Most Useful and Entertaining!, May 23, 2002

A friend bought Rick Steves' Italian Phrase Book & Dictionary for me last summer before I embarked on my first trip abroad. My Italian speaking friend had actually lived in Italy for a few years, and after careful consideration, felt that this phrase book/guide would be useful for me. He was absolutely right.

The book proved to be invaluable. It was compact enough that I could carry it around with me in a small purse/backpack that I carried with me throughout my entire trip. I did not speak any Italian whatsoever, and found the words and phrases in the book to be exactly what I needed to get around and communicate effectively. I especially appreciated the pronunciation guide to each Italian word in the book- that was extremely helpful. The practical advice given throughout the book proved to be invaluable, as well as humorous, and the menu decoder was also of particular help. I quickly got over any "qualms" I may have had over appearing too "touristy" on my trip and used the phrase book repeatedly as it proved to be a most definate asset. Thank you Rick Steves' for so accurately predicting the needs of the average beginning traveler. The book greatly enhanced a most wonderful traveling experience. In fact, I am still studying it in anticipation of my next trip to Italy.

Prego..., February 22, 2001

Now if you read this book, you'd know what that means (Can I help you. Do you speak Italian? Here it is). It's not a high school langauge class, but it's a lot more fun, and with some time you'll get pretty good.

I think Rick does a great job is laying out the phrases that you'll need if you go to Italy. We're going in a few weeks, and it's really helping. Now if he could only improve the memory.

The book is small, will fit in a shirt pocket. It's broken down into sections (basics, eating, chating, etc.) so you can focus in on a section that you need, master it, then move to another section. After you've been through it all, you can then start combining different phrases and make some great sentences. It's got a lot of mnaterial in it, so start early when you decide to use it.

Thanks Rick, I actually feel that I can go into the Italian world and be somewhat understood. And, not to worry, I'll smile as I butcher the language, use my hands a lot, and laugh at the whole thing.

This book was a great help during my recent trip to Italy. I liked that Rick Steve's would also add a little bit of the culture and things you should note in here. In the restaurant guide he gives you suggestions, and the fact that your going to pay a bread charge when you sit down at a restaurant. While this book is not complete with all of the words you may need. This coupled with patient folks, you will get what you need.

I think this book is a good starting point, and certainly helped me out as a tourist. I was able to order in a restaurant, get subway directions, receive assistance in a shop without too much trouble. This was one of my best investments on my trip.

Everything you need to say - and more, June 1, 2004

Of course, it has the obvious phrases regarding directions, hotel rooms, food, etc. It also has things you really need to say, but that aren't found in standard phrase books. For example, in the "Taxi" section, you can quickly find out how to tell the driver, "If you don't slow down, I will vomit!" There is just enough humor to keep you smiling without wasting your time, and succintly hepful comments throughout. This is the phrase book to get for your next trip to Italy.

Not useful, May 16, 2004
Reviewer: A reader
I love Rick Steves, but this book is too broken up into categories to use very well. We read all the great reviews on this prior to our trip and bought it - mistake. Any time we wanted to look up a word it wasn't in there (first example coming to mind, BLACK! - it was in the Italian to English, but you'd have to be translating that direction only). It's good for a laugh and has funny translations, like slow down the car or i will vomit, but realistically, will you really use that (OK, in Italy if not elsewhere, but it's not something you'd look up at that moment feeling that way). Impractical is the best description of this book

Easy to use, fun, and a great help, November 16, 2003
Reviewer: A reader
I used this phrasebook while in Florence in November 2003 and found it very easy to use and helpful. It even made me laugh: what other phrasebook would tell you how to say "I'm a pest" or how to talk with animals? I should add that I studied Italian over 40 years ago, so the language wasn't totally strange to me. The desk clerk at my hotel noticed the phrasebook and commented that it was very good. A street vendor told me I spoke pretty good Italian "for an American."