Reference Works that will help 
if you're serious about learning Spanish 
In Association with

Unless otherwise indicated, the books listed are the personal choice of Don Casteel, Platiquemos's chairman, and the comments are his. While there are other good dictionaries and reference works, we believe those below represent an excellent value for students.

A word about dictionaries, and why I recommend a fairly expensive one.  The problem with most inexpensive dictionaries is that they never seem to have the word you need--they have all the words you don't need.  Also, they are often squeamish about the words you hear and need to know what they mean although, of course, you'd never use them.  

Webster's New World International Dictionary is the new incarnation of my favorite, Simon &Schuster's International Dictionary: English/Spanish, Spanish/English. I don't think I'm alone in thinking it to be the finest of its kind available.  I've worn out two copies over the years, its 1624 pages make it useful for everyone from students to interpreters/translators.  It is particularly strong in providing Latin American usages.  I can't recommend it too highly; Amazon's price makes it a real value [I paid $50 for my first one in the 70's].  

Vox Modern Spanish and English Dictionary.  Vox is the premier publisher of dictionaries in Spain, and also covers Latin American usage quite well.  While not as complete (1072 pages)  as Simon & Schuster's, it is more than adequate for most everyday needs.  Its Amazon price is also very reasonable.    It comes in a sturdy vinyl cover which makes it ideal for travel.   

Repaso: Complete Review Workbook for Grammar has become one of the most popular and widely used books of its kind.  We recommend it as a review for students who have completed our formal course, as well as as a reference work for current students.  Published by the National Textbook Company, the book itself doesn't give credit to the author, Dr. David Stillman.  I'm proud to count David as a friend, and that he says that the FSI/Platiquemos Spanish course is the best he has ever seen for teaching practical communication skills to English speakers.    For Amazon's price    this is an unbeatable value: it contains far more information in a more useable format than many grammar textbooks costing $80 and up. There is also an answer guide for Repaso, which is almost a necessity if you use it for study rather than reference purposes.  To order the answer guide, click here.  

Franklin BES-1840 Speaking Spanish/English Dictionary  Frankln Electronics was the pioneer in electronic dictionaries.  Electronic dictionaries have improved exponentially since they were introduced, and are now a practical tool.  The major benefits are that you can carry one in your pocket without its falling apart like a paperback dictionary, and once you get used to it it can be quicker than a paper dictionary.

The reference works below presume some prior study of Spanish.  For those who are using Platiquemos as their primary learning tool, I would recommend finishing Level I befor attempting to use these reference works.  If used before then, they may prove to be more confusing than helpful.

Breaking Out of Beginner´s Spanish.  An excellent supplement with many good tips for success in learning Spanish. It is important, though, to remember that neither this nor any of the other supplementary books we recommend can be used to actually learn the language. If used within their limitations, however, they can be of substantial assistance.    

501 Spanish Verbs is a perennial favorite of people studying Spanish.  It can be a   valuable tool if the user doesn't fall into the trap of trying to memorize its contents as a substitute for mastering a store of examples through the drills and exercises of the Platiquemos program.


1001 Pitfalls in Spanish.  Another good supplement to a thorough Spanish learning program.  As with other books on this page, it is important to use it for what it is, and not as a means of really learning Spanish.

2001 Spanish and English Idioms/2001 Modismos Espanoles E Ingleses  Another good supplement, to which the same cautions apply as to the other supplementary books on this page.



Practice Makes Perfect: Spanish Verb Tenses
Practice Makes Perfect: Spanish Pronouns And Prepositions

These two inexpensive books can also be very helpful.  

There is a series of books on Amazon.com called Spanish for Gringos, which I definitely do NOT recommend.  No, it´s not because of the reference to Gringos, but because the author says not to worry about pronunciation, you can work on that later.  That is exactly the opposite of the truth:  If you learn mispronouncing the words it will be somewhere between difficult and impossible to break the bad habits later.  I speak from experience.

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