The Concise Cambridge Italian Dictionary (Reference Books)

Rating:
Summary: User-Friendly for English Speakers, But Sadly Out-Of-Date
Review: This is the only paperback Italian-English dictionary with outstanding grammar help for the English speaker. It includes accents, which many others lack, but it's strongest point is the help it gives on irregular plurals, irregular verbs, and auxiliary verbs. Originally published in 1975, however, it is simply out of date. Italy is a dynamic, modern country, and the language is changing. Also, this dictionary is VERY British--sometimes I can't understand the "English" definitions!

Try instead the Italian-English dictionary from Oxford's Color Dictionary series. It's not nearly as helpful grammar-wise, but it is modern, has quite a few Americanisms, and is printed on much better paper.