Spanish - Juan Kattan-Ibarra

Teach Yourself Spanish is the course for anyone who wants to progress quickly from the basics to understanding, speaking and writing Spanish with confidence. Although aimed at those with no previous knowledge, it is equally suitable for anyone wishing to brush up existing knowledge or refresh rusty language skills for a holiday or business trip. Key structures and vocabulary are introduced in 25 thematic units progressing from introducing yourself and dealing with everyday situations to making travel arrangements and renting a flat. The course covers all structures required for GCSE level and beyond. The emphasis is on communication throughout with important language structures introduced through dialogues on the accompanying recording. There are plenty of exercises to practise the language as it is introduced and tips throughout to help with pronunciation and grammar. Cultural information boxes give useful advice and information for anyone planning a trip to Spain or Latin America. There are five tests at the back of the book for learners to check their progress and review any areas of difficulty.

The language taught in Teach Yourself Spanish is standard Spanish, which will allow you to communicate with speakers anywhere in the Spanish-speaking world. Differences between European and South American Spanish are explained in the units where necessary, and two of the four speakers on the recording are from South America.

The new edition retains the tried-and-tested structure of the lessons but has been updated to reflect societal and technological changes. The audio has been completely re-recorded, with, as before, two Spanish and two Latin American speakers, and there is approximately 150 minutes of listening material.