Reviews (66)

Great starting point
If your really interested in learning the language, not just say a couple key phrases, then you should start at the root - the alphabet.Many other "Teach Yourself..." series either neglect or downplay the importance of learning this basic foundational information.I think this book does well introducing and explaining how written Arabic is put together.By the time I completed this book, I was confidently writing and reading arabic words (transliterating), even though I really couldn't do much else...like understanding.Like I said, a great starting place, worth the time to be confident in this area.

The Arabic Alphabet: How to Read & Write It
This book pretty good. It teaches you how to read and write the alphabets. This includes how to link the letters together to form a word (since there is no printing or upper case letters as in English or most languages).It also teaches numbers and punctuation.I recommend it for someone who wants to take his/her learning to the next level of also writing Arabic.

Must have for the serious student of Arabic
Fantastic introduction to the Arabic alphabet.If you're serious about learning Arabic, you really should get this book.Use nightly for a fortnight and you'll have the bulk of the writing system mastered.Very, very well done! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alphabet    2. Arabic    3. Arabic Language    4. Arabic alphabet    5. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    6. Language    7. Language self-study & phrasebooks   

Reviews (7)

No passive learning in your car
This is a very thorough course - goes well beyond a phrasebook, and the CD is only worthwhile if you read along and do the exercises. So, no passive learning by listening over and over on your commute.
Can't Lose
At this price?You will speaking Swahili after soaking in this whole book.All you need after this book is the CD (so you can hear), and a dictionary to extend your vocabulary.The only fault I have is that some words in the English half of the book's dictionary aren't found in the Swahili side, and vice versa.But, this is an EXCELLENT beginners course.An excellent value.The structure of the language is well spelled out.

hujambo!
Good book for those traveling to Swahili speaking countries and need a quick grasp of conversational Swahili.Fine purchase for beginners.Would not be a first choice academic study. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. African Languages    2. Audio Adult: Language    3. Dictionaries - General    4. Foreign Language Study    5. Miscellaneous    6. Unabridged Audio - Misc.Nonfiction    7. Foreign Language Study / African Languages   

Reviews (14)

We want more of the kind...
Probably the most pleasant book you will use, not just to learn about hieroglyphs, but also, to learn about ancient egyptian culture.

Excellent Book...but Gardiner still worth it!!

An good text book!
If you want to learn the basics of hieroglyphs. Dont buy this book first. Buy "How to Read Egyptian Hieroglyphs: A Step-By-Step Guide to Teach Yourself". Then buy the text book by Allen. Read more

Subjects:  1. African Languages    2. Ancient - Egypt    3. General    4. History - General History    5. Language    6. Language Arts & Disciplines    7. Egyptian    8. Egyptian language--Grammar    9. Language & Linguistics    10. Language Arts & Disciplines / General    11. Language teaching & learning material & coursework   

Reviews (15)

Do Not Buy This Dictionary
This is a terrible dictionary. Many of the words are spelled incorrectly and many of the definitions, while technically correct, are absolutely nonsensical.

Shell out a little more for a lot more quality
i'm very sorry i bought this book.It may be concise, and it may be cheaper, but one shouldn't sacrifice spelling for saving a few dollars!The concise edition drops the dots off many of the letters, thus either misspelling the word or creating letters that don't exist.i borrowed the full-sized edition and found it to be fine.Don't waste your money and your sanity on this version!

The best one I have found
This is the best Arabic dictionary I have found so far, but I still have a couple complaints about it. There are a few things missing, like the names of countries, and sometimes the print is small and hard to read. The Al-Mawrid dictionary is more complete, but can be overwhelming, especially for new students, becuase when you look up an English word, it lists a whole bunch of Arabic words and it is hard to figure out which on is the right word. This dictionary, however, has very clear explaination on when to use what word. I would give it five stars if it were a little bit more comprehensive. For the serious Arabic student, this is the best English-Arabic dictionary out there.
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Subjects:  1. Arabic    2. Arabic Language    3. Dictionaries    4. English language    5. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    6. Foreign Language Study / Arabic    7. Reference | Bilingual Dictionaries | Other    8. Usage guides   

Reviews (3)

Very clear and legible Arabic typeface
Still a beginning student not yet qualified to comment on many aspects of this dictionary, I am however very pleased with the large, clear, easy-on-the-eyes Arabic font in this full-size edition. I steered away from the smaller formatted and much cheaper edition for fear that as a new reader I would not be able to make out the intricate script. [Years ago as a student of Khmer, another fairly intricate writing system, I first found myself reading documents with a magnifying glass, but once I reached a more advanced level everything seemed clear enough. I imagine it takes most students a while to adjust to what at first seems to be very strange and tiny scribbles.] Most Arabic entries seem fully voweled, so I do not see the need for the English phonetics that another reviewer demanded. I used the "Fun with Arabic" CD-ROM to get past the phonetics. I'm pleased at what I got for my money. I also followed another reviewer's suggestion and ordered the Al Mawrid dictionary as well. If you are going to put in the huge amount of time required to learn a foreign language, you'd best invest early in the game.

ATTENTION SELF STUDY! No English pronunciation!!!
I have used an English/Japanese dictionary that had the Japanese pronuciation in English characters as well as in Japanese. This book contains no such function. If you don't read Arabic, this book is of very limited use. You will have no way of determining the pronunciation. THIS BOOK DOES NOT SUPPORT SELF STUDY! Such an obvious oversight by the Editors and Publishers of this book is deeply disappointing.

the best english -arabic dictionary
its the best and most useful dictionary i have ever rea ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arabic    2. Dictionaries    3. English language    4. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    5. Foreign Language Study / Arabic    6. Language & Linguistics    7. Reference | Bilingual Dictionaries | Other   

Reviews (15)

Expanding Horizons
Formerly I was mainly familiar with Hieroglyph of the Ptolemic Period and needed more information for a project. Sir Alan H. Gardiner's Text Book not only filled this needed, but increased my interest in pursuing the subject even more comprehensively than I have had before. At my age (74) this keeps my mind active and gives another purpose to my life.
The Best Egyptian Language Resource Ever!
I think this is the ultimate textbook for any beginning, intermediate, or advanced Egyptologist because it is so detailed and thorough. I couldn't possibly wish for anything more in an Egyptian textbook. I've only read up to page 190. I have been studying Egyptian since 1996 when I first borrowed Mercer's handbook, but since I got this book just over ten weeks ago I have learned more about the Egyptian language than I ever learned before. I can't wait to finish the book.

Gardiner's Egyptian Grammar - A Must Have
If you're truly interested in learning how to read Egyptian hieroglyphs and have already bought and read one of the many "How To" beginners books currently being published, you've no doubt realized how limited the scope of your purchase is.You've been taken to the precipice, shown the wisdom of the ages, only to find out that, just when things were getting interesting, the story ends.
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Subjects:  1. African Languages (See Also Swahili)    2. Egyptian language    3. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    4. Grammar    5. Language    6. Writing, Hieroglyphic    7. Egyptian    8. Grammar & vocabulary   

Reviews (1)

Excellent!
This is a really wonderful book to start learning Kiswahili with. The explanations are clear and it is very attractively illustrated. My only (small) gripe is that there are no solutions for the exercises, whichhampers independent study somewhat. However, this won't deter any seriousstudent as the book does include a translation of all the dialogues,as wellas all a vocabulary listing all the words used in the book. Highlyrecommended! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. African Languages    2. African Languages (See Also Swahili)    3. English    4. Ethnic Studies - General    5. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    6. Foreign Language Study    7. Language    8. Swahili Language    9. Textbooks for foreign speakers    10. Language teaching & learning material & coursework    11. Non-Classifiable    12. kiSwahili (Swahili)   

Reviews (19)

Easy to understand
This book is written in such a way that it is easy to understand and learn the Hebrew alphabet. The page layout of the book is very conducive for a beginner to be able to study a foreign language. Ideal for a first book of the Alef, Bet.

An Excellent Tool for Opening the Door to Hebrew
This book was designed as a tool to teach adults how to read and pronounce the Hebrew Alef-Bet (Alphabet) for the purpose of reading and understanding traditional prayers and blessings.I found this to be a useful guide in learning the letters of the Hebrew alphabet along with their appropriate pronounciations.
Great Way to Begin Learning Hebrew
This little book is a fantastic way to begin your Hebrew education.When I started it, I couldn't read, pronouce, or write one syllable of Hebrew.I'd sat through many awkward services in my life, reading the English translation of what everyone else seemed to understand.Now, after going through this book twice in one week, I can read and pronounce Hebrew at a glance, and I'm beginning to write and read written Hebrew script.It's incredible.If you want to learn Hebrew, before you begin any other series, get your letters down first.This book is totally worth buying. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alphabet    2. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    3. Hebrew    4. Hebrew language    5. Judaism - Sacred Writings    6. Language    7. Study and teaching   

Reviews (6)

Egyptian-Arabic This Book is a Must !!!!
This book is outstanding! It gives you everything that you will need. One thing I would advise is to couple it with something audible because the Egyptian language is very particular in pronunciations. Most of their vowel sounds are quite a bit different from English. Just one slip of the tongue and you could be saying "I want to go to the bathroom" or "I want to eat pigeon"
Don't Go To Egypt Without This!!!!
I love this book!!! When in Egypt this June, I used it to my heart's content. Thanks to this book, I have learned very much in speaking the Arabic language. Being a student of Arabic, I found this small phrasebook even more efficient in teaching me than my textbook from school! It is simply awesome. Although the grammar could have been talked about more, I found this book a life-saver in many situations while being in North Africa. This book will teach you pronunciation, the Arabic alphabet, numbers, and thousands of useful phrases whilst in Egypt. The best Arabic-learning tool out there!

Excellent Arabic Phrasebook!
This is one of the most thorough, and easy to use Arabic phrasebooks I have ever used. Covers traveler's issues (tickets, directions, hotels, etc), but also includes food/eating, health/emergencies, entertainment, general conversation, and other everyday topics as well. I highly recommend this book for anyone who will be visiting or living in Arabic-speaking parts of the world. Great for students of Arabic as well. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arabic    2. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    3. Foreign Language Study    4. Multi-Language Phrasebooks    5. Travel    6. Egyptian    7. Language self-study & phrasebooks   

Reviews (12)

A nice book....
It's a nice book for beginner to learn Hebrew.The grammer and the structure are easy. The exercise of each lesson is quite helpful.The disadvantage is that you have to take a long time to finish it...
Great quality.
The book I receved was in great shape. Took a little long, but nothing to complian about. Overall great transaction.

A Jewish perspective on this excellent book.
I haven't seen any reviews of this book explicitly from a Jewish point of view, so this is just a short perspective - the other reviews are all well-written and describe the quality of the book well. There are, however, two minor points that the Jewish student should be aware of.
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Subjects:  1. Bible - Language Studies    2. Grammar    3. Hebrew Language    4. Language    5. Religion - Biblical Studies - Language    6. Grammar & vocabulary    7. Hebrew   

Reviews (15)

Adequate, but...
I'll add my voice to the comments listed above and below.This book gives you just what it says: 201 Arabic verbs, in their passive and active forms, with Masdar. And that's it.The lack of an index makes finding them surprisingly difficult,and some verybasic verbs are left out. On the positive side, you get every single form of the jussive. On the negative side, they filled up the pages with every single form of the jussive! A rather mechanical task.
only somewhat helpful
The general problem with Arabic texts is that there are not many good options out there. Supplemental books, such as the '201 Verbs', is ok, but it quickly loses the average student who is unfamiliar with what the meaning of the 'jussive' verb form is in English.
Okay, but not great...
I agree with many of the other reviewers that this book is missing something. I found that some of the most commonly used verbs seemed to be missing. Unfortunately, I haven't found another book of it's kind that is more complete, so this one will have to do unless something better comes along. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arabic    2. Arabic language    3. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    4. Tables    5. Verb    6. Foreign Language Study / Arabic    7. Grammar & vocabulary    8. Usage guides   

Reviews (23)

Unique Hebrew reference
I find this unique Hebrew reference book quite useful for Hebrew/English translation.Knowing the three-letter Hebrew verb root allows quick translation plus provides a full aray of associated verb forms.It is a great learning tool.

indispensable tool for navigating through Hebrew verbs: not for beginners
Put simply, this is the book you need to master the Hebrew verbs.
best
This is the best work on this subject I found until now. I am very pleased with it and I recommend it to those who intend to learn or improve their hebrew grammar knowledge. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    2. Hebrew    3. Language    4. Foreign Language Study / Hebrew    5. Language & Linguistics    6. Language self-study & phrasebooks    7. Oceanic & Polynesian languages   

Features

• Audiobook
• Unabridged

Subjects:  1. African Languages    2. Audio - Language    3. Foreign Language Study    4. General    5. Language    6. Swahili Language    7. Foreign Language Study / African Languages   

Reviews (16)

Transliterations Not Good for Pronounciation
The review by "Cat Marie" is very similar to my initial review of "First 100 Words" by the same author. I wrote that review before receiving classroom instruction in Arabic from native speakers.As a result of that experience, I amended my review as follows:
Thank you, thank you, thank you
As a beginner to the Arabic language, I was grateful to find this book.In the past, I've been subjected to dry-as-toast Arabic grammars that made NO sense whatsoever (because they often used jargon that would only be familiar to Arabic scholars with PhDs, probably).Wightwick and Gaafar's book is a nice, slim reference for basic Arabic grammar.What is particularly nice for the elementary student is that while grammar is shown in Arabic script (in my opinion, this is necessary for any Arabic guide worth its salt), the words are also transliterated so that the reader can accurately learn the pronunciation of a word.
A Well-Rounded Reference Grammar
This book is very well-structured, divided into three parts: introduction, verbs, and grammar.The introduction is a glance at the root system of the Arabic language.The verb section is an excellent overview, beneficial to both the beginner and the advanced.For the beginner it acts as a primer; for the advanced, a review.It discusses topics such as tense, mood, verb forms, and irregular verbs.The grammar section is considerably more concise, and seems like an afterthought.It caters to the beginner, but is redundant to the advanced.The end of every chapter provides a brief summary, as well as a good number of examples.This book is essential for the beginner and a good reference for the advanced. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arabic    2. Arabic language    3. Dictionaries - General    4. English    5. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    6. Foreign Language Study    7. Grammar    8. Language    9. Textbooks for foreign speakers    10. Verb    11. Foreign Language Study / Arabic    12. Grammar & vocabulary    13. Language self-study & phrasebooks   

Subjects:  1. Bible - CriticismInterpretation - General    2. Concordances    3. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    4. Hebrew    5. Hebrew Language    6. Inscriptions, Hebrew    7. Palestine    8. Religion    9. Inscriptions, Hebrew--Palestine    10. Palaeography (history of writing)    11. Religion / Bible / Criticism, Interpretation / General   

Reviews (8)

Great Babe magnet and Gift
I'm stationed in Ethiopia. This book was great i bought one used it to pick up so many ethiopian chicks i had to give it away as a gift so i bought another and met my wife........Ethiopian ofcourse.

Perfect book for my purposes
We just hired a nanny from Ethiopia and her English was minimal.I got this so that she could work on improving her vocabulary in her free time.I also got a monolingual picture dictionary, but she seems to use this one more than that.The book is easy to use as it goes both ways (Amharic-English/English-Amharic).Nice to know that amazon.com is carrying titles like this.Keep it up!

needs to be modernized
This book is intended for use in Ehiopia. If you are needing a book suitable for use in an urban setting with refugees in America, Europe or Australia I do not recommend it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. African Languages    2. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    3. Language    4. Language self-study & phrasebooks    5. Reference / Dictionaries   

Reviews (22)

A motivating book with authentic material
To be honest I used this book several years ago in university, and I didn't bring it to my current place of residence so I'm reviewing it strictly from memory. More than anything I remember being excited to open this book because at every point in the book you are learning authentic Hebrew passages that appear in the Bible. As many reviewers have pointed out, it uses an inductive method of only introducing grammar that arises in the passage currently being studied, and introduces the most commonly recurring structures first. I clearly remember the moment that we completed studying chapter 1 in class, my professor said "Congratulations. You can now read 4% of the entire Hebrew Bible." If I remember correctly, chapter 1 teaches only 2 words: "vayomer adonai" ("And the Lord said"). I was suitably impressed!
A smart way to learn Hebrew
This is a large book with a sturdy cover, very pleasant to handle. The font is clear, the text well ventilated. an excellent text for learning
Being primarily a self-taught student, I really liked this grammar.It has a few drawbacks that would apply to other independent learners like me (unfortunately it seems there is no escaping this no matter where you turn).But on the whole it measures up to the highest standards, and somehow even possesses a kind of gracefulness, which is a strange thing to say about a grammar.I imagine the author as a charming and extremely intelligent and gifted teacher, if her book has anything to say about her.Read more

Subjects:  1. Bible    2. Bible - Language Studies    3. Grammar    4. Hebrew Language    5. Readers    6. Religion - Biblical Studies - Language    7. Textbooks    8. Hebrew    9. Language self-study & phrasebooks    10. Religion / Bible / Language Studies   

Reviews (4)

Zuina Bezzaf - MUST READ BOOK!
This book was GREAT! It's the best one out there, and it's a Fantastic price. So much information, helpful phrases, easy word spelling for prnounciation. This book was so helpful and yet so simple, it takes you from basic topics such as "Religion" "People" "Places" "Transportation" "Feelings" and so many other topics. This is a must read book. And it's so small, you can bring it anywhere.

The best choice (of 2) for travel needs and tourists...
Okay, so there are really only two books out there that I know of which will teach you anything about Moroccan Arabic: this handy little pocket-sized phrase book and the big, green, more academic text called "A Basic Course in Moroccan Arabic." The choice between the two is clear, with the Lonely Planet book being the obvious choice for the thousands of us who just plan on going to Morocco for a short visit as a tourist or on business. The other book would probably be a better choice if you plan on living in Morocco and need to know the grammar and truly gain some in-depth knowledge, though the LP phrasebook would probably be a good place to start anyway.
Well, it sure impressed my Moroccan HUSBAND!
My husband and I have both gone over the book and were quite suprised and pleased at the accuracy. Moroccan arabic is a VERY different dialect from the traditional and Egyptian arabic, so if you are hoping to use this book to communicate with other arabic speakers that are NOT from Morocco, forget it. They will not understand you(although, some Algerians and Tunisians might as many Moroccans live there and the language is a little similar), so don't buy it if you want to communicate with non-Moroccans. I bought the travel pack which included the book, audio cassette and a little lesson book, that doubles as the cassettes's cover. Although, it is true: it is not for conversations or to learn the actual language from; it is mainly travel dialog and gettin' around stuff to say but I have in a pinch been able to use it on my husband with fantastic results. NOTE: this dialect is not spoken all through Morocco. There are several dialects of arabic spoken there. This particular dialect is spoken in Casablanca, Agadir and around there-'bouts. Different regions speak different dialects but most Moroccans should be able to understand you, from what my hubby says. I did have a couple of disappointments though; for one, the book's transliteration is a little strange on some of the words but nothing crucial, you will still be understood. I read arabic and some pages includes the arabic script of the sentences, so I could read that and understand more. Secondly, I wish there was MORE dialog or a part 2!! Third, if you buy the cassette with it, sadly, it does NOT cover anything in the book. My husband and I agree that it is an excellent book and well worth the price but if it is too hard for you to learn it and you are going to Morocco: learn Spanish or French. At least 95% of the population knows them as they are considered the main 4 languages of the land: Arabic, French, Spanish(Spain dialect-not Mexican Spanish), and Berber. If you are getting it to learn for a Moroccan husband or boyfriend, it will slightly help but you will not learn the language or how to speak to him from this book but it's a good reference to have on hand anyway! It has helped me! (get the cassette, too!) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. African Languages    2. African Languages (See Also Swahili)    3. Arabic    4. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    5. Foreign Language Study    6. Language    7. Translating & Interpreting    8. Language & Linguistics    9. Language self-study & phrasebooks    10. Morocco   

Reviews (6)

Fantastic
i am looking tomove out to South Afica and this book has helped me pick up the basics that i will require to get me started.

Great book for an easy language
I've studied several languages and I can say that - as a native English speaker - Afrikaans is the EASIEST language to learn. This book is a great introduction to Afrikaans- the easiest language for a native English (and Dutch) speaker and also the easiest and most logical and analytical Germanic language. After mastering a working knowledge of Afrikaans with this book, I was able to converse with South Africans and Dutch speakers. Prior to this, I only learned/studied Latin-based languages (Spanish and Portuguese). Now, I can read/understand Afrikaans and Dutch (and more German than I thought I could). I got this book on a whim (curious about other Germanic languages as a native English speaker focusing on Iberian languages) and have now fallen in love with the other languages in my native West-Germanic language family.

A good start.
Unlike most of the other titles in this series, Colloquial Afrikaans provides the new learner with a solid knowledge of the basic grammar, essential for a further study. The plural of nouns and the flexion of adjectives should be covered more thouroughly however, but this course with its lively dialogues and everyday vocabulary is one of the best one could choose to start that interesting language. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. African Languages    2. Afrikaans language    3. Audio Adult: Language    4. English    5. Grammar    6. Language    7. Language Arts & Disciplines    8. Reference    9. Spoken Afrikaans    10. Textbooks for foreign speakers    11. Unabridged Audio - Misc.Nonfiction    12. Afrikaans    13. Juvenile Nonfiction / Foreign Language Study    14. Language learning: audio-visual & multimedia    15. Language self-study & phrasebooks   

Reviews (7)

VERY HELPFUL
The highlights of this book is that it contains not only the dictionaries and useful phrases but also good explanation of grammar which makes understanding easier. Can't learn a language without grammar. They also try not to complicate by teaching "survival Swahili".

"Must Have" for East African Tourists
What's not to like?The compact size makes it easy to pack and tote on your trip to East Africa.It works great as a pre-trip study resource for the language - and equally well if you never open it until you are in a market in Tanzania and want to know "bei gani?" ("how much?")The book is organized in a way that makes sense - you can go to the section on shopping and find, not just a list of vocabulary words, but lots and lots of phrases to cover all kinds of situations.(If you have ever had to look up what you want to say word by word in a language guide, you will appreciate the value of this feature.)Like all Lonely Planet publications, it is written with a sense of attitude and energy - not dry like many language guides.My (Ki)Swahili is pretty good at this point - but I still pack this book whenever I go to East Africa.

Good for learning in a Rush
This book teaches the Basics of Swahili grammer and gives a person tons of words and phrases.One could learn some basic Swahili phrases from this and even think in Swahili numbers, but besides that, it is mostly a tourist manual, and unless you plan on being in rural East Africa, and are very polite, do you need to really know tourist Swahili if a large majority of the people will already have the ability to understand you in English? ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Africa    2. African Languages (See Also Swahili)    3. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    4. Foreign Language Study    5. Language    6. Language self-study & phrasebooks    7. kiSwahili (Swahili)