Lonely Planet Latin American Spanish Phrasebook & Dictionary

For every significant trip out of country, I've picked up a copy of the pertinent Lonely Planet Phrasebook and I have yet to be disappointed. I purchased two of the Latin American Spanish edition prior to a recent trip to Honduras. As with other Lonely Planet Phrasebooks, this one includes basic pronunciation and grammar, phrases organized by category, short dictionaries in both languages, and cultural commentary. While they aren't comprehensive in their vocabulary, they are compact and can easily be carried in a pocket. Unless you plan to really dig in and learn the language, my personal opinion is that one of these books is all you need to get by. For me these books have also provided a great way to connect with local speakers. I have handed my copy to new friends more than once so they could look up phrases or words to communicate with me. When traveling to a location where you don't speak the language (in this case, Spanish), these phrasebooks combined with a smile and a good sense of humor will demonstrate a real desire to communicate in the local tongue, get you through many common situations, and ultimately help enrich your travel experience.

I have purchased both the Latin American Spanish and the French versions of this phrasebook. The phrases are organized by category, with an alphabetical index in the back. This organization makes it easy to review a few key phrases before entering a restaurant or museum etc. so you can sound like less of a tourist. Also, the book is so small it is very discreet and takes up hardly any room in a purse or backpack. However, the way the pronunciations are spelled out is rather strange sometimes. I would recommend knowing some basics in the language before you use these books, so you can recognize proper and improper pronunciations.

I took this book with me to El Salvador this summer, and a friend I made down there told me it was the best Spanish-English phrase book he'd seen (and he's seen many Americans' phrase books, he says). Just a few words here and there that he said were either antiquated, overly formal, or used in other parts of Latin America, but not El Salvador. Good size for carrying in your pocket or passport bag. Came in handy when I was without my native Spanish-speaking friends.

I've kept this little baby in my back pocket for two weeks in Peru and it has been invaluable. Simple phrases have allowed me to catch the local buses, order food etc. and generally come across as not a complete gringo.

This book has worked out great for me. I bought it for my trip to the climbing area, El Potrero Chico, in Mexico. Lucky for me, English will get you by around the climbing area. However, when I wander into town, Spanish is a necessity. This book is by no means comprehensive, but it's great for a book that fits in your pocket. If I knew nothing about the language, it might not be enough. However, since I took Spanish 10 years ago in High School and remember the basics, it is perfect. I only have one small complaint...I know it is not meant as a 2-way dictionary, but it does have a small one with important words in it. I would prefer it if that section was larger.