This deluxe course has everything you need to learn Italian from scratch or to revive the Italian that you learned years ago. Ultimate Italian combines conversation and culture in an easy-to-follow, enjoyable, and effective format. It’s the perfect way to learn Italian for school, for travel, for work, or for personal enrichment. In this book you’ll
• 40 lessons with lively dialogues including the most common and useful idiomatic expressions. • English translations and explanations of Italian grammar and usage, pronunciation, vocabulary, and culture notes. • Quizzes and review sections to check your progress. • A complete summary of Italian grammar, and verb charts covering all major tenses. • A section on letter writing for business or social occasions. • An extensive two-way glossary. • Up-to-date computer and Internet vocabulary, information on euros, and more!
If you want CDs/books to brush up your Italian before a trip this is not what you want. First, the phrases they give you are not phrases you'll actually use on vacation. There's a section on speaking to your hair dresser (I have split ends, I want a bob cut). In the computer section the phrases are I think there's a disc in drive a, give me the mouse. However the phrase we all ask in the hotel - what's the wifi password is not included.
But the biggest complaint I have is while the English sentences are spoken slowly & clearly, they speak the Italian sentences quickly, not clearly, and only once. It would be nice if they repeated some phrases. I got thru 2 disc before I moved onto a better set.