Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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140 of 143 people found the following review helpful:
The Most Important Book For Spanish Students And Teachers, February 25, 2000
Without a doubt, 501 Spanish Verbs is the most useful book available to a student of the Spanish language. It is not just for students, however. I have heard that even fluent professors have had to consult this book at one time or another because they were confused about how a word was conjugated. Verbs are the backbone of the Spanish language, and if you don't know how to conjugate them, people won't understand you. I take this book with me whenever I go on vacation to Spanish speaking countries, and it has proved infinitely useful during conversations where I didn't know how to say a verb. Spanish speakers are incredibly patient if you don't understand them and need to look something up, and this book is definitely the most helpful.I should also add one thing: This book unfortunately does not distinguish between verbs commonly used in Spain, and other verbs used in Latin America that mean the same thing. An example is abrasar (to burn or light) and abrazar (to hug). I was telling a Colombian security guard that I was lighting fireworks, and he was confused. Turns out I was saying that I was hugging fireworks. Abrasar is only used in Spain. In Latin America the word for lighting or burning something is Encender. I hope this book helps you as much as it did for me.
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144 of 148 people found the following review helpful:
It is a "must have" for the serious Spanish student!, February 18, 1999
By A Customer
I bought my first copy of this book in 1987 and I wore it out! One could not ask for a more complete and comprehensiver verb reference book. It is put together in an easy to follow, comprehensive manner. It begins with a concise explination of each tense (simple and compound) with examples for each. That alone is reason enough to warrant owning this reference. It then goes on to fully conjugate 501 verbs in each tense, with one verb per page, listed alphabetically. So, for example, if you forget the irregular command for of the verb "dar," no problem, just look it up under "d." And there it is along with the verb's meanings, all its conjugations, and examples of idioms commonly associated with this verb. I studied Spanish for ten years and used it all the time. Now I am a Spanish professor, myself, and I still keep it on top of my reference books and reccommend it to all my students.
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44 of 59 people found the following review helpful:
Spanish Verb Conjugation Made Easy, December 30, 2000
Whether a student or traveler, "501 Spanish Verbs" will make it easier for you to conjugate the many verbs associated with this Romance language. Just like many Romance languages, there are many tenses to memorize, however with the alphabetical, easy-to-use style author Christopher Kendris has used, conjugating Spanish verbs is as easy as 1-2-3.Similar to "501 Portuguese Verbs," the book also contains short phrases commonly used in Spanish-speaking countries such as Spain and Mexico. The reader needs to be aware of the differences between Castilian Spanish and Latin American Spanish. Latin American usage eliminates the "vosotros" tense, and dialects among the many Spanish-speaking nations can often have words that mean one thing in one country, and something else in another. Keep an eye out for regional dialects (e.g., Castilian, Mexican, Antillean/Caribbean, Central American, etc..). Overall, a must have for those wanting to brush up on their language skills. It's a great reference book to have in your collection.
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