Customer Reviews:
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 Most Useful and Entertaining!, May 22, 2002
By Captivated (Lemoore, CA United States)
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A friend bought Rick Steves' Italian Phrase Book & Dictionary for me last summer before I embarked on my first trip abroad. My Italian speaking friend had actually lived in Italy for a few years, and after careful consideration, felt that this phrase book/guide would be useful for me. He was absolutely right. The book proved to be invaluable. It was compact enough that I could carry it around with me in a small purse/backpack that I carried with me throughout my entire trip. I did not speak any Italian whatsoever, and found the words and phrases in the book to be exactly what I needed to get around and communicate effectively. I especially appreciated the pronunciation guide to each Italian word in the book- that was extremely helpful. The practical advice given throughout the book proved to be invaluable, as well as humorous, and the menu decoder was also of particular help. I quickly got over any "qualms" I may have had over appearing too "touristy" on my trip and used the phrase book repeatedly as it proved to be a most definate asset. Thank you Rick Steves' for so accurately predicting the needs of the average beginning traveler. The book greatly enhanced a most wonderful traveling experience. In fact, I am still studying it in anticipation of my next trip to Italy.
127 of 127 people found the above review helpful.
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Prego..., February 22, 2001
By Mark A. Savage
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Now if you read this book, you'd know what that means (Can I help you. Do you speak Italian? Here it is). It's not a high school langauge class, but it's a lot more fun, and with some time you'll get pretty good. I think Rick does a great job is laying out the phrases that you'll need if you go to Italy. We're going in a few weeks, and it's really helping. Now if he could only improve the memory. The book is small, will fit in a shirt pocket. It's broken down into sections (basics, eating, chating, etc.) so you can focus in on a section that you need, master it, then move to another section. After you've been through it all, you can then start combining different phrases and make some great sentences. It's got a lot of mnaterial in it, so start early when you decide to use it. Thanks Rick, I actually feel that I can go into the Italian world and be somewhat understood. And, not to worry, I'll smile as I butcher the language, use my hands a lot, and laugh at the whole thing.
113 of 116 people found the above review helpful.
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Is there one better?, August 29, 2005
By circa1850 (North Carolina)
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Admittedly, maneuvering your way through the sections may be a little tricky at first, but we found that most relevant phrases and lingo was repeated in several different sections to reinforce the learning process. We had looked at and even purchased a couple of other phrase books and dictionaries but found this to be the best one overall. Great pronunciation guides, common everyday conversational items and even the humor is a good break in the studies. I already speak decent Italian, my wife did not, and she found Rick's guide to be much better in format and usability and was the one we chose to take to Italy with us.
53 of 54 people found the above review helpful.
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 Not useful, May 15, 2004
By A Customer
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I love Rick Steves, but this book is too broken up into categories to use very well. We read all the great reviews on this prior to our trip and bought it - mistake. Any time we wanted to look up a word it wasn't in there (first example coming to mind, BLACK! - it was in the Italian to English, but you'd have to be translating that direction only). It's good for a laugh and has funny translations, like slow down the car or i will vomit, but realistically, will you really use that (OK, in Italy if not elsewhere, but it's not something you'd look up at that moment feeling that way). Impractical is the best description of this book
49 of 54 people found the above review helpful.
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 Great for General Use, March 14, 2005
By M. Grisdale (Chicago, IL USA)
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This book has all the basics including a few that you may need to use but hope you never have to. It is well organized. Better than the Berlitz books I thought. Some things seems goofy- why do I need a translation for I have a social disease? Then I found out - it is perfect for the gross old man trying to grope you on the train in Milan - that's why. Not to make Italy sound bad. They just have their fair share of perverts riding on local trains hitting on young women just like my home city does. Anyway, where I found this book lacking was food. As you travel around Italy, the dialects change fairly dramatically. So, sometimes it can be tricky figuring out what it is that you just ordered until you have it in front of you. In Germany I bought a language guide that was just for food (not by Rick Steves) and that helped. I wish he would write an Italian food translation book. The good thing is that a lot of people in Italy speak some English. If they don't they often understood my mix of Spanish and French vocabulary. I recommend Rick Steve's phrase book because he encourages you to speak to the people in the place that you are visiting - perhaps even thumb wrestle.
38 of 40 people found the above review helpful.
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Great take-along phrase book!, May 31, 2000
By A Customer
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Contains the words and phrases you will actually use on a trip. Organized for easy, quick reference. Highly recommend Rick Steve's guidebooks as well. Have used them with great success in the past!
38 of 44 people found the above review helpful.
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The most helpful "little" Italian book, October 3, 2002
By A Customer
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I purchased Rick Steve's Italian Phrase Book & Dictionary in preparation of my trip to Rome. Rick not only makes Italian easy, he makes it fun. This book spells out hundreds of everyday words and phrases, as well as the common phrases and words that will be used by a tourist. He gives helpful hints on how to speak with the locals and make the most of your experience. He also includes many words/phrases that many people would want to know how to say but would be embarrassed to ask someone to translate for them. His attention to detail is fantastic. Although this book will not teach you fluent Italian, it gives you a great foundational vocabulary to start you on your way. A must for anyone planning to travel to Italy! Buon viaggio!
33 of 33 people found the above review helpful.
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Nice Basic Start, September 26, 2001
By Samuel A. Lappano (Mechanicsburg, PA USA)
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This is a nice way to start to learn "By the Phrase" Italian. Having just been to Italy, I can vouch for the generally friendly and helpful nature of most of the residents. Also, in most of the more popular tourist destinations, English is often spoken. So, if you were to work with this book and learn some of the useful, ordinary phrases, it would probably make a nice impression on the native Italians and would make you feel less like a clueless tourist. This book will not make you really fluent, nor will it teach you the real mechanics of the language. Keep in mind this a phrase based, quick start approach that is easy to read and should help the average tourist.
29 of 29 people found the above review helpful.
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Very useful pocket translation guide, November 9, 2004
By Stephanie Manley (Houston, TX)
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This book was a great help during my recent trip to Italy. I liked that Rick Steve's would also add a little bit of the culture and things you should note in here. In the restaurant guide he gives you suggestions, and the fact that your going to pay a bread charge when you sit down at a restaurant. While this book is not complete with all of the words you may need. This coupled with patient folks, you will get what you need.
I think this book is a good starting point, and certainly helped me out as a tourist. I was able to order in a restaurant, get subway directions, receive assistance in a shop without too much trouble. This was one of my best investments on my trip.
24 of 25 people found the above review helpful.
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 It is rude in places, June 19, 2006
By Agatha Comberton (Boston, Massachusetts)
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In laundry " It smells like a locker room is not really useful". Under paying for your meal..."What if I wash the dishes"?
The Italians will think you have lost your mind!!!
One does not say "I am full" at the end of an Italian meal.
This book must have been written for a kid on his first back packing trip to Italy.
These stupid remarks take up too much space and much more useful phrases could have been included.
23 of 35 people found the above review helpful.
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Everything you need to say - and more, June 1, 2004
By rosemary_west (Los Angeles, CA United States)
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Of course, it has the obvious phrases regarding directions, hotel rooms, food, etc. It also has things you really need to say, but that aren't found in standard phrase books. For example, in the "Taxi" section, you can quickly find out how to tell the driver, "If you don't slow down, I will vomit!" There is just enough humor to keep you smiling without wasting your time, and succinctly hepful comments throughout. This is the phrase book to get for your next trip to Italy.
23 of 24 people found the above review helpful.
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Not very good as an Italian / English dictionary, October 9, 2006
By Avid Traveler (San Diego, CA United States)
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This book was difficult to use when trying to translate an Italian word. There is no single lookup, but rather chapters on various topics. I waded through these chapters when looking for a word, but was never able to find any of the words I was looking for. These were frequently seen words also. For example, you would think the chapter on driving would include frequently seen road signs, but it doesn't.
19 of 23 people found the above review helpful.
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fun and useful, January 28, 2005
By Shawn S. Delaney (Indianapolis, IN United States)
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Rick Steves is a terrific travel writer, and really knows how to make just about anything entertaining. He does the same with his language books, and this one is no exception. full of useful, though sometimes hilariously irreverant, phrases, this is a great pocket-sized language guide for Italy. you won't find everything you need in here (the Menu guide, for example, is particularly lacking), but it's a very good start and a fun read.
as noted by others, the odd organization of items in the book can make finding things a bit tricky at times, but it's usually in there if you know where to look. just familiarize yourself with where things are located and you'll be fine.
definitely recommended.
17 of 19 people found the above review helpful.
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Great Travel Companion, October 22, 2005
By R. Brink (Tampa, Florida)
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Very helpful, well-organized. Saw lots of people in Rome using the same book. Full of humor. Unfortunately mine was stolen in Rome before I finished the trip. I really missed it.
17 of 21 people found the above review helpful.
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Mostly useless, September 6, 2006
By F. Solomon (Melrose, MA USA)
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I found the book very difficult to use and almost never had what I was looking for. The small dictionary in the back of my eyewitness travel guide was much more useful.
12 of 13 people found the above review helpful.
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Better With Behind the Wheel Italian, April 16, 2006
By veronica (Tuscon, Arizona)
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I have used many different language products in the past and I am well-versed enough to make semi-intellligent comments about the books and courses I am using.
Rick Steves' Italian Phrase Book and Dictionary is a great and useful book, but it is even greater and more useful when used in conjunction with Behind the Wheel Italian.
You learn Italian through hearing native speakers speak the language.
Behind the Wheel Italian has the added advantage of an English speaking instructor that explains what you are learning in English and then Ana reinforces the material in her native language.
Rick Steves guide is a gem of phrases, words, pronunciation guide and endless info. When used with a course like Behind the Wheel Italian, you can actually learn to speak the language in a meaningful way.
11 of 11 people found the above review helpful.
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Fun book, June 20, 2001
By M. Velasco (Fresno, CA)
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This book provides a myriad of helpful phrases and is convenient in size. He even includes phrases that other phrase books won't even touch (you'll know what I mean). It's very easy to use and well organized.
11 of 12 people found the above review helpful.
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Not too useful, October 19, 2005
By SwooP (Bay Area, California)
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The phrases are rarely used except the most common which can be looked up. I constantly find words not listed in the dictionary, especially the things on restaurant menus. Its not completely useless but a bare to carry for its limited use. I would search elsewhere for a more useful book. If there aren't any, I guess this will do.
11 of 20 people found the above review helpful.
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Easy to use, fun, and a great help, November 16, 2003
By A Customer
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I used this phrasebook while in Florence in November 2003 and found it very easy to use and helpful. It even made me laugh: what other phrasebook would tell you how to say "I'm a pest" or how to talk with animals? I should add that I studied Italian over 40 years ago, so the language wasn't totally strange to me. The desk clerk at my hotel noticed the phrasebook and commented that it was very good. A street vendor told me I spoke pretty good Italian "for an American."
11 of 13 people found the above review helpful.
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Not a way to learn the language, June 1, 2008
By Carl Stewart (western Massachusetts)
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It seems that Americans buy books such as these in great numbers. They are generally a waste of time. If one observes how most foreigners speak English when they visit us, we might try to emulate them when we go abroad. Italian is not a particularly difficult language to learn; there are many cognates with English....and Spanish and French. You will enjoy foreign travel so much more if your vocabulary can be extended beyond "Where is the Post Office". In fact, with laptops and e-mail, no one really uses the post office very much these days. Get some tapes and listen to them on your commute; take an adult ed. course, but these phrase books, which looked cute 50 years ago when post-war Americans started discovering Europe should now be considered obsolete.
10 of 33 people found the above review helpful.
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You probably don't need this book, May 17, 2007
By Western History Buff (Santa Ana, CA USA)
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Having traveled in Italy extensively I find that an Italian/English dictionary is more useful than this combination. And smaller. Many Italians speak more English than you can speak Italian. I've used Rick Steves Guide books for years. They are great. Save your money. Don't buy this but buy an up to date guide from Rick.
8 of 9 people found the above review helpful.
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Perfect...it's all you'll need, January 12, 2007
By Joel Dauteuil (Burlington, VT USA)
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I love the Rick Steves Travel books so I bought this and the German language book to try out. I'm very impressed and highly recommend them. They're small and thin so they fit in your back pocket. The books contain just what you need - nothing more, nothing less.
Easy to navigate and find the scenario you're in so you can respond or ask the right question quickly.
So many other language book writers could learn a great deal from Rick's books.
FYI for language book writers:
- read Rick's books and imitate them;
- we're on vacation - make the book small! That's right, not text book size!
- and, we're not trying to learn to speak the language - we just want to avoid ordering bacon bits on our favorite gelatto. Keep it simple!
Make sense?
7 of 7 people found the above review helpful.
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Rick Steves' Italian Phrase Book and Dictionary, November 4, 2006
By Bubba (Georgia)
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Very good easy to use ans can be carried with you
7 of 7 people found the above review helpful.
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An absolute necessity, October 29, 2006
By Veggie Mom (California)
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I ordered this book for our trip to Italy and took it everywhere with me. It provided all of the phrases that we needed to get around Rome as well as travelling through the Italian countryside where few people spoke English. It is packed with great information and practical advice, yet small enough to carry around with me.
7 of 7 people found the above review helpful.
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Rick Steves' Italian Phrase Book and Dictionary, November 4, 2006
By Bubba (Kissimmee, FLorida, United States)
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Very good easy to use ans can be carried with you
7 of 7 people found the above review helpful.
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A Must Have, January 15, 2007
By Ben Travelin (Boston, MA)
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My girlfriend and I recently spent 5 weeks traveling in Italy and found this book to be extremely helpful. It is broken up into sections that help you in all situations. It almost walks you through the conversation. I would suggest picking it up well before your trip and study it some or you will still be lost. Most Italians can speak the english language much better than you can read Italian from a book. Pronunciation is very important to them, so if you do not get that right it won't make sense to them anyways. You will find that it is easier to speak english most of the time, but it is nice to have a general understanding of the Italian language and use that for greatings and general situations.
6 of 7 people found the above review helpful.
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Not that good, October 26, 2009
By PB
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I'm going to have to break with other reviewers here, and give my less-than-stellar review of this book. We purchased this before we left for our European trip to Paris and 3 cities in Italy. We also purchased the French book by Steve's. Before we left we thought we'd found the perfect book with the perfect phrases, although they were harder to find due to the way he lays out the book. But after much research we settled on these books and were happy....until we had to use them in France and Italy. I quickly discovered that although the book had helped with pronunciation, almost none of the words we needed were in the dictionary in the back, nor could we find simple words or phrases in the proper sections of travel and dining, that we found in real life situations. This was very disappointing, first in France then in Italy. I quickly went to Google translator, put in all the phrases I needed but did not find in the book, and wrote them all down. This helped tremendously. I also searched for words that weren't in the dictionary and wrote them down, as well. Almost every night I did this as we encountered new circumstances that the book didn't have anything helpful for. Also, when you're in the moment and you need something, trying to find first the section which seems haphazardly placed in the book, then the area of the section where the phrases are located, then go down the list for the correct phrase, is time consuming of time you don't have, and frustrating when after all that time you don't find what you need. Meanwhile the person you're trying to speak to is just staring at you. Things worked much better when I whipped out my handwritten phrases and asked my direct question. Just remember that you probably won't understand what their answer is unless it's a simple yes or no.
After this trip my advise is to borrow basic language books from the library, type out what you need and get a good pocket dictionary if you need, something with substance which this dictionary is not. Use Google translator for the most used phrases you think you'll need and go from there. Save your money on this book.
5 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
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A Foreigners Bible!, March 30, 2007
By book & coffee addict (Pasadena, CA USA)
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My husband and I just return from a 2 week trip to Italy and found this book to be EXTREMELY handy! We didn't know any Italian and this book got us around and taught us all the basics. The best thing is how the book is broken into sections. The train and taxi sections were especially handy when we found ourselves stuck at a train station in a small Tuscan town that didn't have any taxis! The book helped us communicate with a little old Italian man who spoke no English but was happy to drive us to our villa! Thanks Rick!
4 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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great little resource, March 8, 2007
By reads too much, yet not enough (Salt Lake City, UT USA)
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This is a great, small (i.e. perfectly sized for travel) Italian phrase book. Everything by Rick Steves is great.
4 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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Don't Leave for Italy without It!, January 7, 2007
By D. Holmes
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This compact little book has everything you would ever need to travel alone in an Italian speaking destination. It's extremely well organized, easy to use and completely charming and amusing. Besides all of the usual things you might expect from a phrase book and dictionary,where else will you learn the local profanity, words to Italian songs, and how to tell a driver that, if he doesn't slow down, you are going to throw up?
4 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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Pocket size Italian guide, November 11, 2007
By Marilyn Fox (Charlottesville, VA)
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I like this Italian guide because it is pocket size (so I can carry it in my Pocket and HAVE IT WITH ME! when I need it) and because it includes more useful phrases than other guides (I don't need to know how to say "Where's the Vatican" I DO need to know how to tell the Taxi to SLOW DOWN! and this guide tells me how, in a way that makes sure the driver listens!
4 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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Easy to Use & Pocket sized, March 8, 2007
By tonton1102 (Chattanooga, Tennessee United States)
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This is a wonderful pocket guide for real converstaional phrases... travel words & phrases, hotel info, menus and even pick-up lines. Easy to use it will stay in my pocket for my entire trip to Italy.
3 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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Rick Steves' Italian Phrase Book and Dictionary, March 24, 2007
By Nana Char (Honolulu, HI, USA)
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A little book containing a ton of information. A necessary item for anyone planning a trip to Italy!
3 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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Rick Steves Italian Phrase Book and Dictionary, April 10, 2007
By Cheryl Mclean
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I love it.
I purchased three. Myself and two of my best friends are going to Italy in October. We all love the book and will be bringing it to Italy with us.
Love it, love it, love it. Thank you.
Great price also.
Chow,
Cheryl Mclean
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Easy to use, April 10, 2007
By Shelley Lederman
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I am planning a trip to Italy in September of 2007 and will be using Rick Steve's book extensively. It is easy to use and includes all the vocabulary and phrases that someone who is not fluent in the langauge can readily refer to. Ciao....Shelley in Sarasota
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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You need this!, March 22, 2007
By Diane Pankratz
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If you are not traveling with tour guides, this book is a must. The best and easiest guide on the market! I bought a few different guides as to not miss anything, this book gave me 90% of what I needed!
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Rick Steves' Italian Phrase Book and Dictionary, January 3, 2007
By B. Abbott (North Carolina USA)
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The book arrived very fast and in new condition.
2 of 8 people found the above review helpful.
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unsatisfactory, November 11, 2006
By betty80906 (Colorado)
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I received this after my trip and was told I would be receiving a return authorization, but I have not received it.
2 of 50 people found the above review helpful.
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Rick Steves Italian Phrase Book and Dictionary, April 10, 2007
By Cheryl Mclean
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I love it.
I purchased three. Myself and two of my best friends are going to Italy in October. We all love the book and will be bringing it to Italy with us.
Love it, love it, love it. Thank you.
Great price also.
Chow,
Cheryl Mclean
2 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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 This book's title should be changed, January 4, 2011
By Coldbrew (New York)
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While this book will probably come in handy for my upcoming trip to Italy, I am disappointed in the contents. While the title is "phrase book", the book is almost entirely just a list of individual words and how they are pronounced.
This book would be much more helpful to me if it included more actual phrases that one might use while traveling, rther than just individual words. This is really not a "phrase" book.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Great Italian quick guide!, July 22, 2010
By Travel Girl (Lawrenceville, Georgia United States)
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Rick Steves' Italian Phrase Book is a great quick guide resource to learn the basics in Italian. If you are looking for a book that's small enough to take along with you on a trip to Italy, this is the book for you. The book is split up into easy to find sections with common and not so common phrases that are easy to follow and learn. I'm using this guide along with a selection of Italian Phrase Podcasts that I downloaded to help me learn enough Italian to make my way around Italy on my next trip this year.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Very Helpful!, July 12, 2010
By Choral Music Aficionado (California)
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Wow! I bought this book because I thought it would be good to have while traveling to various cities throughout Italy. I was surprised how much I actually had to use it! This book is organized very simply and I was able to have decent conversations with non-English speakers rather efficiently.
If you're "on the fence" about purchasing this book, get it! You WILL end up using it at some point.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Phrases Galore!, June 25, 2010
By Gaming Guru (Michigan)
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The way the phrases are sectioned by activity is a great help! When I'm at the train station or airport there is a section perfect to assist me. When I'm shopping in the plaza, I can get to what I need in a hurry. When I'm at the restaurant and want to verify what I'm ordering, that too can be found easily.
Rick Steve even tells you numbers, money, time, days of the week, months, and even some common verbs and their conjugations. This really is the hitch hikers guide to italian phrases. If you're planning a trip and want to prepare, or even if you have no time and are using this only as a pocket companion, you can't go wrong.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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good little book to have but lacking some things, May 18, 2010
By Dakar (Littleton, CO)
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this book was small and useful. I found the dictionary part good but obviously missing many words since such a small book. The phrases were good but it was definitely missing several phrases too. I couldn't figure out how to get a ATM machine to accept my card, it had some things on that but not what I needed. And a couple times I used a phrase from the book and people didn't know what I meant, I'm sure I didn't say it to badly. I also was trying to learn the language a few months as well so this wasn't my only aid.
The problem with this and anything probably is trying to quickly find what you need when you need it. Overall it was only marginally useful but nice and small so was not a problem to bring.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Just returned from Rome, September 10, 2009
By Avid Reader
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Good for a quick reference but best to read it before you travel and refer to it when necessary.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Very useful guide, and easy to carry with you, June 4, 2009
By Mrs. Wilson (Pennsylvania)
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This little book is filled with useful phrases that you'll need while traveling in Italy. I've been using some audio and video Italian language programs, but this book will be in my pocket during my entire time in Italy. I highly recommend it.
Rick Steves' Italy 2009 guide, though, left a little to be desired for me. He only covers the areas in Italy that he would recommend you visit. Pesaro, for example was not included in that book, and there was one sentence on Rimini that I can sum up in one word, "over-rated" according to Steves.
You cannot go wrong with this phrasebook/dictionary. If you're considering it, I say go for it. But if you want an Italy guidebook, I would say check out Fodor's Italy 2009 (Full-Color Gold Guides). I looked through various guides in the bookstore, and this one impressed me the most. Happy traveling!
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Great little book, May 17, 2007
By Corky (Ashburnham, MA)
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I really like this book. It is organized really well and provide useful phrases. The size is great too. I'm going to Italy and will keep it handy. I would recommend it!
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Great Travel Book, July 13, 2006
By C. Schultz
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This book will come in very handy for my trip to Italy. The book is easy to follow and use. It's a great guide.
1 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Best travel phrase book I've come across, November 9, 2011
By Italian at heart
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My wife and I were preparing a trip to Tuscany and had used some Rosetta Stone learning for our Italian. However, as we got close to departure we realized we needed something to fall back on and ordered this phrase book. It was awesome! Condensed into pocket size were all kinds of phrases that came in handy when we shopped, ate at restaurants, ordered taxis or buses etc. It also has a small dictionary at the back when you are looking for that special word but can't remember it. On top of it the author has included some outrageosly funny phrases that you would probably never use but which will give you a good laugh as you go through the pages. This is well spent money. My wife and I bought two so we could both have one in our pocket.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Great Travel Sized Book, October 14, 2011
By turtle reader
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My friend and I went to Italy with only vague ideas of where we wanted to go and so had no hotel reservations. Since we did not go to any big cities, not everyone spoke English. What a great book to have whenever we went to a hotel or a restaurant. It was perfect for what we needed to order food, read critical road signs, and get rooms. I really regretted those few times I forgot to bring it along.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Rick Steves Italian, October 3, 2011
By Mr T
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Did not know what to expect as I was wanting to have an easy to use phrase reference to use while in Italy. I was very pleasantly surprised and gratified that I purchased the right book to satisfy my needs. The way it is divided into usage chapters (ie. eating, chatting, health, etc.) made it easy to go to the area of particular interest I was pursuing. Rick Steves' Italian Phrase Book and Dictionary
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Very well put-together book, September 9, 2011
By EcoDesigner (Traveler)
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I have an expensive ($200+) electronic dictionary, and this little $9 book--and if I had to choose, I'd pick this book over the translator almost every time.
What I really appreciate about this book is the arrangement. Most language dictionaries/language books have words listed in alphabetical order. If you wanted to compose a complete sentence, you'd have to flip through a dozen sections and it would take forever. But this book has words grouped by topic/category, which is so much more useful and intuitive.
I felt as I was using it that it was actually written by someone who thinks before they create/publish something.
It's amazing how it can be so small (almost pocket-sized) but have almost everything you need.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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This book's title should be changed, January 4, 2011
By Coldbrew (USA)
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While this book will probably come in handy for my upcoming trip to Italy, I am disappointed in the contents. While the title is "phrase book", the book is almost entirely just a list of individual words and how they are pronounced.
This book would be much more helpful to me if it included more actual phrases that one might use while traveling, rther than just individual words. This is really not a "phrase" book.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Indispensable, June 25, 2011
By GlennB
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Had handy all through Italian trip and helped us not only figure out menus and signs but also converse with locals and improve our fledgling Italian. Made for a much more enjoyable trip. Well worth it!
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small and informative, June 14, 2011
By jmin
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There are key phrases to survive in Italy as well as more difficult phrases within the context--food, money, sleep, greetings...etc.
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One GREAT resource- skip packing the others!, May 15, 2011
By d Sails (Durham, NC)
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We went to Italy know no Italian. I had been to Italy 10 years earlier and struggled with the language and the books that I had then were useless. I had tried to listen to some CDs prior to our trip but didn't gain much useful information at all. However, this little book by Rick Steves' was with us everywhere we went! It was extremely helpful when we were in small villages where no one spoke any English. I was amazed at how picking up a few words here and there with this book we could order what we wanted, find directions and get around. Rick also gives some light-hearted comments within the book that made communicating with these wonderful people even fun! My husband, not usually into travel books - would double check to see if we had "the talking book" with us... I recommend this book!
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Good Travel Companion, April 21, 2011
By Casual Traveler
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This isn't a dictionary, but it isn't intended to be one. It doesn't replace learning to speak by listening to a native speaker first. It does provide very useful basic words and phrases which helped this casual traveler navigate a new country, with a minimum of embarrassment, and adds notes on culture. Unlike a dictionary, I think you're supposed to read through it and take advantage of the sections that pertain to your travel plans, at least that's what I did.
You have to recognize that some of the phrases are tongue-in-cheek and should not be used; hopefully, most travelers will know the difference between these and the valuable survival vocabulary. It helped me learn to say "my friend is allergic to nuts," when asking for assistance in deciding on menu options. I used it to develop my own set of flash cards, so I could memorize some of the basics I knew I would need, based on earlier travels to other countries.
Now I am fortunate to be planning a return trip to Italy, and am using it as part of a refresher course to prepare. I was sorry to read the comment about the number of errors -- if that is indeed the case, I am surprised that I was so well received on my last visit. Italians truly appreciate the effort to speak their language, and if you don't try for fear of making errors, you'll miss an important bonus in your travels. Rick Steves makes you want to try.
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Great product, October 26, 2010
By Cat (AZ)
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Love this little book for looking up words and phrases. I would recommend this book to any beginner looking to learning some basic words.
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W/out it, I'd be helpless..., September 28, 2010
By Marcia B.
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Excellent! I did not know more than 2 words in Italian, but because of this extremely helpful and useful book I was actually able to communicate effectively! Having the words 'phonically' spelled out was priceless! I'd recommend to anyone going to Italy! Bravo!
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Italian Phrase Book and Dictionary, September 27, 2010
By Marvin C. Bennett
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The dictionary is very helpful and the phrases are also good. However, one should not expect to be able to form complex sentences in a foreign language using this or any other phrase book.
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Handy for travelers, September 25, 2010
By Joseph P. Parrinello
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This booklet is just the right size for toting around Italy and is packed with an unbelievable amount of infomation. A very good buy.
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Useful and fun to read, June 24, 2010
By CWR (Atlanta GA)
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Purchased this guide with the other Rick Steves guides for Italy (Venice, Rome, Cinque Terre & Almafi Coast) and found it to be very useful while we were on vacation. It has the phrases you need to know (vino della casa rosso) with pronunciation and then some phrases that are just funny. It was also very useful for interpreting the menu (for things other than pasta). I highly recommend.
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This will help me tremendously, May 27, 2010
By movie lover (Dallas,TX USA)
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I am hoping to go to Italy later this year. This book is a MUST if you cannot speak Italian. It is easy to phonetically speak the words and phrases. It is categorized according to specific topics such as traveling, money, how to check into a hotel etc.
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Concise, Complete, And Easy to Understand, May 10, 2010
By amazonbuyer
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We went to France with Rick Steves' French phrase book and it was great. Many expressions we were able to make use of. So, when we decided to go to Italy it was natural for us to take Rick along again. Well worth the price.
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review phrase book, April 17, 2010
By Jane E. Allen
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Pretty good but have to keep flipping all over book to see section you need.
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Great Size, March 27, 2010
By K. Wilklow (South Carolina)
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Great book, has a lot of great information. Love the size. The copy of the book that I got was damaged but it will still work for us.
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Just love everything Rick Steves publishes!, February 14, 2010
By SccLovesAmazon (Roswell, GA United States)
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Haven't been to italy since we bought this but reading it allevietes any fears of "language barriers". Looking forward to using it.
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useful, December 16, 2009
By silverrose721 (Staten Island, NY)
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I like that this book has phrases that you might not think that you will need. it categorizes phrases by subjects which helps when youre in a rush (food, greetings etc)
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Very helpful, November 27, 2009
By C. C. Watson (SUn City, Az)
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This will be very helpful on my trip to Italy in April....altho I know Italian, there are some things I don't remember.....
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Italian phrase book, November 18, 2009
By cdlgal (minnesota)
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Was so well taken care of by tour director that I didnt need to use this book, but enjoyed reading it. Left it with tour director.
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Brief, to be used only by tourists to tour, August 27, 2009
By Jay H. Colborn (Tallahassee, FL)
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This is outstanding for what it is supposed to do: give you a reference to interact at a basic level with Italians. Rick is very people oriented, and seems to want to promote excellent person-to-person relationships, and even country-to-country.
Don't rely on it to teach you Italian; get Pimsleur for that, then follow up with Living Language. Perhaps add Fluenz, if you are really serious, but it is expensive, as is Rosetta Stone, which I would avoid.
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Very useful, May 14, 2009
By Marcy (Billerica, MA USA)
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Rick Steve's 2008 guide to Rome will be my bible when we head for Rome in a couple of months. Very comprehensive. Lots of insider tips.
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Rick Steve's Italian Prasebook, April 30, 2009
By Mikki Clark
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I found the phrase book helpful as I studied before our trip. However, when I wanted to find something quickly I had a bit of a struggle, there were many places to look. When I was trying to find things that I bumped into along the roads in Italy they were often not included.
The pronunciation guides were very good. I just could have studied harder. I found it helpful to review the book in the evenings & see things that I could have said.
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Phonetics Really Help, April 21, 2009
By eclectic reader (Knoxville, TN)
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This book encourages me to think I could actually speak well enough to get around! The phonetic pronunciations help get the emphasis right. Arrangement of words by situation is also helpful. I look forward to my trip to Italy in the fall.
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Rick Steves Italian Phrasebook and Dictionary, April 5, 2009
By Kathleen T. Pfeiffer
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It is a convenient, compact book that is easy to use. It is organized in a way that enables you to locate the words or phrases that you need by various catgegories.
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My new best friend!, March 20, 2009
By Avid reader, TX
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I just bought this for an upcoming trip. I am already finding much use for this book and it will be packed to travel in my carry-on. Rick Steves' has even added a few phrases for humor....I absolutely recommend it!
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Exactly what I needed, January 14, 2009
By Ronald S. Manescu (Allentown, PA)
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Have traveled to Italy several times, and always wanted something fast and easy to learn some key phrases while
flying over the pond.
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This Italian phrase book works, October 13, 2008
By F. C. Philips (Nashville, Tennessee)
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This Italian phrase book offers far more than it promises, is easy to use, and quickly seems to offer precise solutions to the problem of the moment, whatever it may be. My wife and I made extensive use of it.
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A lifesaver!, September 1, 2008
By Jennifer Kydd (Antioch, TN USA)
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I don't speak any Italian, so this guidebook was a bit of a lifesaver. I don't like to refer to books when I'm trying to experience the culture, but it was nice to be able to review this at the end of the day or in the morning before we started the day. I tried to learn a few important phrases and feel my way through the rest. We visited Venice, and most people in Venice do speak English. While I can confidently speak French, Italian is quite different (more akin to Spanish). I love the pronunciation guides; they were most helpful.
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Everything you need to travel to Italy, August 10, 2008
By historyteacherdd (NY)
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Has all the phrases you could ever want/need while traveling to Italy! The phrases are written in both English and Italian and include phonetic pronunciations for each word and phrase.
I would highly recommend buying this for your travels to Italy.
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Steves' fundamental phrases, August 3, 2008
By due2much (Glendale, CA USA)
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The hard to find words in the Italian vocabulary are presented here...there is something for everyone. If you are cussing out an Italian driver--ordering a meal--visiting a museum--or asking for directions--Steves provides phrases and words for you!
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Useful and amusing, June 25, 2008
By New York Foodie (New York)
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Rick Stevens has written a book with all kinds of useful phrases and lots you may never need but will laugh at while reading.
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Useful and entertaining phrase book, October 30, 2007
By L. Zeidner (Washington, DC)
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Rick Steves has done it again. The organization of this book is perfect. It's very useful and has tons of helpful phrases. Plus, it's witty and fun to use. I recommend using a cd to learn some basic Italian and to practice pronouncing the language. Then use this phrase book while you're travelling, and you'll be able to ask for directions, decipher a menu, and charm the natives.
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Perfect for Travel, October 3, 2007
By T. Stansbury
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This is a great guide book that I can stick in my travel bag while in Italy. I love it!!!!
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Rick Steves does it again, September 7, 2007
By Joe R
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Rick does a great job with all his travel materials and this is no exception. The book can definitely be a lifesaver when trying to communicate. There is good effort on Rick's part to get the phrases and structure passable without getting bogged down in grammar. Like Rick says, "you will be stringing together words in caveman like language in no time." He also has some fun stuff in the book that will make you laugh. I paricularly liked the descriptions for the quantities of alcohol- from a pint to a barrel he has you covered!
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Best Italian phrase book ever, July 3, 2007
By Carol W. Kohfeld (Saint Louis, Missouri, USA)
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We have been using Rick Steve's books for many years. This latest phrase book is the best ever. An especially important section is the part on opposites which has proved very useful. It is organized very well and we would not be without it on our trips to Italy.
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Rick Steves' Italian Phrase Book and Dictionary, May 26, 2007
By fay (SCOTLAND)
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Again - Absolutely BRILLIANT!
Highly reccommended to anyone going to Italia*
I spoke very good Italiano when I lived there in the 70's - but a bit rusty now - and my husband doesn't speak any at all - this is a must for Italia and Rick Steves' does it for us - as well as his books on Italy and Florence - Brilliant author - he covers everything you would need to know to visit this Beautiful country
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We're natives now!, May 21, 2007
By Mad4mky (Redwood City, CA)
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We are having a blast going through the book and learning new phrases/words for our trip to Italy.
Rick adds some great funny lines as well as the ones that you will NEED to get along in this wonderful country
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Rick Steves' Italian Phrase Book and Dictionary, February 4, 2011
By Erik Wayne (POMPTON LAKES, NEW JERSEY, US)
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REAL simple: it worked. I took it with me to Italy and it worked. Most people do speak English
but not American so just having a phrase ready made it easy. got thru it.
We need an American to English book nextRick Steves' Italian Phrase Book and Dictionary
0 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Compact Phrase Book and Dictionary - Italian, May 17, 2010
By Elizabeth A. Martin
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I haven't gone on my trip yet, but I love that this phrase book and dictionary is small/compact and can easily fit into my purse. I am sure it will be put to good use. I have flipped through and it is user-friendly.
0 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Can't wait to get to ITALY!!, April 10, 2008
By S. Homrich
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I have gotten half way through Rick Steve's Italy 2008 and part of me feels like I've already been on vacation. I plan on taking the book to Italy when we go as a reference guide. The book is simply written therefore easy to understand, plus it's witty. I am sure it will be a huge help on our trip in June. We also purchased Rick Steve's ITALIAN phrase book and dictionary, that will accompany us on our trip as well!
0 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Wish I could give Rick Steves ZERO stars, January 10, 2011
By (Google 'buying carbon offsets') (Virginia)
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As a fluent speaker of Italian, I can tell you that Rick Steves' understanding of the language is crude at best. He makes terrible mistakes and will only cause you to look as ignorant as he does if you use his book. There are literally HUNDREDS of better ways to learn the language.
0 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Not pratical for me, January 14, 2012
By Inspired (St Louis)
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For me this book is not practical. When in Italy I would like to be able to look up Italian words in a dictionary to find out the basic meaning. The book is full of phrases that I wouldn't know how to pronounce, since I don't know Italian, and if someone was to respond, I wouldn't know what they said anyway. If anyone knows of a small carry along book that would be convenient to translate basic menu items and basic Italian to English and English to Italian, please list it. I know I should learn some of the local language when traveling, but haven't been able to remember or master them when I tried.
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Great little book!, November 7, 2011
By AL (Ft.Lauderdale, FL USA)
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This is a great pocket size book. Fun to read! very helpful and very practical. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning a little bit of the Italian language, or who is thinking of taking a vacation in Italy. Great book.
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It Is What It Advertises, August 13, 2011
By Kirk Carpenter (Tucson, AZ USA)
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My wife will be traveling to Italy with a group of friends and wanted to get a phrase book to take along. Don't know yet how useful it will be but will report back after the trip. Amazon's ordering and delivery was excellent as usual.
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Really the best, July 13, 2011
By Molly Baldwin (Albuquerque, NM USA)
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Rick is spot-on, in our humble opinion, for advice, recommendations of out of the way great spots, and a cultural sensitivity to things Italian that are all good -- and refreshing.
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Just enough to keep you out of trouble, July 11, 2011
By DEBBIE WILSON (SHREVEPORT, LA, US)
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This book came in real handy on our two week tour of Naples and Rome. Small enough to pack in your purse or backpack and chock full of useful phrases and words. Most Italians were able to understand us even with our southern drawl.
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Meh..., December 5, 2011
By TravellingSunny
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It'll do. Rick Steves' sense of humor is great, and it isn't missed in this phrase book. This review may not be entirely fair, because I've never used a phrase book before, preferring to learn the basic language (present tense only) before visiting the country. But, I was in a time pinch, and was looking for a way to communicate while in Italy.
There are definitely some useful phrases and additional information in this book, and I'm certain I will use it. However, the layout doesn't make sense to me, and I fear that I won't be able to find what I need to say when I need to say it.
Previous posters seemed to have a problem with some of the humorous phrases that were included - like "I only eat insects" in the restaurant section. Keep in mind that the book is meant to be light-hearted. There are many other phrases on that same page, and the point was that you can at that point say I only eat... and insert whatever word you wanted - and there's a whole list on the page.
All-in-all, I'm not ecstatic about my purchase, but it's not my worst online purchase. (Don't even get me started with THAT story!) :)
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