Street Spanish Slang Dictionary & Thesaurus

By David Burke

Book Overview

'Tus antepasados eran nobles? !Me estas tomando el pelo! (trans.): Your ancestors were royalty? You're pulling my leg! (lit.): Your ancestors are royalty? You're taking my hair! !La comida en este restauraniete esta para chuparse los dedos! (trans.): The fod in this restaurant id delicious! (lit.): The food in this restaurant is to suck one's fingers! While asking for directions, if a native speaker of Spanish were to tell you not to "eat your coconut" (comerse el coco) just because some "large onion" (cebollon) told you that your destination was "in the fifth pine tree" (en el quinto pino), you may not know whether to continue on your way or just give up and turn back -- that is, unless you've read David Burke's latest book in his Street Spanish series. The Street Spanish Slang Dictionary & Thesaurus offers English equivalents and usage tips for over one thousand Spanish terms, including slang words, idioms proverbs, colloquialisms, and vulgarities. It also offers an extensive thesaurus of naughty Spanish slang synonyms for common English words and phrases -- all destined to make you feel like an insider in no time.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0471168343
• ISBN13: 9780471168348
• Release Date: April 1999
• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.83 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

An introduction to the world of slang etc.

If you are hoping to get clarification of the meaning of slang, vulgar and obscene terms in Spanish this dictionary & thesaurus is a great intro to this vocabulary in Spanish. As in any language this is usually hard to learn and understand without exposure and because Spanish is so broad whether you are a native speaker or not it is sometimes necessary to consult a reference to clarify the meaning of a word or expression. An everyday word in one country can be considered vulgar and totally unacceptable in another.This book contains data from Street Spanish 1,2,3 and a thesaurus of terms thematically categorized. If you wish to understand these terms as they are used and terms more specific to a particular Latin country or region, this thesaurus will prove beneficial. I also recommend the Mcgraw-Hill Diccionario del Argot: El Sohez. It is very advanced but is thorough and helpful if you wish to explore the world of idioms and slang in Spanish.

Ay, que padre!

I think this dictionary/thesaurus is deifinitely worth purchasing for those who like to expand on their knowledge of Spanish. I like how David Burke gives explanations on how certain idioms and words came about. I also liked the fact that at the end of the book, he put in some of the "Naughty Spanish" from his other book, Street Spanish 3: The Best of Naughty Spanish. I musn't forget, either, about the illustrations because they are so hilarious. So anyway, you guys, compren el libro. Uds. pueden darme gracias mas tarde!!