Best book to learn Spanish
There are many tools if you are trying to learn Spanish, but I wanted to share with you, what I think about one specific tool I’ve personally used to teach Spanish. Here’s our review on the Spanish book «Complete Spanish Grammar«.
Remember, this is an opinion based in experiences with CAD Members looking to learn Spanish.
If you want to start to learn Spanish online, here’s a program we created for you:
Best book to learn Spanish: «Complete Spanish Grammar»
Learning a new language can be an incredibly rewarding experience, opening doors to new cultures, people, and opportunities. For those on the journey to mastering Spanish, «Complete Spanish Grammar» by Gilda Nissenberg is a powerful companion. This review delves into what makes this book a standout resource for Spanish learners at various levels.ding.
«Complete Spanish Grammar» is part of the Practice Makes Perfect series, which is well-regarded for its clear explanations and practical exercises. Nissenberg’s approach in this book is thorough, aiming to provide learners with a deep understanding of Spanish grammar, from basic to advanced concepts.
Structure and Content of the book
The book is divided into units that cover different aspects of Spanish grammar systematically. Each unit is further broken down into manageable sections, making it easy for learners to focus on one topic at a time. Here’s a brief overview of what you can expect:
- ► Fundamentals of Spanish Grammar: The book starts with the basics, such as nouns, pronouns, and present tense verbs, ensuring that beginners build a solid foundation.
- ► Intermediate Topics: As you progress, the book introduces more complex grammatical structures, including past tenses (preterite and imperfect), future tense, and conditional mood.
- ► Advanced Concepts: The later sections delve into subjunctive moods, advanced verb tenses, and idiomatic expressions, which are crucial for achieving fluency.
- ► Practice Exercises: Each chapter ends with exercises that reinforce the material covered. These range from fill-in-the-blank and multiple-choice questions to more challenging translation tasks.
Strengths of the book
Comprehensive Coverage
One of the greatest strengths of «Complete Spanish Grammar» is its comprehensiveness. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced learner, this book covers the full spectrum of grammar topics you need to know.
Clarity and Explanation
Nissenberg’s explanations are clear and concise, making complex concepts accessible. The book provides ample examples in both English and Spanish, which is particularly helpful for understanding nuanced differences between the two languages.
Practical Application
The exercises are a standout feature, providing practical application of grammar rules. The mix of exercise types keeps learners engaged and allows for ample practice, which is essential for retention and mastery.
How to use the book «Complete Spanish Grammar»
Answer Key Accessibility
The book includes an answer key, it’s important for you to know that these are located at the back of the book. This can be cumbersome to flip back and forth. It’s true that it would be more practical to have answers following each exercise, but, just so you know, it does have the answer keys.
Supplementary Resources
Although the book is robust on its own, some learners might benefit from supplementary resources like audio exercises or interactive online components. Incorporating these elements could cater to different learning styles and provide a more immersive experience.
If this is your case, here’s a great complement to this book with Short Stories in Spanish:
Ideal Audience for this book
«Complete Spanish Grammar» is ideal for self-learners, students in formal Spanish classes, and even teachers looking for a solid grammar reference. Its structured approach and thorough content make it suitable for anyone committed to mastering Spanish grammar, regardless of their starting level.
Why is this the best book to learn Spanish?
Hi, welcome to this video. I’m really happy that you’re here because I want to show you a great tool if you are willing to learn Spanish, especially if you want to do it by yourself.
My name is Daniela Barrera and I want to share with you this book that I found really, really useful. I’ve been teaching English for a while and I really like this material because I think it’s really comprehensive. I love this book because it comes with an app that includes flashcards and audio for the exercises. As you complete the book, you can listen to the exercises, starting to practice listening and reading at the same time.
I like this book a lot because, for example, it starts with Topic 1. In the first pages, you will find the explanation entirely in English, so you can understand the grammar part. After that, you will have different exercises, such as multiple-choice questions, fill-in-the-blank, or translation tasks. These activities help you understand the lesson thoroughly.
What I really like is that the explanations are in English, so you don’t necessarily need a guide or a teacher to use this book. If you’re willing to learn by yourself, it’s a great tool to do it.
Topics Covered in the Book
I want to show you some of the topics covered in the book. The first page presents the grammar structure and teaches you the context of using it. It has a glossary and answers in the back, so if you’re unsure about your answers, you can check them.
This book covers:
- Present Tense: Helps you understand how conjugation works, including regular and irregular verbs.
- Ser and Estar: Differentiates between the two verbs for «to be,» which is challenging for English speakers.
- Past Tense (Preterite and Imperfect): Teaches you how to express past actions and tell stories.
- Future and Conditional Tenses: Useful for talking about future plans and hypothetical situations.
- Reflexive and Non-Reflexive Verbs: Explains how they change in different contexts.
- Progressive Tense: Describes actions happening right now.
- Compound Tenses: Covers actions that have been completed over a period, in both past and future contexts.
- Subjunctive Mood: Essential for expressing hopes, desires, and hypothetical situations, unique to Spanish.
- Commands: Important for understanding and giving orders.
- Nouns and Articles: Teaches the different articles used in Spanish.
- Adjectives: How to describe things, people, places, and situations.
I love this book because it covers so many topics, allowing you to start learning Spanish by yourself. Completing this book might take around six to eight months, and by the end, you will likely reach an intermediate level.
Remember, this book comes with an app, so you can always listen to the exercises. I love giving extra tools to my students, whether they have classes with me or not. This book helps you learn on your own if you want to. Here’s a tool we created for you ► Short Stories in Spanish
If you have any questions or have used this book, please let us know in the comments. Your feedback could be really helpful for others. Feel free to follow us on our social media; all the information is in the description.
I hope you have an excellent day, and I will see you next time. Bye!
If you want to start to learn Spanish online, here’s a program we created for you: