Italian phrasebooks, travel dictionaries, and language-lessons-in-a-box

Rick Steves' Italian Phrase Book and Dictionary - Buon giorno! From ordering calamari in Venice to making new friends in Tuscan hill towns, it helps to speak some of the native tongue. Rick Steves, bestselling author of travel guides to Europe, offers well-tested phrases and key words to cover every situation a traveler is likely to encounter. This handy guide provides key phrases for use in everyday circumstances, complete with phonetic spelling; an English-Italian and Italian-English dictionary; the latest information on European currency and rail transportation, and even a tear-out cheat sheet for continued language practice as you wait in line at the Sistine Chapel. Informative, concise, and practical, Rick Steves' Italian Phrase Book and Dictionary is an essential item for any traveler's zainetto (that's Italian for "daypack")...

Eyewitness Italian Travel Phrasebook - These pocket dictionaries give business and vacation travelers everything they need for a smooth, successful trip. Organized by subject, the traveler can quickly find the vocabulary relevant to the situation, whether transportation, hotels, meals, shopping, post offices and banks, sports, or health care, accompanied by a pronunciation guide. At the end of each phrase book is a 2,000-word mini-dictionary. Fully updated from the original editions to reflect currency changes such as the Euro and new vocabulary such as e-tickets...

Lonely Planet: Italian Phrasebook - LP was the first publisher to realize that more people probably needed to know pick-up lines in the local lingo than needed help saying such traditional phrase book stalwarts as, "Pardon me, good sir, but could you please assist me in securing the services of a porter for my valise?"

Kwickpoint cards - Don't want to bother learning the actual Italian (or worried that some more complicated and obscure words will stymie you)? Pick up a laminated, foldable Kwikpoint card covered with cartoonish pictures off all the things a traveler might need—double bed, taxi, AAA battery, ice skates, computer printer, toothpaste, cheese, gas station, can opener, policeman, pig (as in point to this and either shake your head in order to say "My religion forbids me to partake of pork," or nod vigorously to say "pile on the pancetta, please"), etc. You just unfold it like a map, point at the thing you want, and say "per favore?" (Italian for "please?")

Hide This Italian Book - It's not the Italian you learned in high school. This uncensored language guide has everything you need to speak real Italian from cool lingo to hard-core insults. Learn the lingo on love, sex, extreme sports, fashion, gossip, partying and much more. Also exposed in "Hide This Book" are hilarious mishaps, social trends, and cool cultural features. Entertaining as well as enlightening, this is one language reference you'll enjoy reading cover to cover. Also you can listen online to hear all the expressions at www.berlitzbooks.com. [user review:] During my second semester Italian class this past year, this book was my favorite to pass the time and pass this class. I love languages but not my prof. and it was the best book I have picked up in a while.

Barron's Italian-English Dictionary: Dizionario Italiano-Inglese - This definitive Italian-English dictionary—which comes with a free, downloadable e-book version—features 100,000 entries with translations, and makes an ideal reference book for schools, libraries, businesses, and the home bookshelf. Yet its manageable size and reasonable price also makes it a practical learning tool for students taking an Italian language course. It features: • Two full-length sections: English to Italian and Italian to English • American-style English translations of all Italian entries • Headwords printed in a second color for easy reference with translations, parts of speech, and pronunciation guide printed in black • Exemplary phrases using headwords in standard contexts • Separate bilingual lists for numerals, phonetics symbols, abbreviations, and geographical names This all-inclusive dictionary also features full-color atlas-style maps of Italy and adjoining regions, a concise grammar guide, a regular verb conjugation list, and many more language learning aids. Here is a complete and up-to-date bilingual dictionary for libraries, schools, and the home. It can also serve as a helpful take-along book for international travelers. A key feature that sets Barron's Italian-English Dictionary apart from the competition is the FREE downloadable electronic version of the print dictionary. Users will find a PIN number in the back of each book that instructs them on how to download a copy onto their PDA, smartphone, and/or PC. Here's a great feature for students and travelers constantly on the go.

Berlitz Italian/English Pocket Dictionary - Compact and comprehensive, the Berlitz Pocket Dictionary is suitable for travelers, students or professionals. Blue headwords make entries accessible while its size makes the book handy and portable.

Oxford Italian: The Complete Language-Learning Kit - Take Off In Italian makes learning or brushing up on the language quick, easy, and fun. Follow an integrated course including activities and dialogues with native speakers so you can feel confident in day-to-day conversation. The course offers expert help when you are traveling with a handy phrase book and mp3 audio download for practice while on the move. This complete language learning kit contains everything you need to speak, read, write and understand Italian, and gives you flexibility when learning. The pack includes a clear, easy-to-use course book, full mp3 audio available to download, 5 audio CDs, including an extra practice CD, a handy travel dictionary and phrasebook, and [online activities and dialogues to support you as you pick up your new language.

Berlitz Rush Hour Italian: A Musical Language Course for People On the Go - Rush Hour uses the power of catchy melodies and dynamic rhythms to introduce you to basic Italian expressions and vocabulary for every day life. Follow the main character, Jon through all the events of his day - as he learns Italian, so will you. HIGHLIGHTS: All-audio course - listen and learn at home, at the gym, in the car, on the plane 10 short lessons fit easily into you busy lifestyle Topics include: greetings, telling time, transportation, weather, jobs, food, shopping, sports, and leisure activities Exciting storyline keeps you involved Listener's guide helps you follow along with ease INCLUDES: 2 CDs of language-learning lessons set to lively music Bonus CD with popular Rush Hour songs Listener's guide with a complete transcript of the audio course Downloadable Rush Hour word game Free sturdy case to hold your Rush Hour CDs. [user review:] My 3 year old and I zip around town listening to these CDs and love singing the catchy songs. It is a great way to pick up a couple of practical phrases while running errands. It has made my toddler and myself want to learn more and a great way to introduce people of all ages to Italian. I even think my 9 month old enjoys the songs and conversations because he seems pretty happy when they are playing. ;)

Prego!: An Invitation to Italian - Not for nothing, but this is the language textbook used by Temple University's study abroad program in Rome, where my rather taught (art, not Italian!) when I was a kid, and where I later matriculated during my own junior year abroad (and met the love of my life). For what it's worth, the book seemed to work amazingly well for my fellow study abroad students (can't really speak to it personally, since my method of learning Italian was to attend an Italian parochial school at the age of 11, which I would only recommend to others interested in being totally confused for several months while being bossed around by nuns). [Editorial review:] Introducing the online ActivityPak available for the seventh edition of Prego! This exciting new supplement replaces the former stand-alone interactive CD-ROM and provides a unified learning experience for students through the Online Learning Center. Flash-based activities, games, and video clips offer vocabulary, grammar, and culture review in a fun and useful online format. With the online ActivityPak, students will not have to worry about lost CDs and Operating system incompatibilities. It's all online, it's easy to access and use, and it helps students get the most out of their study of Italian.