Phrasebooks

Phrases or sections you'd like added:

In the medical/health section of the Italian phrase book: please add the Italian word for "stroke"

Dennis McKaig in London , On Canada 11/13/2009

In the Spanish phrasebook, add the distinction between tickets for admission to events (taquillos) and tickets for transport (billetes).

In big train stations and airports, the prominent Atención al Cliente offices, meaning “traveler’s aid,” can help you out of a jam, such as the one we found ourselves in when our train was canceled (“sup” = “suprimido”) owing to a May Day strike. They can rebook you in such situations, and provide you with an official stamp and written explanation that will entitle you to an (eventual) refund. They’re often next to the ticket windows and the tourist information (TI) booth.

Vocabulary: A few more useful words: sin (“without” for features of a room, ingredients of a dish of food or beverage), con (“with” a feature or an ingredient, as in “café con leche”), la cola (the queue, the line you have to stand in to wait), sup / suprimido (cancelled, as in scheduled trains or planes), ahora mismo (right now), venta de (sale of), por atrás (back the way you came), la parada (the stop that a train, bus, or metro will make, as in “próxima parada”).

Larry and Marjorie Porter in East Lansing, MI USA 02/25/2009

One future Suggestion for the French phrase book if possible to add different expression used inFrench Switzerland &/or Belgium

Mrs. Pilar Harrietha in Toronto, ON CANADA 02/14/2009

I tried to find a store in Paris that sold quilting material (was told to try the area around Montmartre as it used to have a lot of fabric stores). I couldn't find specific phrases so cobbled together the word from my Phrase book: "tissu" and pointed to my clothing. Later, our innkeeper in Burgunday told me that quilting stores like we are familiar with are not very common in France. She suggested using the word "patchwork".

Karen Cotton in Coeur d'Alene, Id USA 10/25/2008

I've noticed that the languages of the Baltic States are not included in the Eastern Europe Phrasebook. I'm having difficulty in finding a phrasebook in Lithuanian as I need one for my upcoming trip there (my Litho skills are not proficient). The Baltics may not be a popular destination but they are members of the EU and shouldn't be ignored. Please add a section of the languages or better yet, publish a Baltic phrasebook. Aciu! (Thank you.)

Lisa Canada 04/29/2008

I needed a contact case as mine broke, but could not seem to communicate this to anyone or find one anywhere, either in the Farmacia or grocery shops!

April Graham in Keller, TX USA 03/24/2008

Pronunciation guide should be clear about stressed syllables, as it's usually the most significant factor in intelligibility, and the most often neglected. There should be some kind of representation of what linguists call suprasegmental phonemes--prosodic elements, phrasing--and a guide to sounding out written French. A very simple rule--that all final consonants except those in CaReFuL are either omitted or linked to succeeding words beginning with vowels--is a very fundamental feature of the language and should be included. Many DVDs have French dubbed and included in the caption list, and they should probably be recommended as a pretrip resource. One phoneme, "ay" with lip rounding, was omitted. A local told me American tourists have most difficulty with the French phonemes featuring lip-rounding.

Charles Heckel in Riverside, CA USA 12/07/2007

I just got back from a trip to France and got stuck in the rail strikes, which are apparently more common than I realized. I was very confused because everyone told me I couldn't leave the town by bus or train because of a 'greve'... took me forever to figure out that meant 'strike'.

Mike in Boston, MA USA 10/30/2007

It would be cool to have a little tear-out for the common questions which lists possible answers. I realized quickly that I could get down the correct pronunciations for a question - but sometimes I'd forget to look up the possible answers and wouldn't know what they actually responded! :)

Robin W. in Richland, WA USA 04/21/2007

You might want to include the Italian word "Pronto" to the guide book. This is a word that the Italians use when answering the phone. I heard it quite often when calling in Italy.

Ryan in Lyons, IL USA 01/08/2007

Dictionary: earrings = orrechini, olive = oliva, omelette = frittata, scarf = foulard (or sciarpa), tie = cravatta, vinegar = aceto

Perhaps a little guidance on the VAT refunds in the shopping section. My refund was denied because I got the wrong approval stamps. Sports: to go hiking = fare una lunga camminata Swimming and Hiking: … the ferry = il traghetto Hotel Help: hair dryer = asciugacapelli

S. T. in Atlanta, GA USA 01/06/2007