Spanish Around the House - Tapa blanda

Break the language barrier and learn to communicate better with the people who work with you every day. As the Spanish-speaking population in the United States increases, the ability to understand and to be understood in Spanish is evolving into an essential need. If you want to close the communication gap and build stronger relationships with the Spanish-speaking workers you encounter every day, "Spanish Around the House" will give you all of the knowledge and tools necessary, even if you have no previous Spanish language instruction. This easy-to-navigate guide to practical Spanish features: more than three thousand key words and phrases - including phonetic spellings - for use in the kitchen, nursery, garage, garden, laundry, retail shops, and more; tips on interviewing potential employees and a sample bilingual job application; a quick overview of basic Spanish grammar and pronunciation; and, a mini bilingual dictionary for quick reference.Whether you're at a grocery store, auto repair shop, doctor's office, your own home, or your business, communicating with Spanish-speaking personnel in their own language will not only improve your skills but will help you forge new relationships, cement old ones, and expand your cultural horizons.

José Díaz is a Spanish teacher at Hunter College High School. He is the author of several Spanish study guides for high school students.

María Nadel has more than thirty years' teaching Spanish on the secondary level and has coauthored three Spanish textbooks and study guides.