Mierda!: The Real Spanish You Were Never Taught in School

by Frances De Talavera Berger

Book Overview

A collection of hard-core curses, colorful colloquialisms, and streetwise slang never taught in Spanish class includes sample conversations, painless quizzes, tips on body gestures, and discussions of Spanish history, culture, and cuisine--complete with delightful cartoons.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0452264243
• ISBN13: 9780452264243
• Release Date: June 1990
• Publisher: Plume Books
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.4" x 8.0"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Profanity in Spanish

A lot of people try to avoid learning swear words in other languages. I don't understand why. These words are part of the language, and you shouldn't avoid them because they make you feel bad. Barry Farber and A.G. Hawke say in their books that you shoud avoid learning profanity in other languages. I say you should as long as you avoid SAYING them. Just KNOW them. I discuss this in my new book. Brandon Simpson

4 Stars Not for Content but for Entertainment

I am not going to try to convince you that this book will teach you a lot of useful Spanish slang. As one reviewer pointed out a lot of the Spanish "cusswords" are so regional that much of the material may be useless. But if you study Spanish as much as I do there comes a time when you need a break from your studies and you simply want to be entertained. For learning Spanish entertainment I think the book is great. If you find this kind of stuff amusing I also recommend a set of tapes called Spanish for Adults Only : A Complete Course in Sexual Slang.

Mierda comes in handy sometimes...

...especially for gardening! Actually, I bought this book in college, and it's great! I am a teacher with lots of hispanic students, and it enabled me to understand what vile things they were calling me. I could then politely tell them (in Spanish)how their mothers would enjoy hearing our discussion. It was very effective. My high school age daughter thought it was the most fantastically funny book she had ever read, and is now majoring in Spanish in college. And no, mierda is NOT our favorite word.

Everything you ever wanted to know is right on the money!

This book was great! I have never laughed so hard when learning about Spanish. There were words and phrases that will definately come in handy. Even if you just want to speak in another language, so people can't understand you. It was wonderful! I got glances from Spanish people that wondered how in the world I knew what they were saying. I highly reccomend this book if you plan to go anywhere that Spanish is spoken.

A must for any non-native speaker.

I laughed all while I read this book (however my instructors did not think it as funny as I did!). This book was really helpful before I traveled. I did not use many of the words but I did hear them spoken and understood what the Spanish speakers were saying to, and about, me. It opened a new world, a sort of secret society. Not the kind of Spanish you are taught in your high school, but then nobody uses the kind of English we were taught either.