Conversational Greek in 7 Days

by Shirley Baldwin, Hara Garoufalia-Middle, Howard Middle

Bestselling quick-prep Greek course for travelers, now in CD format This accessible minicourse provides all the communication skills needed to make the most of a foreign jaunt. In just one week--less... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0071432752
• ISBN13: 9780071432757
• Release Date: February 2004
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.0" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Best short introduction

If you don't want or don't have time to go with the "learn yourself" type books this is the best short introduction I have seen and used. It is very practial, much better than a phrase book as it has has grammar expalnations, dialogues and exercises which help you apply what you have just learned, and lets your ear get used to the spoken language. There are 7 lessons broken into several parts which makes going easy and gives you time to assimilate the vocabulary of about 700 words. Very good if you want a quick review just before leaving for Greece.

Very useful book for any self study program.

Very clear and concise. Great info and well laid out. I am a big fan of the Pimsleur Programs, and this was a great supplement along with some others to add to the self study program I was following.

Just what a self-teaching method should be!

I bought this book three months before my trip to Greece and I found it very helpful. I bought the book alone yet it contains transliterated pronunciation so it becomes really easy to follow it. It is true that you won't learn in seven days (actually the idea is that they teach you the language needed by a group of travellers during their seven-day stay in Greece). You have to invest a lot more than that to grasp the language, but if you are disciplined you will learn just what you need in a trip! It teaches you what you need for every day situations like ordering in a restaurant, booking a room, shopping, finding your way out, etc. Yet this is NOT a simple phrase book. It really teaches you to understand what people tell you and to express yourself not only by repeating boring phrases, but by building up your own sentences in order to say what you need. I strongly recommend it!

Have realistic expectations, and enjoy

This is an excellent book for someone who wants to know just enough Greek to enjoy a vacation. I purchased this book five weeks before a trip to Greece, and found that I could order from a menu, give directions to a taxi driver, read Greek (could not always understand it), and exchange pleasantries. Now, I would like to refresh with this book, and then find an intermediate course to continue learning such a wonderful language!

Doesn't bite off too much

Not as complete as the Teach Yourself Greek or the Colloquial Greek offerings, but still a solid instructional conversational course. Make sure you get the book/cassette combo, not just the book. Designed to deliver conversational skills. Language books fall into two broad groups: those that teach you phrases and go light on the grammar, and those that endeavor for a working knowledge of the entire language. This book falls into the former category, where it does a good job, but while you may gain some useful knowledge in 7 days, you will not be able to master all the material in the book in that time.