both languages often tend to speak grammatically incorrect
in regular conversation. Kim then gives an example of grammatically incorrect
Spanish that you may hear native Spanish speakers use so that the student will
not be confused when hearing it.
If you are looking for a book that will help you carry on conversations more
skillfully and more confidently with native speakers, this is an excellent
choice.
Learning Another Language Can Be Boring....Not This Book!!!,
Learning another language can be boring, especially if your not in school anymore....I took Spanish in High School and did not even think of it helping me later on in life.... Boy I was wrong when taking a trip to Mexico.... Especially, the Night Clubs.....I said to myself I have to learn Spanish.... With This Book, There is A Chapter on One Liners.......(Can't Wait to take another trip!!!! this time i will be prepared!!!)
A definite must-have if you want fit in while in Mexico!!, | By |
David Pierce "literary license"
(Columbia, MO USA) -
See all my reviews
|
I visit Mexico often and each time I go, I do my best to put my Spanish to
the test. In spite of my best efforts, it was impossible to understand all of
the rapid-fire Spanish spoken by locals. I am so happy to have found this book
because it is full of everything I heard natives say but could not understand at
the time.
After reading this book it was as if someone finally turned on the lights! Now
when I hear native speakers converse, it seems like they're speaking slower but
the reality is that now I just understand much more of what they're saying. Even
better, now I have much more confidence to actively participate in their
conversations. What has given me the most satisfaction about this book is that
when I put what I learned into practice with native speakers, they are more
receptive and willing to talk to me!! I have made more people smile in the
Spanish language than in English!
I have read too many boring Spanish books that couldn't hold my attention.
Speaking Spanish Like a Native is by far one of the most reader-friendly books
out there because it was written with a humorous and down-to-earth style. I
truly enjoyed this book and I think you will too.
Excellent!,
This is an excellent tool to fine tune the so called proper spanish that you have learned from other sources. A previous reviewer complains that it is not a good place to START learning Spanish? DUH! It does not claim to be. No one source is designed to take you from zero to fluency. Some are for rank beginners, some for intermediates, and some for those who are on the threshold of fluency. In my opinion this one would be a good one for the high intermediate student as i said before to fine tune his/her abilities in ways the language is spoken in a very informal way that is not taught in classrooms. Audio would make it perfect. You might even call this one, "Breaking out of Intermediate Spanish"! |
