This is not a textbook for learning Spanish. It is useless  to beginners.  Rather it is a very efficient reference book  aimed at filling the void that confronts people who already have a fairly good knowledge of Spanish but can’t use any of the vernacular and can’t seem to  grasp what is being said when they hear native Spanish-speakers talking.  

One of the most interesting portions of the book is the section containing words, phrases, expressions and sayings used in real-life Spanish as it is actually spoken in Latin America, especially the colorful Spanish of Mexico. Entries are arranged in alphabetical order (according to the English alphabet) and translated into English with  examples and explanations that help the reader grasp their true and complete meaning. That section also contains a list of the most common expressions in English, with the respective equivalents and examples provided in Spanish.

The piece de résistance of this book is the chapter (probably the most complete compiled to date) on the dreaded false cognates, a source of so many embarrassing situations. Imagine saying “Estoy muy embarazada” to express your embarrassment in a particular situation without realizing that embarazada means pregnant!  And there are lots of those, some even more outrageous. In close second is the section on swear words and expressions . . . all of them, from slightly daring to breathtakingly ghastly.

Symbols identify entries in a variety of ways, such as (campana) for slang and X for very vulgar. By boiling what could be a long explanation down into a single digit, they save a lot of guessing and cross-checking.

All these elements and many more, like the life-saving section on Living in Mexico, provide what an individual could only achieve by living for many years in the company of Spanish-speaking natives in a Spanish-speaking country.

Also included are other significant aspects of the Spanish-speaking world. It explains the ins and outs of customs, traditions, dress, food and other cultural differences that can make life frustrating  for the uninitiated, such as Mexican cultural peculiarities  and Mexican food (the real McCoy, not what foreigners normally think it is).

This book is the result of a great many years of painstaking work gathering, researching and putting information together.  I spent most of those years whipping out my trusty pen and jotting down expressions on bits of paper, napkins, tissues and sometimes, when nothing else was available, the back of my hand the moment I heard something interesting coming out of someone’s mouth. I sometimes still find a folded post-it or sales slips in pockets (usually after going through several wash cycles), hand bags, suitcases, drawers and so on.  

Both I am my co-author are extremely well qualified for work of this kind (if I DO say so myself). I am a native speaker of English and Fernando is a native speaker of Spanish, although both are bilingual and both are lifelong teachers of our respective languages. This sets the book apart and provides unequalled assurance of accuracy in identifying the nuances, overtones and subtle meanings of real-life Spanish. Many satisfied customers (see reviews) can attest to the merits of this book.

Note: The publisher has never paid us one red cent in royalties on the sale of this book, and we don’t have the wherewithal  to cover the legal fees involved in a lawsuit.