Fodor's Italian for Travelers (Phrase Book) (Fodor's Languages/Travelers)

 (9 customer reviews)

This book-and-cassette package is a disappointment. The emphasis is on certain set phrases -- "Where is the bathroom?" "Everything is so interesting!", with weak coverage of grammar. The tapes feature an English phrase, followed by the Italian translation (repeated after a pause).In the "section" on occupations, we are told how to identify ourselves as either a businessman or a lawyer. That breadth of coverage gives a pretty good idea of the value of this book. Save your money.

I lived in Italy for 9 months and when I got there I didn't speak a word. I had lots of books and resources for learning the language, but this book was the best for learning grammar and conjugation. It very clearly lays out all of the most essential Italian grammar and is very easy to learn from. This book combined with a good Italian/English dictionary is the way to go for learning Italian!

My experience with this set has been more positive than that of some other reviewers. I purchased it a year ago before my first trip to Italy. I'm using it now to help with pronunciation in the adult ed class in beginning Italian I'm taking. I chose it over other available language tapes because of the reasonable price, an emphasis on traveler's Italian, its compact packaging, and the inclusion of the 288-page Fodor's Italian for Travelers: Phrasebook Dictionary. (The latter title is available separately and has received favorable reviews on Amazon.com.) In addition to the phrasebook, the set consists of two 45-minute audiocassettes and a 32-page audioscript of everything on the tapes. My Italian teacher has listened to portions of the tapes and praises their overall quality, especially the diction and accents of the female and male speakers.The contents of the first tape are: (1) Useful Expressions, (2) At the Airport, (3) Finding Your Way, (4) Accommodations, and (5) Socializing...Read more