Spanish Among Amigos - Phrasebook

The book, Spanish Among Amigos - Phrasebook, by Nuria Agulló is subtitled “Conversations for the Socially Adventurous”. I noticed it in the list of new books at my local library and decided to check it out.

From the Back Cover

Shake it up in Spanish with a little help from your friends

Looking to break the ice in Barcelona? Flirt in Fajardo? If you want to connect with Spanish speakers, then get in on the conversation with your instant amigas, Pepa and Pili, and experience the real-world rhythm of everyday Spanish. Join the party and learn hundreds of expressions with their formal, informal, and “downtown” variations including tips on how and when to use them.

So, if you want to mingle in Madrid, then you’ll want to know how to say…
¿Eres de Madrid? Are you from Madrid?
¿Estudias o trabajas? Are you studying or working?
¿Te importa si me siento aquí? Do you mind if I sit here?
¿Estás libre esta tarde? Are you free this afternoon?

This is not a regular textbook, rather it is designed to add some spice to your vocabulary. Adding spice means you have the basics down. This book would be good for someone who feels they are fairly fluent but need to escape from the stilted language of most Spanish textbooks. You learn not only ready-to-go phrases, but also will get some grammar pointers, learn about Spanish culture, and tips on blunders to avoid when using idioms and slang.

At this point my Spanish is not good enough to benefit from this book and it may also be ‘too young’ for me. Even in English, a 40+ year-old guy should not try to sound like he is 19.