Books

Teach Yourself Czech Complete Course Package (Book + 2CDs) (Teach Yourself . . . Complete Courses)

Average customer rating:

For the more serious student
a broad introduction
stay away
Not for tourists
Not conducive to "teaching yourself"

Teach Yourself Czech Complete Course Package (Book + 2CDs) (Teach Yourself . . . Complete Courses)
David Short
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Beginner's Czech
Lonely Planet Czech Phrasebook: With Two-Way Dictionary (Lonely Planet Czech Phrasebook)
Colloquial Czech: The Complete Course for Beginners (Colloquial Series (Multimedia))
Czech-English/English-Czech Dictionary and Phrasebook (Hippocrene Dictionary & Phrasebooks)
Basic Czech: Learn to Speak and Understand Czech with Pimsleur Language Programs (Simon & Schuster's Pimsluer)

ASIN: 0071430423

Book Description

Party in Prague? Teach yourself Czech!

With Teach Yourself it's possible for virtually anyone to learn and experience the languages of the world, from Afrikaans to Zulu; Ancient Greek to Modern Persian; Beginner's Latin to Biblical Hebrew. Follow any of the Teach Yourself Language Courses Audiopackages at your own pace or use them as a supplement to formal courses. These complete courses are professionally designed for self-guided study, making them one of the most enjoyable and easy to use language courses you can find. Audiopackages include an instructional paperback book and two companion 60-minute audio CDs.

Prepared by experts in the language, each course begins with the basics and gradually promotes the student to a level of smooth and confident communication, including:

Step-by-step guide to pronunciation and grammar
Regular and irregular verb tables
Plenty of practice exercises and answers
Practical vocabulary and a bilingual glossary
Clear, uncluttered, and user-friendly layout
An exploration of the culture
And much more

Customer Reviews:

For the more serious student.......2007-01-05

While I believe the lessons would eventually teach Czech well, they seemed to be designed for someone sitting down at a desk and repeatedly replaying the CD's while following along the written text. Having said that, I did found the book material excellent for a vocabulary reference. The verbal CD conversations were difficult to follow as a learning device, however, listening and reading at the same time did give a good opportunity to learn how to speak the Czech written words with some accuracy. I did use the text in the Czech Republic while we were there and it was helpful as a reference. I never made it through the CD's to the end. This to me was not a program that I could learn in only a couple of weeks, but it is a good foundation for someone who really needs to learn Czech over a period of time. The two stars are for the intensity needed to learn from the program, not the quality of what is provided.

a broad introduction.......2006-06-16

I was surprised at how much material this book covered, especially with some of the colloquial forms of speech that wouldnt be taught in other, more "formal" courses...

But it is very confusing sometimes and you will seriously have to put a LOT of work into memorizing the information presented in the dialogs. Yes, it's true that sometimes the book doesnt match the audio, but only with one or two words. The charts are extremely confusing and unhelpful...

This book is not for the casual tourist, it is for a language learner who is intent on packing in as much information as possible with limited practice material.... so be warned i guess...

stay away.......2005-12-20

I bought this book shortly before moving to the Czech Republic with hopes of learning a bit of this (notoriously difficult) language. I was confident after going through the first section, which covered basic introductions and common phrases. Then the whole endeavor headed west. In the section where you learn to talk about where you're from, the dialogues go something like this- "Hi, I'm ________, from ________. Where are you from?" "Oh, I'm ________, and I'm originally from ________, but right now I'm living in ___________ so I'm not really a __________, I'm a ____________." Then you learn such "useful" phrases as "My, they're in a hurry!" and "I'm late for the conference." I got as far as chapter 4, and then I threw the book across the room and haven't touched it since.

The book claims to be aimed at beginners- tourists and business travellers who need to learn a lot in a limited amount of time. The problem is, this is NOT beginner material. As a short-term traveller, you will find everything you need in a phrasebook. As an expatriate, this book will frustrate you and make you cry. Wait till you get to the Czech Republic, most bookstores in Prague and the other larger cities carry a decent selection of Czech language books for foreigners. My reccommendations- "Czech Step By Step" and "Do You Want to Speak Czech?"

Not for tourists.......2005-09-28

I purchased this book for an upcoming trip to Prague, in hopes of at least learning a little of the language. Unfortunately, all I came away with was "please," "thank you," and "hello." The book starts out doing a good job of outlining how to pronounce Czech words and how different accents change the sounds, however, the units stray increasingly far from anything useful to a tourist (including a conversation in which the 2 characters are having a domestic dispute). The book does include the numbers and other basics, but the cd does not cover their pronunciation.
This may be a good supplemental cd if you are already in a Czech class, because it gives a good feel for the pronunciation of the language as a whole, however it is not useful for a tourist who needs to learn things such as how to ask how much something costs or needs to be able to read a menu. Thankfully everything in Prague was in English as well, but I would have liked to learn a bit more of the language before going.

Not conducive to "teaching yourself".......2005-08-20

While many of the books in this series are quite useful, the Czech edition is extremely unhelpful. In addition to a tendency to stray into topics that you will never use (e.g., "Cleaning Liba's Wardrobe"), it offers very unclear explanations for a language with a very complex grammar. I lived in the Czech Republic for six months, and I don't think I once found this book useful. If you would like a resource that will help you learn this crazy (but fascinating!) language, try "Cestina pro cizince" or "Communicative Czech".

Colloquial Czech: The Complete Course for Beginners (Colloquial Series (Multimedia))

Average customer rating:

conversation content - ick
Not for Beginners
Utterly useless
Perfect for Beginners
Very good product

Colloquial Czech: The Complete Course for Beginners (Colloquial Series (Multimedia))
James Naughton
Manufacturer: TF-ROUTL
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Lonely Planet Czech Phrasebook: With Two-Way Dictionary (Lonely Planet Czech Phrasebook)
Czech-English/English-Czech Dictionary and Phrasebook (Hippocrene Dictionary & Phrasebooks)
Beginner's Czech
Conversational Czech: Learn to Speak and Understand Czech with Pimsleur Language Programs (Simon & Schuster's Pimsleur)
Basic Czech: Learn to Speak and Understand Czech with Pimsleur Language Programs (Simon & Schuster's Pimsluer)

ASIN: 0415161363

Book Description

This second edition of the popular Colloquial Czech has been rewritten to bring it completely up to date. Written by an experienced teacher, the course offers a step-by-step approach to written and spoken Czech. No prior knowledge of the language is required. Czech is spoken by over 10 million people and is closely related to the other members of the Slavic family of languages but, unlike Russian, uses the Roman alphabet.

Customer Reviews:

conversation content - ick.......2007-05-07

I never finished the set. I speak Czech a bit and wanted to brush - up also wanted a set to introduce a friend to the language. We were both put off by the content of the "conversations". The comments about the women seemed very 1950's.

Not for Beginners.......2007-01-02

I don't understand the positive reviews given to this program. Yes, the book might be useful as a text, but the audio part of the program is next to useless for beginners. After the short audio introduction on pronunciation, the program proceeded to rattle off conversations which were unintelligible and impossible to imitate since there was no time for repetition. I tried to use the book to help, but found that the conversations did not follow the lessons presented there!

If you want to try and learn to read Czech, maybe this is OK, but if you want to learn to speak the language I highly recommend the Pimsleur beginning Czech. After Pimsleur I plan on getting the Foreign Service Institute Czech series.

Utterly useless.......2006-08-06

This "course" is utterly useless for the traveler who wants to learn enough of the language to get by on a trip to the Czech Republic.
There is no logic or relevance to the dialogues.(You could listen to all of Cassette One and never find out how to say "Where is the bathroom?")Even the most basic language instruction (listening and then repeating phrases)is beyond the scope of this bizarre hodgepodge. Not even worth one star.

Perfect for Beginners.......2006-02-04

After ressearching and reading review after review trying to find the very best "teach-yourself" Czech course, I stumbled upon this. This book is incredible. Everything you need to know to build a strong foundation in the language. The book includes two cassettes (who uses these still I do not know) and two cd's. I ripped the cd's onto my iPod, and can study just about anywhere :) The cd's have native and non-native speakers of Czech, so you can hear the language as it actually sounds. I have read several books on the Czech language, and not one comes close to being as comprehensive as this. A+. If you are relocating to Prague, as I am, or simply desire to learn a very confusing language with relative ease, buy this book. You will not regret it.

Very good product.......2005-12-30

I dont think this is the best language course pack, but it's the best you can do for teaching yourself Czech... let's face it, there really arent many options on Czech books. I think the learning process the book follows is excellent. It teaches you all the case forms and declinations, etc. Which a lot of language packs dont do.

The only negative thing about this book is that the audio cd's that go with it are too fast for complete beginners. In most language tapes, you get to listen to the dialog in slow speed so you can learn pronounciation, etc.... then the dialog is repeated at normal conversational pace. But on this cd, you can only listen at normal conversational pace, which is too fast to grasp things when you're just starting out. But if you can make it through about the 1st couple of chapters, you'll be fine and the speed wont be much of an issue anymore.

I'd definitely recommend this product for people wishing to learn Czech. Dont take a chance on the other Czech books, because I researched those and they all looked like crap. Unless you can get ahold of the books the universities use (which are hard to find and costly) then get the Colloquial Czech series.

Lonely Planet Czech Phrasebook: With Two-Way Dictionary (Lonely Planet Czech Phrasebook)

Average customer rating:

VERY POOR- CHOOSE ALTERNATIVES
GET THE VERSION WITH THE ATTACHED CD!!!
Good, but with a few problems...
CZECH Phrasebook
About the CZ phrasebook and the two earlier reviews

Lonely Planet Czech Phrasebook: With Two-Way Dictionary (Lonely Planet Czech Phrasebook)
Eugenia Mocnay
Manufacturer: Lonely Planet Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Streetwise Prague (Streetwise)
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Prague (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
Basic Czech: Learn to Speak and Understand Czech with Pimsleur Language Programs (Simon & Schuster's Pimsluer)
Lonely Planet Prague

ASIN: 1864501847

Book Description

Live the cultural life in the Czech Republic - immerse yourself in a Dvorák symphony or chill out at a Prague jazz club. With the special section on architecture you'll know your Gotika from you Rokoko. Or if that's not your scene, get out of town, stay in a chalupa and hike in the mountains or swim in a jezero. And in the evenings, chat soccer with the locals over a piva. Nazdravi!

clear pronunciation guide and transliterations throughout to make sure you'll be understood
packed with phrases for shopping, eating and drinking
confidently roam around the Czech Republic with essential travel talk
camping, hiking and cycling sections to get you outdoors and into the action
special section on architectural styles
extensive two-way dictionary

Customer Reviews:

VERY POOR- CHOOSE ALTERNATIVES.......2007-04-10

American bashing is for pedantic cave people. Regarding this book, it is perhaps the poorest language tool for acquiring Czech on the market. It might look nice in its package, and Lonely Planet might lend confidence in the product, however my review comes from 2 sides. From Czech Speakers themselves, and as learner of the language to whom this book was left to me.

Let me just say this, if my Czech friends want to have a laugh, they request I bring this book with me to the pub! Avoid this book and demand quality from Lonely Planet, not a half baked product out to suck quick tourist money.....

GET THE VERSION WITH THE ATTACHED CD!!!.......2007-01-20

The person who pointed out the problems with the phonetic translations in this book is completely correct. I'm not saying this just because I'm an American and I expect everyone to speak as I do (if I felt that way, why would I be using this book?). The thing is that the Czech language isn't very similar to English. If I had pronounced "prosim" (the most useful word in Czech) as "prah-sim" (the way this book leads you to believe) I would have been completely wrong. Fortunately, the version I bought also came with a CD. (The CD doesn't follow the book, but it still has the important words and phrases.) The point is: YOU MUST LISTEN TO AUDIO RECORDINGS OF CZECH IN ORDER TO PRONOUNCE IT PROPERLY. No matter how good the phonetic transcription is, Czech is just too different from English to sound it out.

Good, but with a few problems..........2007-01-19

I am not a language specialist, but I found some flaws with this book, most especially with the phoenetics written next to the Czech text. For example, according to the book, the letter o sounds like "the o in 'dot'". Now this makes perfect sense within the context of the book. But in the introduction, it tells us the author "was born and educated in Czechoslovakia, and has been living in Australia since 1983." This tells me that the guide to the vowels are based upon the Australian/British vowel system. So the Australian pronunciation of "dot" has a more pronounced "o", while the American "dot" sounds almost like an "ah." My concerns of this were proven when I listened to recordings of certain Czech phrases by native speakers ("prosim," or "please," does not sound like "prah-seem," like the book may lead an American to deduce).

Also, vial phrases to traveling are hidden in various places in the book. The phrase "where are the toilets" is hidden on page 205, under "emergencies..." I don't categorize needing a toilet as a true emergency (like the phrase "it's an emergency!") But then the most complex phrases are located in the beginning of the book ("Are you here on holiday?" and "How long are you here for?") Perhaps it's just me, but as a traveler in a foreign country, I want to learn the basic phrases before in-depth conversation starters. And, with all due respect, how am I ever to understand the response to the phrase "Are you here on holiday?" in Czech?!!

This book has thousands of phrases you will never need to know. If you want to be able to ask questions and UNDERSTAND the responses, perhaps a real language book or formal class is necessary. And if you can memorize all the phrases in this book before leaving for the Czech Republic, then you probably don't need this book! By the time you find the phrase you need in the heat of the moment, the conversation is dead.

For the information in the book, it is surprisignly compact. The introduction to the language and the culture in the foreword to the book is extensive and informative.

Some of my favorite phrases:

Prilezitostne si dam kokain ("I take heroine occasionaly")
Nerozumel jsem tomu dobre ("I had a few problems with the language")

Yeah, I wonder why.

If you REALLY want to be able to use most of the phrases in this book effectively, you need a language class! This book will give you the essential phrases, but you had better find their page number before leaving on your trip, or you will have your nose buried in its 281 pages!

CZECH Phrasebook.......2006-08-30

Very consise and compact and easy to use.

Wish I had ordered it in LARGE print.

About the CZ phrasebook and the two earlier reviews.......2004-11-15

I wasn't surprised when I saw that the two earlier reviewers were from the US of A. They actually view it as the phrasebook's shortcoming that in the country at hand they actually speak some English as well. How ignorant is that?! Since the yanks probably won't know the answer to that either, here's the answer: Very. Most of the world does not speak enough English to adequately convey their sentiments, ideas, opinions, whole personality...but does that matter to angloamericans? No, they actually think that a travel experience will be as rewarding whether or not you speak the language of the native residents. As long as they understand your Enligsh, all's well. I hope, for theirs sake as well, that some of these people see the error of their ways.

About the phrasebook then. LP phrasebooks have maintained a standard of excellence and the Czech phrasebook is no exception, everything you could think of needing from a phrasebook of this size is there. A section in grammar kicks things off and even though it's shorter than, for instance, the Spanish PB grammar section, it's useful especially if you're interested in learning more about the Czech language. And I was delighted that the "Dating & Romance" (not included in all of the LP phrasebooks, dunno why) section was there since Czech women are absolutely beautiful :). I highly recommend this book, myslim ze to bylo bájecné!

Cestina hrou Pracovni sesit (Czech for Fun Workbook)

Average customer rating:

Cestina hrou Pracovni sesit (Czech for Fun Workbook)
Susan Kresin , and Hope Subak-Kaspar
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Primis Custom Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Cestina hrou (Czech for Fun)
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English-Czech and Czech-English Dictionary

ASIN: 0070350132

Book Description

Workbook to accompany Czech for Fun, Revised 2nd edition.

Czech: An Essential Grammar (Essential Grammars)

Average customer rating:

This, the David Short Teach Yourself Czech and the Fronek Dictionary are all you really need...

Czech: An Essential Grammar (Essential Grammars)
James Naughton
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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English-Czech and Czech-English Dictionary
Colloquial Czech: The Complete Course for Beginners (Colloquial Series (Multimedia))
Beginner's Czech
Czech Step by Step
A Modern Czech Grammar

ASIN: 0415287855

Book Description

Czech: An Essential Grammar is a practical reference guide to the core structures and features of modern Czech.
It presents a fresh and accessible description of the language and sets out the complexities of Czech in short, readable sections. Explanations are clear and free from jargon. Throughout, the emphasis is on Czech as used by native speakers today.
The Grammar is suitable for either independent study or for students in schools, colleges, universities and adult classes of all types.
Features include:
* focus on the morphology and syntax of the language
* clear explanations of grammatical terms
* full use of authentic examples
* detailed contents list and index for easy access to information.
Czech: An Essential Grammar will help you read, speak and write Czech with greater confidence.

Customer Reviews:

This, the David Short Teach Yourself Czech and the Fronek Dictionary are all you really need..........2006-06-26

Really! First, use this work. I know it means seemingly meaningless memorization, but then the Short Teach Yourself Czech will make a lot more sense, and you can concentrate on the colloquial expressions and phrases. Then you can polish off your knowledge with Radio Praha (which has the printed Czech of their articles and sound in RealAudio or Windows Media) and the Fronek dictionary. The Fronek IS hideously expensive, but since you're not gonna find "2,000+ Essential Czech Verbs," you'll find all you need on the irregualr conjugations and declensions there.

English-Czech/Czech-English Dictionary (10th Revised Edition)

Average customer rating:

not the best

English-Czech/Czech-English Dictionary (10th Revised Edition)
Jan Caha , Alena Kopecka , and Jiri Kramsky
Manufacturer: WD Publications,Czech Republic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Czech-English/English-Czech Concise Dictionary
Beginner's Czech
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Basic Czech: Learn to Speak and Understand Czech with Pimsleur Language Programs (Simon & Schuster's Pimsluer)

ASIN: 8023822152

Customer Reviews:

not the best.......2000-08-20

This is definitely not a stellar dictionary. The grammatical information is sparse and difficult to decipher (on the Czech to English side, at least), and at times secondary or tertiary definitions are not included when they should be. A number of times I encountered entries that were outdated or just plain wrong. Leda publishing puts out a much better dictionary for students of Czech.

Average customer rating:

Best Czech grammar text for English speakers that I've ever found

Cestina hrou (Czech for Fun)
Susan Kresin
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Primis Custom Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Cestina hrou Pracovni sesit (Czech for Fun Workbook)
Czech Step by Step
Colloquial Czech: The Complete Course for Beginners (Colloquial Series (Multimedia))
Czech: An Essential Grammar (Essential Grammars)
English-Czech and Czech-English Dictionary

ASIN: 0072455470

Book Description

Czech for Fun is an introductory Czech language textbook, designed for use at the college level. It emphasizes communicating in natural situations, and features extensive explanations and exercises, as well as dialogues and readings in Czech about life in the Czech Republic. The book is packaged with tape recordings of the dialogues; a workbook is also available separately.

Customer Reviews:

Best Czech grammar text for English speakers that I've ever found.......2006-08-03

I have been through many Czech-language textbooks in bookstores and have read through a couple of different ones used during Czech language courses in the U.S. and in Prague. Cestina Hrou is by far the best one that I have found. It is written for people from English-speaking countries and it covers all of Czech grammar from start to finish in a very clear, concise manner. Czech is not an easy language to learn, but this book made it feel easier than it would have otherwise been!

Czech-English/English-Czech Dictionary and Phrasebook (Hippocrene Dictionary & Phrasebooks)

Average customer rating:

Travel Czech
a good aid

Czech-English/English-Czech Dictionary and Phrasebook (Hippocrene Dictionary & Phrasebooks)
Michaela Burilkovova
Manufacturer: Hippocrene Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

English (All) | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

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Teach Yourself Czech Complete Course Package (Book + 2CDs) (Teach Yourself . . . Complete Courses)

ASIN: 0781809428

Customer Reviews:

Travel Czech.......2006-03-06

This book includes a Czech-English and English-Czech dictionary, as well as a basic grammar section and even a short history of the Czech Republic. After looking at several Czech dictionaries, this is the one that I've found to be easiest to use and is best suited for a tourist or casual student of the language.

a good aid.......2005-08-12

Essential phrases to help make a vacation in a foreign country more enjoyable

Average customer rating:

Highly recommendable
Well worth the money for a beginner
From a total novice.

Beginner's Czech (Beginner's Guides)
Iva Cerna , and Jolann Machalek
Manufacturer: Hippocrene Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Teach Yourself Czech Complete Course Package (Book + 2CDs) (Teach Yourself . . . Complete Courses)
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Basic Czech: Learn to Speak and Understand Czech with Pimsleur Language Programs (Simon & Schuster's Pimsluer)
Hippocrene Children's Illustrated Czech Dictionary: English-Czech/Czech-English (Hippocrene Children's Illustrated Dictionaries)

ASIN: 0781802318

Customer Reviews:

Highly recommendable.......2007-04-25

As I will be moving to Prague shortly, I decided to try to learn some Czech before I go, and thus chose to go with "Beginner's Czech". So far, I have not regretted this.

The book is divided into ten chapters, covering the basic grammatics and a variety of common situations (with the according vocabulary you'll need in such situations) - Introducing yourself, shopping, being a guest, asking for directions, etc.

The book is clearly aimed at people who are highly motivated for learning the Czech language, which in fact is quite difficult. For instance, right in the second chapter, you'll get the complete declension tables for all genders, including plurals (the Czech language has three genders and seven cases!) This can seem a bit much all at once, but I find it very handy when I want to look back at the tables when they are all at one place...

"Beginner's Czech" does include a chapter on pronounciation, but no cd. Personally, I find it a little hard to learn good pronounciation without actually hearing the sounds, so this is a small drawback. But then again, the book would probably have been more expensive with a cd. And anyway, there are some good places on the internet where you can check up on the pronounciation (for instance [...]).

Also, there are some of the exercises where it can be quite hard to actually understand why the declensions are the way they are (some kind of exeptions which aren't explained)

In spite of these very minor shortcomings, I strongly recommend this book to any motivated person looking to learn some Czech. It is a really good primer on the Czech language, and in any case, it's definitely worth the price..

Well worth the money for a beginner.......2006-01-21

As someone who is moving to Prague in the near future, I thought I would get a jump on the game by learning the basics of the Czech language in advance. This book is great for just that: learning the basics. Not a whole lot of help conversationally, but the book is rife with tables and charts indicating pronunciation, grammar, and definitions. Definitely worth the $10. Very handy for learning proper usage, and briefly covers a bit of Czech history in the beginning. 4 stars.

From a total novice........2001-10-22

I bought this preparation for learning Czech. While I've only skimmed through it so far, it seems to be more focused on grammar than the "Teach Yourself Czech" book. It's full of charts and tables, which is how I learned my first foreign language (Latin).

Average customer rating:

Don't leave home without it.
Excellent Book!

Hot! International

Manufacturer: Babelcom, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Hot!: Spanish for Guys and Girls

ASIN: 1885948174

Customer Reviews:

Don't leave home without it........2001-06-12

From "Hello, how are you? You're very attractive." to "Why don't you move in here? I have lots of room." (or "Don't call me, I never want to see you again.") negotiating a relationship in a foreign language can be tricky. Hot! International is a big help. It covers the your-place-or-mine basics, health concerns such as VD and pregnancy and the big questions of who is going to do what to whom and saying thank you for it afterwards. If your idea of a great trip is to add a foreign lover to your life list, then this book can be a big help.

Phrases are given in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portugese and Czech. This deserves a place beside your standard phrase books.

Excellent Book!.......2000-04-20

This is the stuff they don't teach you in school! It's in English, French, German, Spanish, Portugese, Italian and I can't remember what else (oops:). Fantastic for anyone, including sections on both hetero- and homosexual lingo, "group" activities, safe-sex, greetings, getting-to-know-you stuff, and more. You WON'T be disappointed. This book is great fun!

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