Book excerpt: No matter how much Spanish you study, it’s nearly impossible to fully convince the native-speakers that you’ve got it. Even those estudiantes perfectos who have seemingly mastered speaking a foreign language in a classroom run into problems in real-life situations. 3,000 Spanish Words and Phrases They Won’t Teach You in School goes beyond classroom Spanish by thoroughly explaining expressions, idioms, and quirks used daily by native speakers. This must-have manual also includes information on pronunciation, manners, abbreviations, and culture, making it much more than a phrase book! Learn within these pages everything you need to know to speak colloquial Spanish, including: Translation of common proverbs: like When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Slang: Like ¡Alivianate!— cheer up or get high Dual words: like integro and entero—with the same meaning. False cognates: Words that are similar but have very different meanings in English and Spanish So next time you plan a trip or just want to impress your friends, pick up 3,000 Spanish Words and Phrases They Won’t Teach You in School and drop the stuffy high school phrase book!