The Street-Wise Spanish Survival Guide: A Dictionary of Over 3,000 Slang Expressions, Proverbs, Idioms, and Other Tricky English and Spanish Words and Phrases Translated and Explained

by Eleanor Hamer, Fernando Díez de Urdanivia

If you were dropped into the middle of Managua, Mexico City, or Miami, would you know how to speak not only the language, but also the lingo? In The Street-Wise Spanish Survival Guide , the reader who is already familiar with Spanish will discover the banter and metaphor (both polite and rude) that enrich the spoken language as it is really used, hints on avoiding embarrassing mistakes in grammar, and a list of dreaded false cognates. Full of advice on pronunciation and tips on customs and manners, and keyed with time-saving symbols, this is the best guide available to understanding and appreciating Spanish as it is spoken in Latin America and the United States.

Genres: Reference, Spanish Literature, Nonfiction

496 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2008

Reviews

[Shainlock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt comfortable with how this was written, once I got used to it. Some of the grammar, phrases, slang, verbs, etc were a bit cumbersome maybe at first— but it got easier. As it said though, it is for those with a working knowledge and understanding of the language first and I think, also a basic understanding of the culture. So, this is no beginner’s book. It’s also not for ppl just wanting slang. It helps with expressions and those cultural views that are behind them. But you kinda have to have a working knowledge base, I think.

What impressed me was the great explanations of which verb form is best to use situationally, what is polite and why polite is a good thing in Mexico/ Spain etc., holidays, pre-Colombian words included, foods, how to dress for diff occasions, traditions, their views on life and death, background, and a lot of other things that are interesting, and very important.
There are things in here that most ppl wouldn’t know unless they studied the culture or had a very good friend or relative that was native to such a region. Helpful.

It tells you when bartering and bribing is acceptable, & what to do in those situations. For the most part, this is a very well written guide and is an honest attempt to help out the traveler or tourist, as well as, the host or Spanish speakers feel comfortable. All guides should strive for that !

It does also explain differences between Spain and Mexico in different categories. Verb tenses, pronunciation… (dialect).
For me, a lot of this was like coming home or hearing my teacher tell us stories and I personally loved it. The author definitely cares about ppl having a good experience when visiting Hispanic and Latin places. We should care about how we act while there as well.

[Sophie · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's so much good information here... and yet, the presentation sucked. My big problem with this book is the way it was divided up by grammatical category (nouns, verbs, expressions, etc.) and alphabetically instead of thematically. Who cares if desa comes after chusma in the alphabet? I'd rather see all the words that mean dohicky in one place. Also, the inclusion of some sections at the end, like nationalities and names for people from Mexican states, and the construction vocabulary (huh??) seemed entirely random. And if all that disorganization wasn't enough, there were plenty of typos too. Unfortunately, this won't be something I'll ever recommend.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Top of my wishlist! A great book on common sayings and what they mean! Of course, it still all sounds like French in my head!