Portuguese For Dummies (For Dummies (Language and Literature))

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 384 pages
• Published by: For Dummies May 8, 2006
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0471787388
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0471787389
• Book Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 1 inches
• Weighs: 1.2 pounds

Product Description
Quick! What’s the most widely spoken language in South America? That’s right, Portuguese! And what’s the fastest, easiest, most enjoyable way to learn Portuguese? Portuguese for Dummies, of course! This fun, friendly guide helps you start speaking Brazilian Portuguese immediately! Whether you're a student, a traveler, or you work in business or government, you'll love its practical lessons, cultural facts, and handy references — including a Portuguese-English mini-dictionary, lists of vital verbs, and more! You’ll discover how to:

• Have everyday conversations in Portuguese
• Make sense of Portuguese grammar
• Use idioms and popular expressions
• Improve your pronunciation
• Get a handle on verb conjugations
• Get around in Portuguese-speaking countries

Portuguese for Dummies comes complete with a CD loaded with real-life “Talkin’ the Talk” dialogues that help you understand and pronounce this lovely, lyrical language. With this easy, low-pressure approach you’ll be jabbering away in Portuguese in no time.

Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

Back Cover Copy
Includes tips on using idioms and popular expressions

Your fun and friendly guide to Brazilian Portuguese

This unintimidating guide will help you start speaking Brazilian Portuguese — beginning today! Whether you're a student, a traveler, or you work in business or government, you'll find it's packed with practical lessons, cultural facts, and handy references — including a Portuguese-English mini-dictionary, lists of vital verbs, and more!

Discover how to

• Have everyday conversations in Portuguese
• Make sense of Portuguese grammar
• Improve your pronunciation
• Get a handle on verb conjugations
• Get around in Portuguese-speaking countries

Reader Reviews
I was very excited to see a book for Portuguese in the "Dummies" series, and I was thrilled once I received it. Written in the usual comedic style of this series, "Portuguese for Dummies" is entertaining, very well-organized and has tons of useful information. You should know that this book concentrates only on Brazilian Portuguese. However, I should say that you shouldn't expect to be able to teach yourself Portuguese solely from this book even though it's fantastic (and the author states this upfront). This book is a great companion to taking Portuguese classes or using another learning resource. Personally, I have been working with the Pimsleur method on CD (which is superb), and so I have a working knowledge of the langugage. This book is great for someone like me, since it can serve as a review, a fun supplement to my regular studies, and has lots of other wonderful features. I was thrilled to see sections on common Brazilian idiomatic expressions and slang, something that's not contained in most instructional resources I've come across. I have Brazilian friends who constantly confused me with their expressions, so now I'm starting to get it! Also great are sections on terms associated with Brazilian culture, music, Carnaval, helpful things for travelers, tables with conjugations of common verbs, etc. You can tell a lot of thought went into creating this useful guide. One major problem: the CD is off-the-charts bad. There's an English speaking narrator who introduces conversations and cannot pronounce any of the Portuguese words properly (WHY did they bother having her try?) The Portuguese speakers sound stilted and robotic when talking. However, the book is fantastic... I strongly recommend that you buy it, then tear the CD off the back cover and play frisbee with your dog. If you REALLY are serious about learning Portguese, I recommend the following materials, all available on amazon.com: 1. Pimsleur's Brazilian Portguese, Comprehensive CDs (or Cassettes), Levels 1-3. 2. A good Portuguese/English dictionary: I like the Oxford. 3. Portuguese for Dummies 4. Portuguese in ten Minutes a Day (for vocabulary building).