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Summary: Spanish Verb Conjugation Made Easy
Review: 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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Summary: If you want to live "la vida loca" in Spanish, buy this!
Review: When we took off a few years ago to study Spanish in Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Ecuador, my wife and I knew basically NO Spanish, but we brought along several excellent books with us and were able to learn very quickly. Although other books were also excellent for what they did, I can honestly say that NONE was MORE useful over time than 501 Spanish Verbs! There's not doubt in my mind, if you're studying Spanish you MUST HAVE this book. Among other things, this book is: extremely well-organized, easy to understand, comprehensive, and fun! For learning Spanish, where understanding and knowledge of verbs is so important, and where things can get somewhat confusing at times (especially as you get more advanced), this book is a godsend! So, get yourself into an immersion Spanish class (one-on-one if possible, in a Spanish-speaking country even better, living with a native family the best!), and bring along 501 Spanish verbs. Before long, you'll be livin' la vida loca --in Spanish!
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Summary: The Most Important Book For Spanish Students And Teachers
Review: 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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Summary: A little intimidating, but very helpful
Review: The reason 501 SPANISH VERBS is a little intimidating for me is because, well, it's 501 SPANISH VERBS! That's a lot of verbs! I suppose the best way to approach this book is to see it as a reference guide; I don't think that sitting with this book and memorizing it word-by-word, tense-by-tense, is the way to go. Another thing to keep in mind is that most native speakers break grammar rules all the time, and that, since so many countries speak Spanish, there are many different usages. 501 SPANISH VERBS seems to echo most of the books available on learning Spanish: it favors the "Castillian" (i.e., Spanish from Spain) variety, which is why it includes the obsolete-in-other-countries form of "vosotros." Unless you are planning a trip to Spain, learning the "vosotros" form is a complete waste of time. I was happy to see that the latest edition of 501 SPANISH VERBS contains a grammar check, as well as a list of idioms (expressions) used. It's the idioms, the commonly used expressions, that get a novice in trouble. Over all, this book is really a necessity for anyone learning Spanish. But, again, I caution trying to memorize all this stuff. My approach to Spanish has always been to learn it in a more holistic way. In other words, go for the over-all meaning you are trying to communicate, and use manuals life 501 SPANISH VERBS as references, not binding language contracts. Readers of 501 SPANISH VERBS may also be interested in THE DICTIONARY OF CHICANO SPANISH by Roberto A. Galvan, Richard Teschner. Since Mexican-Americans ("Chicano") outnumber any other Hispanic group in the USA, I think that familiarizing oneself with the Chicano usage of Spanish would be helpful.
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Summary: Spanish Verb Conjugation Made Easy
Review: 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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Summary: No frills - just an awesome quick reference
Review: There are other Spanish verb books out there that claim to be better, or have more verbs written out in their full conjugations, or give you better insight to their usage in different countries, etc., but Christopher Kendris's book is the fastest to look up verbs, and the easiest to use. There are no fancy boxes with a lot of small print inside, or so many explanations that you can't find the verb. This is a no-frill, look-em-up, you-got-it kind of reference. It is extensive enough to satisfy most students (and even some native speaking professors!) Yet it does not go so deep that you have to finish the novel before you get the conjugation that you only have 10 seconds to look up for your work. Contrary to the opinion that the work is only good for people who need to see a few hundred AR verbs fully conjugated, most students learn faster and retain the knowledge better when they hear, SEE, and write the information they are learning. It IS important to see the verbs conjugated because then they are reatined better in your memory. What would you remember better, a description of a beach in Hawaii, or a picture of it? This book is not just for slow students, it's for every learner or reviewer. If you have outgrown the need for this book, don't buy it, or get one that goes more deeply into the subject. But let's not confuse our own needs with the value of this book. By the way, this one can still fit into your purse or briefcase.
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Summary: ¡Gran libro!
Review: This book was very helpful for my Español class!
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Summary: More Important than your Bilingual Dictionary!
Review: This is the only reference that I can truly say is more important than a bilingual dictionary. 501 Spanish Verbs is organized alphabetically--just like a dictionary--and contains complete conjugations of nearly every verb you will ever need to use. Even after years of studying Spanish, I still occassionaly get stuck and can't remember certain details, like the difference between the command form of Usted and tu. 501 Spanish Verbs lets you look up all of the forms of every verb. It is definitely the best verb reference out there! The one thing I should say, though, is that it does not teach you how to conjugate verbs, just as a dictionary does not teach you new vocabulary. It is a quick reference, and nothing more. If you want to learn the verb conjugations, you should use The Real Spanish Path. Don't mistake this for a critism of 501 Verbs--it is meant to be a reference, and it does a very efficient job of that.
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Summary: Very good organization....may be too mch information?
Review: Well, it was great to see the well organized verb lstings. It even gives examples, pronunciation.....quite good. But beginners be aware you will nee a conversation book in conjunction with this book to make your Spanish work. Otherwise, you will be helpless to make sense of it all.
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Summary: A Spanish Bible!
Review: I teach spanish and always have had problems with the verbs, as they are difficult even for us, the spanish speaking ones. This book takes out all the mystery. Plus it has many many references, to learn vocabulary, practice situations, and directed to the English Speaker decided to learn Spanish.
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